Meen Vattichethu(Fish Curry)

Fish is one of the simplest and quickest meals to prepare ,and so I have done many experiments using that.Meen Vattichetu is one ,which is most popular among keralites,even though it varies from region to region.I know ,my friends from Trivandrum who use tamarind instead of Kudampuli,and those from Thrissur who use mango.But all like to have fish curry for their lunch.

My husband is an expert in selecting good fishes,I don't know how he is recognising,but I see him poking on its eyes and flesh and also checking the gills,and he insists I cook it on the same day.His favourite dish is one with coconut milk,But this time I am doing something different without coconutmilk. I like to have this fish curry with pulisseri and hot rice ,Wow Yummmmy!!!




Ingredients

1/2 kg King fish,Sliced
1 medium sized onion ,sliced
1 medium sized tomato chopped
2-3 green chillies,slit
1-inch piece ginger,chopped
4-5 cloves garlic,chopped
11/2 tbsp Kashmir chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
5-10 fenugreek seeds
2 tbsp coconut oil
3-4 pieces Kudam-puli
2-3 stalks curry leaves
salt to taste

Method

Soak kudampuli in 1 cup warm salt water and keep aside.
Heat oil and toast fenugreek seeds. Add onion,ginger,garlic,chilli and 2-4 curry leaves and saute for a couple of minutes.No need to be brown,then add chilli powder and turmeric powder,saute until u feel "Ahchoo"(hi,hi),add tomato at this stage and saute few more minutes.Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Grind the sauted masala with less water to form a thick paste.
In an earthenware"Manchatti" put the soaked kudampuli with water mix it with the paste ,Boil it,Place fish pieces to this and cover with a lid and allow it to cook in medium heat, swirl the cooking vessel once in a while.Add remaining curry leaf at the final stage.

Note:
The taste of the dish will improve with time and it can keep for up to a week.
Do not add more fenugreek and curry leaves at the initial stage,it will make curry a bitter taste.Fish should never be overcooked as it will become tough and dry.Cook for a minimum amount of time at a slow fire.