One of the finest traditional delicacies of Kerala is the spicy fish curry that’s made in the clay pot…
When you are in Kerala you are guaranteed to find spicy fish curries on the menu of any fine or local restaurants. Most of the curries are prepared in clay pots and are served in clay pots as well. Making fish curries in the clay pot has been the traditional way of cooking fish and it’s still the most preferred way of making fish curry. None of the other modern cooking methods could possibly beat the taste of the fish curry that’s cooked in the clay pot. You could find at least one clay pot for making fish curry in most of the kitchens in kerala. Once you realize the difference in taste between the fish curry that’s made in the clay pot and in the non-stick pot, you’ll definitely rush to the nearest local market to get hold of a clay pot.
In my mom’s kitchen, fish curry is still prepared in clay pots and that’s the sole reason for the unbeatable taste of the fish curry. Only difference I’ve found this time was that her method of preparing fish curry has changed. I found my moms new method of preparing fish curry quite easy and fast. So here is yet another recipe from my mom’s cookbook.
Spicy fish curry made in a clay pot
Ingredients
To grind and make paste
- Small onions- 6 (or use 1 shallot)
- Tomato, chopped- 1
- Curry leaves- 8 leaves
- Chili powder- 2 tsp
- Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
- Coriander powder- 2 tsp
- Ground black pepper- 1/2 tsp
- Salt- 1/2 tsp
- Water- 2 tbsp
For cooking
- Coconut oil- 2 tbsp
- Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
- Dried red chilies, halved- 2
- Curry leaves- 8 leaves
- Small onions, chopped- 10 (or add 3 shallots)
- Ginger, chopped- 1/2 tsp
- Garlic chopped- 1 tsp
- Fresh Tamarind juice- 1/2 cup, 2 inch slice fresh tamarind soaked in 1/2 cup lukewarm water
- Water- 1 cup
- Fish pieces- 8 pieces (king fish, sardines, salmon, pomfret, etc)
- Salt- 1 tsp
- Curry leaves- 8 leaves
Instruction:
- If using whole fish, clean the fish under running water and remove any internal organs. cut into medium sized pieces. Add 1/2 tbsp salt to the fish, combine well & rinse in water.
- King fish, pomfret, sardines, salmon can be used for making this curry.
- Soak 2-inch slice fresh tamarind in 1/2 cup lukewarm water for 5 minutes, squeeze the tamarind in water & extract the juice out of it. Strain the juice & discard the skin.
- Grind the above mentioned to grind and make paste ingredients into a smooth paste and keep aside.
- For less heat add Kashmiri chili powder instead of regular hot chili powder.
- Place a clay pot over medium heat, add oil, add the small onions, ginger, garlic & 1/2 tsp salt, saute for a few minutes.
- Add the ground paste to the sautéed onion mixture and saute for a few minutes.
- Rinse the blender jar with 1/2 cup water & add that to the clay pot.
- Saute till the raw smell of small onions/ ginger/garlic goes away.
- Add the tamarind extract, combine well & add 1/2 cup water. Let the liquid come to a slight boil.
- Add 1/2 tsp salt, combine well.
- Now, add the fish, cover the clay pot with a lid & cook covered for 10 minutes till the fish has cooked through.
- Open the lid, lower the heat & cook for 3 minutes.
- Garnish with curry leaves.
- Take the clay pot off the heat & keep it covered for a few minutes before serving.
- This fish curry goes well with rice, pathiri, appam, chapati, kappa-tapioca, etc.
Tips:
- You could adjust the spice level according to your needs. For less heat, add Kashmiri chili powder.
- The ground paste can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.
- This fish curry tastes better the next day.
- Small onions- 6 (or use 1 shallot)
- Tomato, chopped- 1
- Curry leaves- 8 leaves
- Chili powder- 2 tsp
- Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
- Coriander powder- 2 tsp
- Ground black pepper- ½ tsp
- Salt- 1 tsp
- Water- 2 tbsp
- Coconut oil- 2 tbsp
- Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
- Dried red chilies, halved- 2
- Curry leaves- 8 leaves
- Small onions, chopped- 10 (or add 3 shallots)
- Ginger, chopped- ½ tsp
- Garlic chopped- 1 tsp
- Fresh Tamarind juice- ½ cup, 2-inch slice fresh tamarind soaked in ½ cup water
- Water- 1 cup
- Fish pieces- 8 pieces (king fish, sardines, salmon, pomfret, etc)
- Salt- ½ tsp
- Curry leaves- 8 leaves
- If using whole fish, clean the fish under running water and remove any internal organs. cut into medium sized pieces. Add ½ tbsp salt to the fish, combine well & rinse in water.
- King fish, pomfret, sardines, salmon can be used for making this curry.
- Soak 2-inch slice fresh tamarind in ½ cup lukewarm water for 5 minutes, squeeze the tamarind in water & extract the juice out of it. Strain the juice & discard the skin.
- Add the above mentioned ingredients to grind to a blender jar & grind to a smooth paste, keep it aside.
- For less heat add Kashmiri chili powder instead of regular hot chili powder.
- Place a claypot over medium heat, add oil, let oil turn hot.
- Add mustard seeds, let splutter.
- Add dried red chilies & curry leaves, saute for a few seconds.
- Add the chopped small onions (or add 3 shallots chopped), ginger and garlic, saute for a few minutes.
- Add the ground paste to the sautéed onion mixture and saute for a few minutes.
- Rinse the blender jar with ½ cup water & add that to the clay pot.
- Saute till the raw smell of small onions/ginger/garlic goes away.
- Add the tamarind extract-1/2 cup, combine well & add ½ cup warm water to thin down the gravy. Let the gravy come to a slight boil.
- Add ½ tsp salt, combine well.
- Now, add the fish to the gravy, close the claypot with a lid & cook covered for 10 minutes till the fish has cooked through.
- Open the lid, lower the heat & cook for 3 minutes.
- Garnish with a few curry leaves.
- Take the clay pot off the heat & keep it covered for a few minutes before serving.
- This fish curry goes well with rice, pathiri, appam, chapati, kappa-tapioca, etc.
The ground paste can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.
This fish curry tastes better the next day.
