Roasted Coconut Fish Curry With Moringa-Drumsticks | Kerala Style Varutharacha Meen Curry

Kerala-style delicious fish curry, fish cooked in roasted coconut gravy…

Having a long weekend, I feel so relaxed and wonderful. The weather was more than perfect, the sun kept shining over the weekend without any denial. I dedicated my weekend solely to gardening and beautifying the backyard. Finally, my first-ever veggie garden is up in my yard. I planted tomatoes, bell peppers, peppers, different kinds of beans, squash, and cantaloupe. Now, I am eagerly waiting to harvest the veggies and fruits 🙂

Last Saturday, I made a Kerala-style lunch. I don’t make this kind of lunch quite often and hence I felt so homely and content. A typical Kerala lunch includes rice, fish curry, fish fry, veggie stir fry, etc. I made fish curry in roasted coconut gravy, Kappa or Tapioca stir fry in coconut gravy, and fish fry.

There are so many different ways of making fish curry in Kerala. This recipe is Trivandrum-style fish curry, fish cooked in roasted coconut gravy along with moringa or drumsticks. My mom makes this curry in a clay pan which makes this curry taste good, also this curry tastes better the next day. This fish curry goes really well with kappa-tapioca.

This curry can be enjoyed with rice, appam, idiyappam, puttu, etc.

Varutharacha Meen Curry Or Fish in Roasted Coconut Gravy

Ingredients:

For making gravy:

• Fish, cut into cubes- 8 cubes ( Kingfish, pomfret- I’ve added sardines)
• Drumsticks-Moringa cut into 3-inch slices- 3
• Tamarind, fresh- 2-inch slice, soaked in 1/2 cup warm water
• Curry leaves- 1 sprig
• Green chilies, split lengthwise- 2

For roasting coconut:

• Coconut oil- 2 tbsp
• Coconut, grated- 2 cups
• Curry leaves- 1 sprig
• Small onions or pearl onions- 5
• Chili powder- 1 1/2 tsp (or use 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder + 1 tsp regular chili powder)
• Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder- 2 tsp
• Ground black pepper- 1/2 tsp
• Salt- 1 1/2 tsp
• Water- 1 1/2 cups while grinding+ more to thin down the gravy

Instruction

• If using whole fish, clean the fish, remove the scales and internal organs, cut into 2-inch pieces, keep it aside.
• You can use kingfish, pomfret, or sardines.
• You could use bone-in or boneless fish for making this curry. I prefer bone-in fish as it tastes better.
• In a small bowl, soak 2-inch slice fresh tamarind in 1/2 cup lukewarm water for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, squeeze the soaked tamarind in water, strain the juice & discard the skin & seeds. Keep it aside.
• If you can get hold of drumsticks-Moringa, available at Indian and Asian stores use that.
• Cut the drumsticks into 3-inch slices.
• Use a claypan or non-stick saucepan: add the fish, moringa-drumsticks, green chilies and curry leaves; keep aside.

Roasting coconut:

• Place a large pan over medium heat, add oil.
• Add coconut, small onions, and curry leaves, and stir fry till the coconut turns golden brown in color.
• Keep stirring for even roasting.
• When the coconut turns golden brown, add chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, ground black pepper, and salt.
• Combine everything well, saute for a minute.
• Remove the pan from the heat, let cool down.
• In a blender, grind the roasted coconut along with 1 1/2 cups water to a smooth paste.
• If the mixture is too thick add some more water while grinding.
• Pour the ground coconut paste over the fish and drumsticks- moringa.
• Add 1/2 cup water to thin down the gravy.
• Add the tamarind extract to the gravy, combine well.
• Place the pan over medium-heat & cook covered for 10 minutes.
• When the gravy comes to a slight boil, open the lid slightly and let cook for 5 minutes.
• Don’t overcook the fish or stir the fish too much as it will start to fall apart.
• Lower the heat and cook for 2 minutes.
• If the gravy is too thick, add 1/4 cup water to thin it down and cook for 2 minutes.
• Taste the gravy, adjust the salt according to your needs.
• Remove the pan from the heat, and keep it covered for a few minutes.

Tips:

• You could store the roasted coconut with the masala in the refrigerator for a month, make sure to store it in an air-tight container or ziplock bag.
• If you have a clay pot, make this curry in that for a better taste.
• Leftover curry can be stored in the refrigerator, this curry will taste better the next day.

Fish in Roasted Coconut Gravy - Kerala Style

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

35 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Author: Thasneen

Recipe type: Curry

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 5 people

Ingredients

For making gravy

• Fish, cut into cubes- 8 cubes ( King fish, pomfret- I've added sardines)
• Drumsticks-Moringa, cut into 3-inch slice- 3 (or use eggplants or tomatoes, cubed)
• Tamarind, fresh- 2-inch slice, soaked in ½ cup warm water
• Curry leaves- 1 sprig
• Green chilies, split lengthwise- 2

For roasting coconut

• Coconut oil or vegetable oil- 2 tbsp
• Coconut, grated- 2 cups
• Curry leaves- 1 sprig
• Small onions or pearl onions- 5
• Chili powder- 1½ tsp (or use ½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder + 1 tsp regular chili powder)
• Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
• Coriander powder- 2 tsp
• Ground black pepper- ½ tsp
• Salt- 1½ tsp
• Water- 1½ cups while grinding+ ½ cup to thin down the gravy

Instructions

1. If using whole fish, clean the fish, remove the scales and internal organs, cut into 2-inch pieces, keep it aside.
2. You can use kingfish, pomfret, or sardines.
3. You could use bone-in or boneless fish for making this curry. I prefer bone-in fish as it tastes better.
4. In a small bowl, soak 2-inch slice fresh tamarind in ½ cup lukewarm water for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, squeeze the soaked tamarind in water, strain the juice & discard the skin & seeds. Keep it aside.
5. If you can get hold of drumsticks-Moringa, available at Indian and Asian stores use that, otherwise use diced eggplants (10 cubes) or 2 tomatoes.
6. Cut the drumsticks into 3-inch slices.
7. Use a claypan or non-stick saucepan: add the fish, moringa-drumsticks, green chilies and curry leaves; keep aside.

Roasting coconut

1. Place a large pan over medium heat, add oil.
2. Add coconut, small onions, and curry leaves, and stir fry till the coconut turns golden brown in color.
3. Keep stirring for even roasting.
4. When the coconut turns golden brown, add chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, ground black pepper, and salt.
5. Combine everything well, saute for a minute.
6. Remove the pan from the heat, let cool down.
7. In a blender, grind the roasted coconut along with 1½ cups water to a smooth paste.
8. If the mixture is too thick add some more water while grinding.
9. Pour the ground coconut paste over the fish and drumsticks- moringa.
10. Add ½ cup water to thin down the gravy.
11. Add the tamarind extract to the gravy, combine well.
12. Place the pan over medium-heat & cook covered for 10 minutes.
13. When the gravy comes to a slight boil, open the lid slightly and let cook for 5 minutes.
14. Don't overcook the fish or stir the fish too much as it will start to fall apart.
15. Lower the heat and cook for 2 minutes.
16. If the gravy is too thick, add ¼ cup water to thin it down and cook for 2 minutes.
17. Taste the gravy, adjust the salt according to your needs.
18. Remove the pan from the heat, and keep it covered for a few minutes.

Notes

•You could store the roasted coconut with the masala in the refrigerator for a month, make sure to store in an air tight container or ziplock bag.
•If you have a clay pot, make this curry in it for a better taste.
•Leftover curry can be stored in the refrigerator, this curry will taste better the next day.

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