Fish Curry

Ingredients(Serves 4):

Fish                              --    ½ kg
Onions/Shallots     --    ½ cup chopped(I always prefer shallots)
Garlic                          --    3 - 4  big cloves
Ginger                         --    1 big piece
Green chillies           --    2 - 3
Tomato                       --    1 medium
Turmeric powder   --    ¼ tsp + a pinch
Chilly powder          --    2 tsp
Tamarind                   --    a small ball (size as that of a walnut)
Ground coconut      --    ¼ cup
Mustard seed & curry leaves     --   For garnishing
Oil                                  --    3 tbsp (Preferably coconut oil)
Salt                               --    to taste

Preparation of Fish Curry:

Soak the tamarind ball in 2 cups of water. Clean the fish, cut into small pieces and keep it aside.

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add the finely chopped ginger,garlic and green chillies. Saute until the raw smell goes off and add the chopped onions.Saute until they are translucent and then add the chopped tomatoes. Saute until the tomatoes are squishy.

   

Meanwhile squeeze out the pulp/juice from the tamarind. Add more water, around half a cup, to squeeze out the juice, if required. Also grind the coconut with a pinch of turmeric powder. You should grind it into a smooth paste.

Add salt,turmeric powder and chilly powder to the onion-tomato mix and saute for a minute. Add the strained tamarind juice and let it boil. You can add more water depending upon the gravy required.

Add the fish and let the fish cook on a low flame. When the fish is half cooked add the ground coconut. Mix carefully making sure that you do not break the fish pieces. To be on a safer side, you can add the ground coconut before adding the fish. I do it both the ways depending upon the fish.

    

Fry the mustard seeds and the curry leaves in another pan and add it to the curry once the fish is completely cooked. Serve hot with rice.

This goes well with dosa/idly too.