Kerala Fish/Meen Curry

A flavorful Kerala fish curry. I have a lot of kerala friends from my school days and have enjoyed eating in their house and love their food. Specially fish curry with coconut.
It really tastes good only when they make them. I have only tried to replicate it. As we always say the fish curry tastes good the next day, this recipe turned out so good the next day with all the flavors infused in it. Hope all my friends like this recipe. 

Preparation Time :10 mins| Cooking Time : 30 mins| Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Fish - any 1/2 kg or 1 lb

Onion - 1 - chopped

Green chili - 3 - slit

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Kokum/kudam puli - 3 pieces - soak in warm water or use tamarind paste 2 tbsp

Chili  powder - 1/2 tbsp

Dania powder - 1/2 tbsp

Kashmiri chili powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Coconut milk thin - 1/2 cup

Coconut milk thick - 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

For Tempering:

Coconut oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard - 1/2 tsp

Methi - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves

Method:

• Mix chili powder, dania, turmeric and kashmiri chili powder with a little water and make it as a paste.

• In earthen pot/mun chatti add coconut oil and temper with mustard, methi and curry leaves.( I forgot so added it later)

• Add ginger garlic paste and saute till you get nice aroma.

• Add the chopped onions and green chili. Fry till tender. 

• Add the masala paste.  

• Fry for a while till the oil separates.

• Add soaked kokum with water.

• Add the thin coconut milk, bring it to boil.

• When it starts to boil add fish, let it boil until the fish gets cooked. This will take around 8 to 10 mins.

• Now add the thick coconut milk and switch off when starts to boil.

• Garnish with cilantro. Enjoy with hot kerala matta rice.

Note:

1. I recommend you use Kodum puli instead of tamarind, as it has a different flavor.

2. You can substitute the coconut oil with canola if you want to avoid the strong flavor.

2. Adjust your spice level as needed.