Fish curry Chettinad style:
In olden days Ammi kuzhavi was a mainstay in every home to grind the spices. which is used for grinding masalas and chutneys gives you awesome taste especially for fish curry by stone grind chili paste. Now we become lazy and mainly we feel it as time consuming to grind in stone. Chettinad sambar masala, the ingredients are roasted spices to use year long this can be used for most of the Chettinad cooking vegetarian and non-vegetarian both. Get from the below link
https://www.chettinadsnacksonline.com/collections/masala-podi/products/sambar-milagai-podi
Fish Curry can be made by any variety of fish you like but Preparation method remains same to follow.
To stone grind method:
Red chillies-9 nos
Coriander leaves -2 tbsp
Fennel seeds 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp grind by sprinkling water in to smooth paste.
Add this stone ground paste in tamarind water to prepare fish curry, you will enjoy the delicious taste of grandmothers fish curry.
OR
Ingredients:
Fish 1/2 kilogram
Onion shallots-100 gms
Garlic-10 pods
Tomato-2 nos chopped
Curry leaves-1 twig
Green chili slit- 2 nos
Chettinad Sambar Masala -4 tsp https://www.chettinadsnacksonline.com/collections/masala-podi/products/sambar-milagai-podi
OR
(Chili powder-2 tsp
Coriander powder-2 tsp)
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
salt 1 1/2 tsp
Tamarind juice-1 lemon sized tamarind soaked in warm water and extract the juice.
For seasoning:
Fennel seeds-1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
Methi seeds-1/4 tsp
Oil 2 tbsp
Crushed pepper-1/2 tsp or ginger can be used in the place of pepper as you prefer.
Step-1:
Peel and cut Shallots and Garlic, Chop Tomato, slit green chilies keep ready.
Step -2:
Take a bowl add 3 cups of water, add tamarind juice, chili powder, Coriander powder, Salt and Turmeric powder mix all well and keep aside.
Step-3:
Clean fish with few drops of lemon and 3 pinches of salt, wash off and keep ready for cooking.
Step-4:
Heat pan with oil season with above mentioned ingredients.
Add cut garlic, onion, curry leaves and Green chillies saute until golden brown.
Add chopped Tomatoes mix well till it leaves its skin,add crushed pepper in it.
Step-5:
Now add prepared gravy in step-2 allow it to boil for 5 to 10 minutes when it starts becoming thick add fish .
Step -6:
Simmer and cook ,It takes few minutes for the fish to get cooked, Check consistency, helps oil to float on top of the curry. Leave it in the same kadai do not keep closed for sometime.
Serve with hot steamed rice . Fish curry tastes great on the next day.
Below picture is Mathi fish variety
Coriander seeds
Stone grind masala 2 tablespoons coriander leaves add pannanuma or 2 tablespoons coriander seeds add pannanuma ma.