KERALA STYLE FISH CURRY MEALS

    Yet another set of recipes for a simple SUNDAY LUNCH MENU.  As special as it is - a Weekend, a day of rest... turns out to be a day of work for women folk.  A good rest & a relaxed mode asks for good food, & the women folk has to get busy planning the meal, cooking & cleaning.  Kudos to all Working Women out there... I am always at awe with their effortless multitasking between work & home.  

    Though most of the Sundays goes by with a default Lunch with Meat, Fish or Seafood also takes over the show on some Sundays.  And when the craving for a typical Kerala Style Fish Curry Meals hits to the core, I plan ahead, buy fish & prawns, clean them and store it in the freezer.  Then it goes along with the typical Menu I cook while I make a Fish Curry Meals, which always comprises Fish Curry, Fish Fry, Prawns, a Vegetable Thoran, Chammanthi or Chammanthi Podi and will finish off the Lunch with Curd.  When it comes to Fish Curry Meals I always make Kerala Matta Rice & Steamed Tapiocas to go along with it.

    A complete meal without Fish, Rice and/or Tapioca is quite rare in Kerala.  One main reason behind this is the long coastline of the State, and availability of fresh catch.  Kerala Cuisine has a tradition of its own, with an extreme combination of a cultural mix of locals and tradesmen from Portugal.  Dishes made out of Fish are relished by Keralites, that it has become a speciality in the dynamic culture of ’God’s Own Country'.  On the long run, it took some twists and turns to suit the palate of Kerala culture enhancing and enriching the tastes and flavours of the fish curry.     

    Fish Curry Meals would be devoured heads down by a Keralite. My husband says that he has seen working women(in Cochin) buy a few fish on their way back home.  He would say, maybe they would make a simple Curry or a fry for dinner. The fact is he loves this idea, buying a fresh catch and cooking it up immediately.

     I had never been a fan of Fish Curry Menu when I was a kid. Least to mention, I used to hate eating Tapiocas & Matta Rice.  I never felt a Fish Curry meals special until I was living in India. One good reason behind that was we never got fresh catch in our area.  Whatever kind of fish we got in Coimbatore, all came from coastal areas of Kerala & Tamil Nadu.  But when we started living in Malaysia & as the place is so close to the coastal line, there was no lack of fresh catch. There we invented the taste & flavour of fresh seafood.  I & my husband recreated our love for seafood since then. And whenever I travel to Cochin, I never miss a chance of eating a Fish Curry meals.  During few of our visits, we have travelled around to have an elaborate Seafood spread at Kallu Shappu(Toddy Shop)served along with the local hooch.

    So whenever a craving for Kerala Style Fish Curry Meals hits, I prepare a combination of dishes like how they serve in a restaurant or go ahead making Kerala Style Pothi Choru(packaged Lunch) which is our another favourite.  So here goes a combination of dishes which can be easily prepared if you are planning for a Kerala Style Fish Curry Meals. 

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Cuisine - Kerala
Menu - Lunch Menu
Difficulty - Medium
Author - SM

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This Kerala Style Fish Curry Meals consists of:

KERALA MATTA RICE

KAPPA PUZHUNGIYATHU

FISH CURRY WITH RAW MANGOES

NADAN FISH FRY

CHEMMEEN ULARTHIYATHU

CHEERA THORAN

UNAKKA CHEMMEEN PODI

• Kerala Matta Rice
• Kappa Puzhungiyathu/Boiled Tapioca
  
• Fish Curry with Raw Mangoes
  
• Kerala Style Nadan Fish Fry
• Prawns/Chemmeen Ularthiyathu
  
• Cheera Thoran(Stir-fried Spinach)
• Unakka Chemmeen Podi

KERALA STYLE FISH CURRY MEALS

 

KERALA STYLE NADAN FISH FRY

 
    This Nadan Fish Fry is one dish commonly served in a Fish Curry Meals.  Prepared in a typical Kerala style with local spices and undoubtedly fried in Coconut Oil gives an authentic touch to this Fish Fry. Fish is marinated with a ground paste which is a combination of Shallots, Ginger, Garlic, Pepper, Chilli Powder and Turmeric with a drizzle of Lemon Juice.  Some recipes call for adding Tamarind Paste instead of Lemon Juice. This Nadan Style fish Fry is a spicy, tasty and flavour filled dish with a mild note of tanginess. 

MORU KACHIYATHU

CURD/YOGURT

 

ALLEPPEY FISH CURRY

   Alleppey alias Alapuzha in Malayalam is called as the Venice of the East, is a place in central Kerala in South India.   A hub of God's own country - Kerala's extensive backwaters and is a home of a vast network of inlaid waterways.  Least to mention the noteworthy places like Vembanad Lake, Punnamada & Kuttanadan Kayal/Back waters. The Paddy cultivation in Kuttanad has given the place its name as the Rice bowl of Kerala.  And Alapuzha is famous for its Coir manufacturing, which is obviously due to the huge number of coconut trees grown in the region. The demographics itself self proclaims the cuisine of the region. Extensive waterways - source of abundant seafood, Paddy fields - rice & Coconut tree - coconuts & coconut oil.

    Cuisine of Alappuzha is extremely exotic and delicious.  Kerala has been influenced by many culinary methods in the past, but the traditional way of cooking with local produce is deeply rooted in Kerala cuisine & in the lives of a Malayalee.  So as natural as it is, the availability of Fish & seafood has made the region flamboyant with Seafood recipes & the Toddy shop or the local hooch shacks have taken the culture of serving Fish & Seafood with their Thengin Kallu(Coconut Toddy) a long way in Kerala Cuisine.  

    Looking deep into this recipe, Alleppey Fish Curry is an exquisite dish laced with flavour & tastes.  Fish is cooked with Spices in Coconut Milk and the addition of Tomatoes & Raw Mangoes add a note of tanginess.  Alleppey Fish Curry is locally called as Thenga Paal(Coconut Milk) Meen Curry or Pacha Manga(Raw Mango) itta Meen Curry.  So what makes this Alleppey Fish Curry special is the addition of Raw Mangoes & Coconut Milk.  

ALLEPPEY FISH CURRY

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HOW TO COOK ALLEPPEY FISH CURRY - ALAPUZHA STYLE PACHA MANGA ITTA MEEN CURRY

ALLEPPEY FISH CURRY

INGREDIENTS:

 

For Alleppey Fish Curry:

 

Fish - 500 Grams

Coconut Oil - 3 Teaspoons

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon

Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 Teaspoon

Shallots - 5-6 Nos.

Green Chillies - 2-3 Nos.

Garlic - 2 Cloves 

Ginger - 1" Piece

Curry Leaves - 2 Sprigs

Tomato - 1 Big 

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Teaspoon

Red Chilli Powder - 11/2 Teaspoon

Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 11/2 Teaspoon

Raw Mango - 1 No. (Medium) 

Thin Coconut Milk - 1 Cup 

Thick Coconut Milk - 1/2 Cup

Salt - To Taste

 

ALLEPPEY FISH CURRY

 

METHOD:

 

Alleppey Fish Curry:

• Clean, wash & Cut the Fish. Wash well and allow it to drain.
• Chop Shallots and Garlic, cut Green Chillies lengthwise, slightly pound Ginger piece, slice Raw Mangoes and keep them aside. 
• Heat oil in an Earthenware or a Deep Pan, splutter Mustard seeds, Fenugreek seeds and Curry Leaves in medium flame.
• Sauté Shallots, Green Chillies, Garlic and Ginger until shallots turn translucent.
• Lower the flame and then add in the Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder & Kashmir Chilli Powder and give a quick stir.
  
• Now add finely chopped Tomatoes and sauté it along with the spice powders on a very low flame until oil separates from the mix and raw flavour goes.
• Can sprinkle some water and sauté the Tomato & spice powder mix.
  
• Now pour in the thin Coconut Milk and allow it to boil on a low flame for a few minutes.
• Add Raw Mango slices to the above and allow it to cook(1/2 way through).
• Add the Fish Slices, Salt, and cook for a few more minutes.
• Once the fish is cooked, pour  in the Thick Coconut Milk and leave this on a low flame for a few minutes.
• Switch off the flame, cover and allow it to rest for some time over the stove top, this will help all flavours get infused into the fish.
• Serve Alleppey Fish Curry hot with Rice or Tapioca.
• Alapuzha style Meen Curry goes well with Vellayappam, Idiyappam, Puttu,  Dosa, etc.,

ALLEPPEY FISH CURRY

NOTES:

• I have used Sole fish slices in this curry. 
• Adjust the cooking time depending on the type of fish used.
• 
  
• Do not overcook or stir the curry with a ladle once the fish is added.  This may break the fish.  
• Gently use a tong or a cloth to lift the earthen pot and swirl it up well so that the coconut milk is mixed well into the fish curry.
  
• Can substitute raw mangoes with Kokum/Tamarind.
• Can also grind grated coconuts and add it to the curry instead of Coconut Milk.
• Adjust the amount of spiciness according to your preference.
• I love tangy Fish Curries, so I have added 1 full mango for the curry, can add more or less according to your preference.
• Tempering the Curry in coconut oil enhances the taste, can use any other vegetable oil too. 
• This Curry tastes best the next day.