{"id":7715,"date":"2011-05-23T16:51:21","date_gmt":"2011-05-23T20:51:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thasneen.com\/cooking\/?p=7715"},"modified":"2025-07-09T23:39:16","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T03:39:16","slug":"roasted-coconut-fish-curry-with-moringa-drumsticks-kerala-style-varutharacha-meen-curry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/roasted-coconut-fish-curry-with-moringa-drumsticks-kerala-style-varutharacha-meen-curry\/","title":{"rendered":"Roasted Coconut Fish Curry With Moringa-Drumsticks | Kerala Style Varutharacha Meen Curry"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7720 size-full\" title=\"Kerala style fish curry\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/kerala-style-fish-curry.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"475\" height=\"713\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/kerala-style-fish-curry.jpg 475w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/kerala-style-fish-curry-133x200.jpg 133w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/>Kerala-style delicious fish curry, fish cooked in roasted coconut gravy&#8230;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">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 \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Last Saturday, I made a Kerala-style lunch. I don&#8217;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.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">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.<\/p>\n<p>This curry can be enjoyed with rice, appam, idiyappam, puttu, etc.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Varutharacha Meen Curry Or Fish in Roasted Coconut Gravy<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7721\" title=\"fish in roasted coconut gravy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/fish-in-roasted-coconut-gravy1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"475\" height=\"317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/fish-in-roasted-coconut-gravy1.jpg 475w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/fish-in-roasted-coconut-gravy1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/fish-in-roasted-coconut-gravy1-84x55.jpg 84w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ingredients:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>For making gravy:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Fish, cut into cubes- 8 cubes ( Kingfish, pomfret- I&#8217;ve added sardines)<\/li>\n<li>Drumsticks-Moringa cut into 3-inch slices- 3<\/li>\n<li>Tamarind, fresh- 2-inch slice, soaked in 1\/2 cup warm water<\/li>\n<li>Curry leaves- 1 sprig<\/li>\n<li>Green chilies, split lengthwise- 2<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>For roasting coconut:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Coconut oil- 2 tbsp<\/li>\n<li>Coconut, grated- 2 cups<\/li>\n<li>Curry leaves- 1 sprig<\/li>\n<li>Small onions or pearl onions- 5<\/li>\n<li>Chili powder- 1 1\/2 tsp (or use 1\/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder + 1 tsp regular chili powder)<\/li>\n<li>Turmeric powder- 1\/4 tsp<\/li>\n<li>Coriander powder- 2 tsp<\/li>\n<li>Ground black pepper- 1\/2 tsp<\/li>\n<li>Salt- 1 1\/2 tsp<\/li>\n<li>Water- 1\/2 cup while grinding+ more to thin down the gravy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Instruction<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If using whole fish, clean the fish, remove the scales and internal organs, cut into 2-inch pieces, keep it aside.<\/li>\n<li>You can use kingfish, pomfret, or sardines.<\/li>\n<li>You could use bone-in or boneless fish for making this curry. I prefer bone-in fish as it tastes better.<\/li>\n<li>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 &amp; discard the skin &amp; seeds. Keep it aside.<\/li>\n<li>If you can get hold of drumsticks-Moringa, available at Indian and Asian stores use that.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7722\" title=\"drumsticks\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/drumsticks.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"475\" height=\"713\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/drumsticks.jpg 475w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/drumsticks-133x200.jpg 133w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Cut the drumsticks into 3-inch slices.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7723\" title=\"drumsticks cut\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/drumsticks-cut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"475\" height=\"317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/drumsticks-cut.jpg 475w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/drumsticks-cut-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/drumsticks-cut-84x55.jpg 84w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Use a claypan or non-stick saucepan: add the fish, moringa-drumsticks, green chilies and curry leaves; keep aside.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7724\" title=\"making fish-curry\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/making-fish-curry.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"475\" height=\"317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/making-fish-curry.jpg 475w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/making-fish-curry-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/making-fish-curry-84x55.jpg 84w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Roasting coconut:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Place a large pan over medium heat, add oil.<\/li>\n<li>Add coconut, small onions, and curry leaves, and stir fry till the coconut turns golden brown in color.<\/li>\n<li>Keep stirring for even roasting.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7725\" title=\"roasting coconut\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/roasting-coconut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"475\" height=\"317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/roasting-coconut.jpg 475w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/roasting-coconut-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/roasting-coconut-84x55.jpg 84w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>When the coconut turns golden brown, add chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, ground black pepper, and salt.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7726\" title=\"roasting coconut for making fish curry\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/roasting-coconut-for-making-fish-curry.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"475\" height=\"317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/roasting-coconut-for-making-fish-curry.jpg 475w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/roasting-coconut-for-making-fish-curry-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/roasting-coconut-for-making-fish-curry-84x55.jpg 84w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Combine everything well, saute for a minute.<\/li>\n<li>Remove the pan from the heat, let cool down.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7727\" title=\"roasted coconut\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/roasted-coconut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"475\" height=\"317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/roasted-coconut.jpg 475w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/roasted-coconut-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/roasted-coconut-84x55.jpg 84w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>In a blender, grind the roasted coconut along with<strong> 1\/2 cup water<\/strong> to a smooth paste.<\/li>\n<li>If the mixture is too thick add some more water while grinding.<\/li>\n<li>Pour the ground coconut paste to the fish and drumsticks- moringa.<\/li>\n<li>Add 1 cup water to thin down the gravy.<\/li>\n<li>Add the tamarind extract to the gravy, combine well.<\/li>\n<li>Place the pan over medium-heat &amp; cook covered for 10 minutes.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7728\" title=\"making-fish curry\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/making-fish-curry1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"475\" height=\"317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/making-fish-curry1.jpg 475w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/making-fish-curry1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/making-fish-curry1-84x55.jpg 84w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>When the gravy comes to a slight boil, open the lid slightly and let cook for 5 minutes.<\/li>\n<li>Don&#8217;t overcook the fish or stir the fish too much as it will start to fall apart.<\/li>\n<li>Lower the heat and cook for 2 minutes.<\/li>\n<li>If the gravy is too thick, add 1\/4 cup water to thin it down and cook for 2 minutes.<\/li>\n<li>Taste the gravy, adjust the salt according to your needs.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7729\" title=\"making fish curry\" src=\"http:\/\/www.thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/making-fish-curry2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"475\" height=\"317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/making-fish-curry2.jpg 475w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/making-fish-curry2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/making-fish-curry2-84x55.jpg 84w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/li>\n<li>Remove the pan from the heat, and keep it covered for a few minutes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Tips:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>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.<\/li>\n<li>If you have a clay pot, make this curry in that for a better taste.<\/li>\n<li>Leftover curry can be stored in the refrigerator, this curry will taste better the next day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"easyrecipeWrapper mceNonEditable\">\n<div class=\"easyrecipe mceNonEditable\" data-rating=\"0\"> \t<link itemprop=\"image\" href=\"http:\/\/www.thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Kerala-style-fish-curry.jpg\" \/>\n<div class=\"item ERName\">Fish in Roasted Coconut Gravy &#8211; Kerala Style<\/div>\n<div class=\"ERClear\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"ERHead\"><span class=\"xlate\">Recipe Type<\/span>: <span class=\"type\">Curry<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"ERHead\">Cuisine: <span class=\"cuisine\">Indian<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"ERHead\">Author: <span class=\"author\">Thasneen<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"ERHead\">Prep time: <time itemprop=\"prepTime\" datetime=\"PT10M\">10 mins<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"ERHead\">Cook time: <time itemprop=\"cookTime\" datetime=\"PT35M\">35 mins<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"ERHead\">Total time: <time itemprop=\"totalTime\" datetime=\"PT45M\">45 mins<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"ERHead\">Serves: <span class=\"yield\">5 people<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"ERIngredients\">\n<div class=\"ERIngredientsHeader\">Ingredients<\/div>\n<ul class=\"ingredients\">\n<li class=\"ERSeparator\">[b]For making gravy[\/b]<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Fish, cut into cubes- 8 cubes ( King fish, pomfret- I&#8217;ve added sardines)<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Drumsticks-Moringa, cut into 3-inch slice- 3 (or use eggplants or tomatoes, cubed)<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Tamarind, fresh- 2-inch slice, soaked in 1\/2 cup warm water<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Curry leaves- 1 sprig<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Green chilies, split lengthwise- 2<\/li>\n<li class=\"ERSeparator\">[b]For roasting coconut[\/b]<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Coconut oil or vegetable oil- 2 tbsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Coconut, grated- 2 cups<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Curry leaves- 1 sprig<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Small onions or pearl onions- 5<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Chili powder- 1 1\/2 tsp (or use 1\/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder + 1 tsp regular chili powder)<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Turmeric powder- 1\/4 tsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Coriander powder- 2 tsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Ground black pepper- 1\/2 tsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Salt- 1 1\/2 tsp<\/li>\n<li class=\"ingredient\">Water- 1 1\/2 cups while grinding+ 1\/2 cup to thin down the gravy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ERInstructions\">\n<div class=\"ERInstructionsHeader\">Instructions<\/div>\n<div class=\"instructions\">\n<ol>\n<li class=\"instruction\">If using whole fish, clean the fish, remove the scales and internal organs, cut into 2-inch pieces, keep it aside.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">You can use kingfish, pomfret, or sardines.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">You could use bone-in or boneless fish for making this curry. I prefer bone-in fish as it tastes better.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">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 &amp; discard the skin &amp; seeds. Keep it aside.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">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.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Cut the drumsticks into 3-inch slices.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Use a claypan or non-stick saucepan: add the fish, moringa-drumsticks, green chilies and curry leaves; keep aside.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"ERSeparator\">[b]Roasting coconut[\/b]<\/div>\n<ol>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Place a large pan over medium heat, add oil.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Add coconut, small onions, and curry leaves, and stir fry till the coconut turns golden brown in color.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Keep stirring for even roasting.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">When the coconut turns golden brown, add chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, ground black pepper, and salt.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Combine everything well, saute for a minute.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Remove the pan from the heat, let cool down.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">In a blender, grind the roasted coconut along with 1 1\/2 cups water to a smooth paste.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">If the mixture is too thick add some more water while grinding.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Pour the ground coconut paste over the fish and drumsticks- moringa.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Add 1\/2 cup water to thin down the gravy.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Add the tamarind extract to the gravy, combine well.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Place the pan over medium-heat &amp; cook covered for 10 minutes.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">When the gravy comes to a slight boil, open the lid slightly and let cook for 5 minutes.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Don&#8217;t overcook the fish or stir the fish too much as it will start to fall apart.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Lower the heat and cook for 2 minutes.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">If the gravy is too thick, add 1\/4 cup water to thin it down and cook for 2 minutes.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Taste the gravy, adjust the salt according to your needs.<\/li>\n<li class=\"instruction\">Remove the pan from the heat, and keep it covered for a few minutes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ERNutrition\"><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"ERNotesHeader\">Notes<\/div>\n<div class=\"ERNotes\">\u2022You 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.[br] \u2022If you have a clay pot, make this curry in it for a better taste. [br]\u2022Leftover curry can be stored in the refrigerator, this curry will taste better the next day.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"endeasyrecipe\" style=\"display: none;\">3.5.3251<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"easyrecipeBelow mceNonEditable\"><input class=\"ERInsertLine mceNonEditable\" type=\"button\" value=\"Insert line below\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kerala-style delicious fish curry, fish cooked in roasted coconut gravy&#8230; 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 &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7720,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[348,306,382,661,22,21],"tags":[527],"class_list":["post-7715","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-coconut-by-ingredient","category-family-recipes","category-fish-by-ingredient","category-fish-curry-by-category","category-kerala-cuisine","category-fish","tag-kerala-style-fish-curry","course-curry","cuisine-indian-cuisine"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7715","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7715"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7715\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33253,"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7715\/revisions\/33253"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7720"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7715"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7715"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thasneen.com\/cooking\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7715"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}