Ingredients

• 5 to 6 pieces - fish
• 1 - tamarind, lemon sized
• 1 generous pinch - turmeric powder
• 1 tsp - coriander leaves
• Salt
• To temper:
• 1.5 tbsp - oil
• 1 tsp - vadagam / vendhayam (methi seeds)
• 1/2 tsp - mustard seeds
• 10 - small onion
• 5 pearls - garlic
• 1 - tomato
• a few - curry leaves
• To grind:
• 1/4 cup - coconut
• 1 tsp - fennel seeds
• 1.5 tsp - chilli powder
• 1.5 tsp - coriander powder
• To saute and grind:
• 1/2 tsp - oil
• 1 - tomato, chopped roughly
• 1 - big onion, chopped roughly

How to Make Chettinad Fish Curry

• Grind the coconut, fennel seed, chilli powder, and coriander powder in a mixer.
• Heat 1/2 tsp of oil in a kadai - add onion, saute till slightly browned.
• Then add tomatoes, saute until raw smell disappears and becomes mushy.
• Add sauteed onions and tomatoes to the ingredients in the mixer, sprinkle a little water and grind it to a fine paste.
• Soak tamarind in warm water (say 1/4 cup), extract pulp and keep aside.
• Heat remaining oil in the kadai, add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.
• Then add curry leaves, onion, garlic saute for 3 mins.
• Then add tomatoes saute until raw smell leaves.
• Then add the ground paste, turmeric powder and tamarind pulp.
• Add 1/4 cup water (adjust according to thickness), required salt and allow it to boil for 15 - 20 mins.
• When oil separates, add the cleaned fish pieces.
• Allow it to boil and the fish to cook well.
• The fish will cook fast so be careful not to break the pieces.
• Once the fish turns soft and the curry is well boiled and thick, oil will start separating.
• At this stage garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rice.
• Recipe and Image courtesy: Sharmis Passions
• http://www.sharmispassions.com/