Meen Pattichathu
Spicy Kerala Fish cuisine
Recipe by sonalipradhan356 of Plainsboro, US
this weekend my hubby wanted to have his favorite fish curry, meen pattichathu, a very popular dish from kerala. i have seen my mom-in-law preparing this dish when ever we visited cochin. the specialty of this dish is its fiery look and the hot n sour taste. oily fishes like mackerel, king fish , sardines, pomfret are commonly used ; the oil of the fish enhances the flavor of this dish. to reduce the spice level and enhance the look of the dish, kashmiri red chili powder can be used, i have used both, ie red chili powder and kashmiri chili powder for this recipe.kudampuli, also known as malabar tamarind/fish tamarind is used in this recipe. can substitute with normal tamarind. it's best if cooked in a clay pot and served with steamed tapioca/ steamed rice .
Ingredients
non vegetarian
4 servings
- 1 lb. Fish, cut into small cubes
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1/2 tbsp red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1" ginger, chopped julienne
- 3 kudampuli / a marble sized tamarind
- 2 tbsp grated coconut
- Salt, as required
For Tempering :
-
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- a few fenugreek seeds
- 2 to 3, sprig- Curry leaves
- 4 shallots, chopped lengthwise
- 1 tbsp oil
Directions
- Clean the fish and cut into small cubes. Mix red chili powder, kashmiri chili powder and turmeric powder with 2 tbsp of water
- Add the fish pieces , chili and turmeric mix, kudampuli, chopped ginger and salt with 2 cups of water in the clay pot, cover and bring to a boil.
- Next add the grated coconut , and let cook for another 5 to 7 minutes or until the gravy thickens.
- For the tempering , heat a tbsp of oil , add the mustard and the fenugreek seeds, once the mustard seeds starts to sputter , add the curry leaves and the chopped shallots, fry till the shallots turn brown.
- Add the tempering to the fish curry before taking off the stove.
- Serve hot with steamed rice /Tapioca.