Ingredients

• 1 tbsp - oil
• 5- shallots / chuvannulli, finely sliced
• 6- cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 1 -green chilli, slit lengthwise
• 1 - inch piece ginger, finely sliced
• 1 -spring curry leaves or 6 nos (dark green)
• 2 -kudam puli, medium size or 3 small size (soak in 50 ml - water for one hour. Add 1/4 tsp salt. Remove kudam puli and strain and reserve water for cooking. It may 2 tbsp water).
• 225 g - fish pieces, medium size pieces (225 g net weight after cleaning)
• 100 ml - 125 ml (1/2 cup / 4 oz (Indian standard measuring cup) water
• 1/2 tsp - salt (or to taste)
• 75 - 100 ml - thick coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp - uluva podi (methi powder / fenugreek powder)
• Spice paste:
• 2 level tsp - red chilli powder (1 1/2 tsp for less spicy curry)
• 1/2 tsp - turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp water
• Dilute red chilli powder and turmeric powder in 2 tbsp water and keep aside.

How to Make Cherthala Fish Curry

• Wash and clean fish pieces. Wash till you get a clear water and finally add rock salt (kalluppu) and wash again. Drain out water thoroughly and wipe each fish piece with a kitchen towel. In a wide bowl, marinate fish pieces with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and 1/2 salt. Cover and keep aside for half an hour.
• Heat oil in a meen chatty (preferably earthen pot) or pan. Add finely sliced small onion / shallots / chuvannulli. Fry on a medium heat till golden colour.
• Add sliced garlic, ginger, slit green chilli and curry leaves and fry till crisp and golden colour.
• Add diluted spice paste and stir on a low heat for 2 - 4 minutes or until the raw smell goes and water dries up.
• Add kudampuli along with strained water (reserved 2 tbsp water, in which kudampuli soaked) salt to taste and 1/2 cup water (100 - 125 ml).
• Stir all the ingredients well.
• Cover with a lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 5 - 7 minutes or until it boils.
• At this stage, add marinated fish pieces gently (level of the water should be equal to fish pieces. It should not be 1/2 to 1 1/2 inch above fish pieces. Fish curry won't be tasty if the gravy is too thin. Here final adjustment of the gravy is with thick coconut milk).
• Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 8 - 10 minutes or until done / fish pieces well-cooked / gravy slightly thickens cooking time depending upon the variety of fish). Switch off the heat .
• Sprinkle uluva podi.
• Now add 75 - 100 ml thick coconut milk and gently mix well. Serve with rice / boiled tapioca / appam.
• Allow the curry to stand for at least 2 hours before serving so that the gravy and fish absorbs all the flavours.
• Recipe Courtesy: Niya's World