500 g firm fish such as seer fish, kingfish or mackerel
4 kudampuli (Malabar tamarind)
250 ml warm water
3 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
10 shallots
1 ginger, about 5 cm
8 cloves garlic
2 green chillies
3 sprigs curry leaves
3 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
250 ml water
to taste salt
Method
01
Soak the kudampuli Put the rinsed kudampuli pieces in a small bowl with the warm water and leave them to soak and soften.
02
Heat the oil Heat three tablespoons of coconut oil in a clay pot or heavy pan over medium heat, then add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.
03
Add the fenugreek Add the fenugreek seeds and stir for a few seconds until they turn light golden.
04
Sauté the aromatics Add the shallots, ginger, garlic, green chillies and two sprigs of curry leaves, and sauté until the shallots are soft and lightly golden.
05
Toast the spice powders Turn the heat to low, add the Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric and coriander powder, and stir constantly until the raw smell goes and the oil turns red.
06
Make the gravy Pour in the gravy water along with the kudampuli and its soaking water, add salt, and bring it to a boil, then let it bubble gently so the sourness comes out.
07
Simmer the fish Slide the fish pieces into the gravy in a single layer, cover, and simmer on low heat until the fish is cooked through and the gravy has thickened.
08
Finish with coconut oil Turn off the heat, drizzle over one teaspoon of coconut oil, scatter the remaining sprig of curry leaves on top, and cover the pot.
09
Rest the curry Leave the curry covered to rest so the fish soaks up the sour, spicy gravy before serving with hot rice.
A fiery red fish curry from coastal Kerala, soured with kudampuli (Malabar tamarind) and cooked in coconut oil in a clay pot called a manchatti. It is the everyday fish curry of Kerala homes, eaten with rice, and it tastes even better the next day.
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Method
1
Soak the kudampuli
Put the rinsed kudampuli pieces in a small bowl with the warm water and leave them to soak and soften.
If you cannot find kudampuli, use a lime-sized ball of regular tamarind soaked in the same water, but the flavour will be sharper and less smoky.
Soak the kudampuli · 15 min
2
Heat the oil
Heat three tablespoons of coconut oil in a clay pot or heavy pan over medium heat, then add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.
A clay pot gives the classic flavour; a heavy steel or cast iron pan works if you do not have one. Season a new clay pot before first use so it does not crack.
Heat the oil · 00:30
3
Add the fenugreek
Add the fenugreek seeds and stir for a few seconds until they turn light golden.
Fenugreek turns bitter if it goes dark brown, so move on as soon as it colours.
Add the fenugreek · 00:15
4
Sauté the aromatics
Add the shallots, ginger, garlic, green chillies and two sprigs of curry leaves, and sauté until the shallots are soft and lightly golden.
Sauté the aromatics · 5 min
5
Toast the spice powders
Turn the heat to low, add the Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric and coriander powder, and stir constantly until the raw smell goes and the oil turns red.
Keep the heat low here. Burnt chilli powder makes the whole curry bitter; splash in a little water if it starts to catch.
Toast the spice powders · 1 min
6
Make the gravy
Pour in the gravy water along with the kudampuli and its soaking water, add salt, and bring it to a boil, then let it bubble gently so the sourness comes out.
Make the gravy · 5 min
7
Simmer the fish
Slide the fish pieces into the gravy in a single layer, cover, and simmer on low heat until the fish is cooked through and the gravy has thickened.
Do not stir with a spoon or the fish will break. Hold the pot with a cloth and swirl it gently instead.
Simmer the fish · 12 min
8
Finish with coconut oil
Turn off the heat, drizzle over one teaspoon of coconut oil, scatter the remaining sprig of curry leaves on top, and cover the pot.
9
Rest the curry
Leave the curry covered to rest so the fish soaks up the sour, spicy gravy before serving with hot rice.
Kerala homes often make this in the morning for dinner or the next day, because the flavour deepens as it sits.