Oh! Fish is my absolute favorite among all non-vegetarian food. I love fish in all forms, even the smell of raw fish! My best friend back in Bombay is half Mallu (Malayali), and whenever I visit India, I always make it a point to go to her house for dinner. She makes the most amazing Kerala mutton sukkha and fish curry.
I’m particularly fond of Kerala-style fish curry made with raw mangoes. They also make a similar version with prawns. Yum! Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. As I type this, I’m waiting for my husband to get home so we can have dinner. I made fish curry this afternoon, and by now, all the flavors should have blended together perfectly!
My friend G sent me the recipe last night, so I made sure I had all the ingredients ready. I had already bought raw mango and fresh pomfret from the farmer’s market a few days ago, so it was the perfect time to try this recipe.
Ingredients:
1 pomfret (cleaned, washed, and sliced into pieces; you can use any firm white fish)
1 raw mango (kairee), cut into medium-sized pieces
1 chopped onion
1 cup coconut milk
2 green chilies
1 tsp ginger, chopped into small pieces
1/2 tsp methi (fenugreek seeds)
5 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 shallot, chopped into small pieces (optional)
10 curry leaves
4 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp tamarind paste (or tamarind soaked in hot water with pulp squeezed out)
Method:
In a small pan, heat some oil and add the methi and coriander seeds. Fry them lightly, but be careful not to burn them (they burn quickly!). Grind these fried spices with a little coconut milk, turmeric, red chili powder, garlic, and tamarind paste.
In another pan, bring some water to a boil and add the chopped raw mango pieces and onion. Boil until the onion becomes translucent and the mango softens.
Now add the coconut paste to the boiling water and mix well. Add the slit green chilies, ginger, and salt. Pour in the remaining coconut milk and stir. Once the mixture comes to a boil, gently add the fish pieces.
In the small pan you used for frying the methi, heat some coconut oil. Fry the chopped shallots and curry leaves, then pour this fragrant mixture over the fish curry.
Alternatively, you can skip frying the shallots and curry leaves and just boil the curry leaves in the curry, adding a dash of coconut oil directly.
Let the fish curry sit for a few hours before serving, so all the flavors meld beautifully. Serve it with steamed rice and tapioca (kappa).
Note:
You can use freshly grated coconut or frozen coconut instead of coconut milk, depending on what you have available.
This dish is a delightful blend of tangy, spicy, and creamy flavors that complement the fish perfectly!
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