Coastal Fish Curry

This recipe of fish curry is a common recipe of the coastal region of Southern India, that includes coastal areas of Kerala, Karnataka and Goa. Maybe just slight changes here and there in spices, but this recipe is more of a Mangalorean speciality.

The place where I belong to, Fish Curry is almost considered to be a sacred food. By 'sacred' I mean, no one is allowed to mess with it. It has to be that 'perfect' curry which only the elder ladies of the family take the privilege to prepare. Making a good fish curry is considered to be an art, and still every household has its own special taste. The best fish curry which I always relish is by my mother and my mother-in -law and of course, the excellent one prepared by my grandmother. 

Nothing for me is more comforting than a bowl of fresh steamed rice topped with an authentic and aromatic fish curry. And I am on my way to master this skill myself, maybe till I get to feed my great grand children.

You might also like similar kind of recipes in my blog:

Goan Prawn Curry

Prawn & Drumsticks Curry

  

Recipe for Coastal Fish Curry

Serving: 5 to 6

Preparation Time: 15 to 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 500 gm King Fish (Surmai) or any big fish of your choice
• 1 tomato chopped
• 1 cup thick extract  fresh coconut milk ( OR 1 cup warm water + 3 tbsp coconut milk powder)
• 4 tbsp cooking oil (or coconut oil)
• Salt

For Curry Tadka

• 1 onion sliced 
• 2 small green chilies
• 7 -10 curry leaves
• 1 inch piece of ginger sliced
• 2 tbsp coconut oil

For Curry Masala

• 3/4 cup fresh coconut 
• 10 dry red chilies (medium spicy)
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp whole cumin
• 1/2 tsp black pepper corns
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp chopped ginger
• 5 curry leaves
• 1 green chili
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 tbsp tamarind pulp ( OR 3/4 cup tamarind soaked water)

Preparation:

1. Cut and clean the fish pieces and keep aside.
2. Fish Curry Masala: Grind the coconut into a very fine paste by adding few drops of water at a time. 
3. Heat a pan, add 1 tbsp oil and roast -  10 dry red chilies (medium spicy), 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp whole cumin, 1/2 tsp black pepper corns and 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds) for 2 to 3 minutes on low flame.
4. Then add chopped garlic, ginger, green chili and chopped onion. Roast all of them together for 1 more minute on medium flame. Cool and transfer to a grinding jar along with ground coconut paste and tamarind pulp.
5. Grind the masala into a fine paste by adding little water as needed. This will take several rounds of grinding, as you need to grind it to a super smooth and fine paste.

Method:

1. Heat a sauce pan with 3 tbsp of cooking oil. Add the fish curry masala, salt, chopped tomato and 3 cups of water (approx). Let it boil slowly and cook on low flame for 10 minutes.
2. Once the masala is cooked and the raw smell disappears, taste and check the salt and also the sourness in the curry. If you want more spicy then add extra green chilies and also if needed add extra tamarind pulp.
3. Adjust the consistency of the curry by adding some water if it is too thick and let it boil again.  
4. Now add fish pieces one by one. 
5. Do not stir too much with the ladle, as it might break the fish. Just rotate the sauce pan gently to stir. Place the lid and cook on low to medium flame for 5 to 7 minutes or till fish is almost done.
6. Finally add coconut milk to the boiling curry and cook for 2 minutes on low flame.
7. Remove from heat and keep warm. 
8. Curry Tadka: In a separate pan, heat 2 tbsp of coconut oil (or cooking oil). Fry sliced onion till soft and light pink, then add curry leaves, chopped ginger and green chilies. Saute for few seconds on high heat and add the whole tadka to the fish curry.
9. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Kori Rotti Chicken Curry | Mangalorean Style Chicken Curry

This is a typical Mangalorean delicacy of Bunt Community, with an excellent combination of a spicy coconut based chicken curry paired with crispy rice crepes. We rarely see anyone making these crepes at home as it needs to be prepared by people who specialize in this skill and is much time consuming. It is better to buy it rather than make it at home as they are too delicate to handle. As a Mangalorean I would like to treasure these traditional and valuable recipes and pass it on to the future generation.

The recipe for chicken curry is a traditional one. By 'traditional' I mean that the recipe remains the same and no changes are made to it, no matter what. You need to keep some crepes on the plate and pour a ladle full of curry over it. Within few seconds you will find the crepes are fully soaked in the curry making it taste heavenly. You can never find this kind of combination in any other food.

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo gram of Chicken (cut into small pieces)
• 1 cup coconut milk (fresh or made with powder)
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 1/4 cup fried onion (for garnish)
• 1 stick of cinnamon (1 inch)
• 2 cardamom
• 3 cloves
• 5 tbsp cooking oil
• For tempering: 5 curry leaves and 2 dry red chilies

 For Masala:

• 12 dry red chilies (medium spicy)
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 3 cloves of garlic (big size)
• 1 small onion roughly chopped
• 1 cup tamarind soaked water  (or 1 tbsp ready made tamarind pulp)   
• 2 tbsp oil 

To prepare the Masala:

1. Heat oil in a pan and roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chilies and peppercorns. Fry for 1 minute on slow flame or till they slightly change color.
2. Then add grated coconut, chopped onion, chopped garlic and turmeric powder. Again fry everything on low flame till aromatic. This will take another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
3. Transfer all the roasted ingredients into a grinding jar. Along with tamarind pulp grind to a smooth and fine paste.
4. Masala is now ready.

Method:

1. Heat oil in a saucepan and add cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Add 1 medium sliced onion and fry till light brown.
2. Add chicken pieces and cook for 1 minute till all the juices are sealed in.
3. Now add the masala paste, salt and 3 cups of water. 
4. When the curry starts to boil, reduce the heat and cover and cook the chicken till it is fully done.
5. Finally add coconut milk and cook for another 5 minutes. Taste and check the salt. Add more water if the consistency is too thick, as we need a medium consistency curry for the crepes to get soaked. Once the curry is cooked, remove from heat.
6. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a small pan and add curry leaves and dry red chilies. Pour this tempering over the curry, garnish with fried onion and serve hot with Kori Rotti.

Note: In case the Kori Rotti is not available at your place, this curry goes very well Ghee rice, Pathri, Roti and Idlis.

Steamed Rice & Chicken Dumplings

This recipe post was actually prepared as a guest post for my fellow blogger Lubna Karim.

I would like to thank Lubna who blogs at Kitchenflavors for inviting me to her wonderful space as a guest writer for her Ramadan Event. She truly has an amazing collection of classic recipes and intricate style of food photography.

Rice & chicken dumplings also known as Chicken Mutli or Chicken mutkule is a traditional Mangalorean recipe. This recipe is a short cut and easy method of preparing it. Normally for rice dumplings, the rice is first soaked, ground to a smooth batter and then cooked to form a dough. By using Idli rava, it cuts down the time taken to soak and grind the rice and makes the whole process easy and quick. It can be a complete meal on its own, perfect dish for iftar and can also be enjoyed as an evening snack. 

Serving Size: 5

Total Cooking Time: 1 hour (approx)  

For Chicken Stuffing

Ingredients

• 1 cup boiled and shredded chicken
• 1 onion sliced
• 1 green chili finely chopped
• 5 curry leaves finely chopped
• 1 tsp whole cumin
• 2 tsp red chili powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ cup chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt
• 3 to 4 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

1. Heat oil in a sauce pan and add 1 tsp whole cumin. When it changes colour, add sliced onion and sauté till soft.
2. Then add chopped green chili, chopped curry leaves, 2 tsp red chili powder, ¼ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp cumin powder and 1 tsp coriander powder. Fry the masala for 2 minutes or till the raw smell disappears. (Add few drops of water if needed)
3. Now add cooked chicken, lemon juice, salt and chopped coriander leaves. Fry for 1 more minute, remove from heat and set aside to cool.

For Rice Dumplings

Ingredients

• 1 cup Idli Rava*
• 2 and 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut (for batter)
• 1/4 cup cooked rice
• Salt

*What is Idli Rava?
Idli Rava is not semolina or rice flour. It is a coarse rice powder available in any Indian stores. It is normally used for making idlis.

Method:

1. Heat a non-stick sauce pan and boil 2 and 1/4 cup water and salt.
2. Add 1 cup idli rava to the boiling water and stir well. (Before adding rava reduce the flame)
3. After stirring for few seconds, add 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut and 1/4 cup cooked rice.
4. Keep stirring on low flame till the mixture gets thicker and starts to leave the sides.
5. While cooking, the water starts to dry up and batter starts looking like a very soft dough.
6. Remove from heat and cool for 2 minutes.
7. When the dough is still hot, dip your hands in water and give them a shape of a small lime size ball and then make it into a hollow cup so that you can place stuffing inside.
8. Stuff each dumpling with the 1 tbsp of chicken mixture or as needed.                                    

To make the steamed dumplings

1. Heat a steamer with enough of water.
2. Place the stuffed dumplings in the steamer and steam cook for about 10 minutes.
3. Let the dumplings cool down completely before handling them. If you try to remove hot dumplings, they might break or crumble as they are very delicate when hot.
4. Serve warm.

Step by step pictures

 Chicken Stuffing

Rice Dumplings

South Indian Style Beans Stir Fry | Beans Sukka

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes (for chopping)
Cooking time: 10 to 15 minutes


Ingredients:

• 3 cups of chopped green beans (string beans)
• 1 medium onion roughly chopped
• 3 green chilies (or as per taste)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 tsp black gram dal (urad dal)
• 6 curry leaves
• Pinch of turmeric
• Salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

• Heat oil in a kadhai or a thick bottom sauce pan.
• Add 2 tsp mustard seeds, and when it starts to splutter add 2 tsp urad dal. Wait till urad dal slightly changes its color.
• Now add chopped onion, green chilies and curry leaves. And immediately add the chopped beans and a pinch of turmeric for a golden color. (no need of frying the onion)
• Season with salt and sugar and add 1/2 cup or 1/4 cup of water. Place the lid and cook for 10 minutes on medium to low heat. (cooking time varies according to the nature of beans)
• Do not over cook the beans as they need to retain the color and crunch.
• Add freshly grated coconut and cook for 1 more minute.
• Serve hot as a side dish.

Goan Prawn Curry | Step by step method of making Goan Prawn Curry

Serves:

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 500 gms prawns (peeled & cleaned)
• 3/4 cup fresh coconut 
• 1 onion sliced + 1 small for masala paste
• 1 tomato chopped
• 2 small green chilies
• 7 -10 curry leaves
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 7 -10 dry red chilies
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp whole cumin
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp tamarind pulp ( 3/4 cup tamarind soaked water)
• 1 cup thick extract coconut milk (1 cup warm water + 3 tbsp coconut milk powder)
• Salt
• 5 tbsp cooking oil

For tempering:

• 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
• 3 to 4 dry red chilies
• 5 curry leaves
• 2 tbsp cooking oil

Preparation:

• Heat a pan and dry roast dry red chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorn and fenugreek seeds on very low flame.
• Grind fresh coconut into a fine paste by using some warm water. Try to grind as fine and smooth as possible.
• Now grind together coconut paste, dry roasted spices, curry leaves, small onion, garlic cloves, green chilies and tamarind pulp to a smooth paste by adding very little water.
• Clean the prawns and keep ready.
• Chop onion and tomatoes.
• Keep the coconut milk ready. To prepare fresh coconut milk, grind 2 cups fresh coconut with 1 cup water. Sieve the coconut mixture through a cloth and collect the milk in a bowl. 

Method: 

1. Heat oil in a sauce pan and fry onion till soft and light golden. Then add tomato and 2 or 3 curry leaves and cook for few minutes.
2. To this add the coconut and spice masala paste, salt and fry for 5 minutes on low heat.
3. When the masala starts to boil, add 1 cup thick extract coconut milk and 2 cups of water. Stir well and cook for 10 minutes on low flame. The oil will be visible on the surface of the curry.
4. Finally add prawns and cook for only 5 minutes and then switch off the flame. Keep the curry covered for sometime.
5. Heat a small pan with 2 tbsp oil. Add whole cumin and when it starts to crackle, add dry red chilies and curry leaves. Pour this tadka over the curry and quickly cover the gravy with the lid. Let the curry remain covered for 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Serve hot with steamed rice, dosa or idli.

Tip: The secret for a nice flavorful curry is, to grind the paste as smooth and fine as possible. This will take sometime and several rounds of grinding the paste in the mixer. Keep tasting and adjust the seasoning as needed. Also adjust the consistency by adding more water.

Step by step pictures