Kerala Meen Kulambu With Kudampuli
Red-Hot Spicy Kerala Fish Curry is a popular fish curry with kokum. Spicy Kerala Meen Kulambu is made with the regular tamarind and coconut paste in some parts of Kerala, giving it a deep yellowish-orange colour. A great-tasting Kerala fish curry with full of deliciously spicy flavours.
Servings: 4
Calories: 110kcal
Ingredients
- Fish King fish/Mackerel etc. - 8 -12 pieces
For Paste
- Ginger – ½ cup finely chopped
- Garlic - ½ cup finely chopped
- Shallots - 3-4 finely chopped
For the curry:
- Refined oil - 1 tbsp
- Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
- Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
- Shallots - 2-3 finely chopped
- Curry leaves - 8-10
- Garlic - ¼ cup finely chopped
- Ginger - ¼ cup finely chopped
- Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
- Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 3-4 tsp
- Kudam Puli pot tamarind – 3-4 stars (soak it in 2 cups of water)
Instructions
- Clean and cut the fish. Smaller fish like Mackerel need not be cut.
- Grind all the ingredients under ‘for paste’ into coarse paste and keep aside.
- Heat a pan and add 1 tsp full of refined oil.
- Add the mustard seeds when the oil is hot enough.
- As the mustard seeds splutter, add the fenugreek seeds.
- When the fenugreek seeds turn brown, add the chopped shallots, chopped ginger and garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes or until the mixture turns brown.
- Tip in spice paste and sauté until golden brown. This mixture needs to be stirred constantly as it may stick to the pan.
- Add turmeric and chilly powder and cook this mixture for about 2 minutes under very low flame. A higher flame may cause the chilly to burn.
- Now, add 1 cup of water to this mixture and bring it to boil. Continue heating until it becomes thicker in consistency and attains a deep red color.
- Add 1 ½ cups of water to this mixture and bring it to boil.
- Now add salt, curry leaves and drained kudam puli (pot tamarind) into this watery mixture and keep aside.
- Take a clay pot/ pan and arrange the first batch of fish on the pan in a layer.
- Transfer half of the curry mixture to the pan, spreading evenly over the layer of fish.
- Now add the next batch of fish, placing them over the already existing batch of fish.
- Pour in the rest of the curry and cook it on medium flame for about 15-20 minutes depending on the kind of fish.
- Season it with some more curry leaves. In a typical Kerala style, you may also add a few drops of coconut oil and keep it aside for at least 30 minutes. This helps the fish to soak in the curry and attains its special sour and spicy taste.
- Kerala Fish Curry goes well with mashed tapioca (another Kerala favourite) or rice.