Meen thengapal curry

This fish curry is cooked in coconut milk and coconut paste.  It goes well with plain rice or boiled tapioca. It is a typical Kerala style fish curry. You can use any type of small fish like sardines, mullet and anchovies (netholie).

 

 

Ingredients

• Fish -1/2 kg
• Coconut oil-2 tsp.
• Shallots sliced-1 cup
• Finely chopped ginger-2tsp.
• Green chilies (slit)-3
• Curry leaves -2 sprig
• Tamarind -1tbsp (soaked in half cup water)
• Tomato sliced-1small
• Coconut milk (medium thick)-1/2 cup
• Salt to taste

For grinding

• Coconut grated-1/2 cup
• Fennel seeds -1/4 tsp.
• Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
• Chilies powder-1 tsp
• Coriander powder-1/4 tsp

Method

• Grind coconut with all the other ingredients to a fine paste.
• In a pan heat oil and sauté shallots after it changes its color add ginger and sauté till the onions are golden brown.
• Add curry leaves, green chilies and tomato and sauté for two minutes.
• Clean the fish, add the pulp of tamarind, coconut paste and the sauté ingredients to a meen chatty (earthen pot used to cook fish).
• Add enough salt and water (the gravy should be just above the fish) and cook the fish till the gravy thickens.
• Finally add the coconut milk and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.