Kottayam Meen/Fish Curry

Kottayam Meen/Fish Curry is very famous and is also know as Naadan Red Fish Curry. This is a curry my hubby loves and can never stop asking more for lunch and dinner. This is a typical recipe by my mom in law and it took few times for me to cook and get it right. This style of fish curry is prepared towards south part of Kerala. Personally, I love the color, taste and tanginess of the kodum (kokum) puli with Kappa and Rice. This fish curry tastes better the next day of preparation :)

Ingredients:

Fish - 500 gms (cut to medium pieces)

Small onions/shallots - 2 cups (sliced)

Ginger - 1 small piece (crushed)

Garlic - 10 pods (cut into half)

Green chillies - 2 nos (slit lengthwise)

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Fenugreek (uluva) - ¼ tsp

Kudampuli (kokum) - 2 - 4 nos (soaked in lukewarm water with salt)

Turmeric powder - ½ tsp

Kashmiri red chilli powder - 2 tbsp

Coriander powder - 5 tbsp

Water - 1 - 1 ½ cup

Curry leaves - handful

Salt - to taste

Coconut oil - 3 tbsp

Preparation:

- Heat oil in a clay pot (chatti), splutter fenugreek and mustard seeds.

- Add ginger, garlic, green chillies, curry leaves and saute for a sec. Add onions and fry till translucent and brown in color.

- Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and fry till the raw smell goes.

- Add water and kudampuli to the above mixture. Close lid and let the gravy boil well for 5 mts.

- Open lid and let boil for another 2 minutes till the gravy is slightly thick.

- Add the fish pieces and cook till fish is done on low flame.(Rotate the chatti in between to make sure the fish and masala is mixed well)

- Cook till fish is cooked and gravy become slightly thick.

- Switch off flame, add 1 tbs of oil to the curry and garnish with curry leaves.

- Serve hot with rice or kappa.

Note:

- The best combination with this curry will be rice and vanpayar thoran.

- This gravy always tastes best the next day.

- The curry will thicken by next day. So add water accordingly while cooking and make sure not to thicken the gravy too much.