Tomato Fish Curry

Tomato Fish curry

A tasty fish curry. Best with Appam, Idiyappam (string hoppers), Rice …

Serves: 3 – 4

Ingredients

For fish:

500 g good quality fish pieces

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon salt

Wash and clean fish. Drain out water completely. In a wide bowl, mix fish pieces with salt and turmeric powder. Cover and keep aside for half an hour.

For the curry:

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion or 12 shallots (chuvannulli / small onion / saanu piyyavu), finely sliced

1 tablespoon thick ginger – garlic paste

1 green chilli, slit lengthwise

6 - 10 curry leaves

1 ½ teaspoon red chilli powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

¼ teaspoon methi powder (fenugreek powder / uluvapodi)- optional

2 well ripe tomatoes (3 big size or 3 small size), grate and keep aside in a separate bowl

Extra ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

½ cup (75 – 100 ml) water

Marinated fish pieces

Method

Dilute red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and methi powder in 2 tablespoon of water. Make a smooth spice mix.

In a meen chatty (earthen pot) or pan, heat oil on a medium heat. Add sliced onion or shallots and fry on a medium to low heat until golden color.

Add thick ginger – garlic paste and fry for 2 – 3 minutes until the raw smell goes.

Add slit green chilli and curry leaves. Fry for 2 – 3 minutes.

Add diluted spice mix and stir well for 2 – 3 minutes until the water dries up.

Add grated tomatoes (along with the juice), salt to taste and extra ½ cup water (75 – 100 ml). Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 10 – 12 minutes until the tomato gravy slightly thickens.

Gently arrange marinated fish pieces, cover again and cook on a medium heat for 5 – 7 minutes until fish pieces well cooked. Serve with appam / idiyappam / rice …