Spicy Kerala Fish curry

Spicy fish curry cooked in meen chatti (clay pot) is always delicious. Simple ingredients and tastes so good for a hot white rice. Kodampuli (Malabar tamarind or fish tamarind) used to add sourness to curries in Kerala. Kodampuli is rinsed in water, then soaked in hot water for a few minutes before adding it to the curry. Three to four pieces is sufficient for a curry, and ten minutes cooking is more than enough time for them to release their flavor.

This curry is easy to prepare and takes less time. Can have with hot rice, idli or dosa :)

Ingredients : 

• Fish - 500gms 
  
• Chopped ginger - 2 tsp 
• Chopped onion - 1 no 
• Tomato - 1 no 
• Dry red chilly -  15 nos 
• Kodampuli - 4 nos 
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp 
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp 
• Curry leaves - 5 no 
• Chilly powder - 1 tsp 
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp 
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp 
• Salt for taste 
• Coconut oil - 2 tsp

For marination : 

1. Clean fish and marinate it with salt and turmeric powder for 10-15 minutes. 
2. Add chilly powder and coriander powder and mix well 
3. Marinate the fish for 15 minutes. Keep aside 

For Paste : 

1. Soak the dry red chilly in hot water for 15 minutes 
2. In a mixer, add the red chilly and cut the tomato into small pieces and grind into fine paste 
3. If you need water to make paste, use the water used to soak the red chilly 
4. Remaining water keep for curry

For Curry : 

Clean Kodampuli and soak in hot water for 10-15 minutes 

1. In a meen chatti, add coconut oil. 
2. Once the oil heated up, add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, and curry leaves  
3. Add ginger and onion, cook for 3 minutes 
   
4. Add the tomato and red chilly paste once onions cooked well. Keep in low flame till the raw smell disappears. 
5. Add the water used for soaking the red chilly, if you don't have the remaining water add 1/2 cup of water. 
6. Add the soaked Kodampuli , and bring it to boil 
   
7. Once the curry starts to boil add the marinated fish (After adding fish don't mix the curry) Keep it in low flame and cook for 10 minutes 
8. Check for salt and if necessary add salt required 
9. Cook for 2-3 minutes and finish it with some curry leaves 
10. Serve hot with rice

Don't add too much of water, since this is a spicy curry, small quantity of the curry is more than enough for whole rice. 

American Chopsuey

American Chopsuey, crispy fried noodles cooked in a thick sauce loaded with mixed vegetables and chicken. The crispy noodle is cooked like a nest. The sauce is poured over the fried noodles with a fried egg on the top is simply delicious.

American Chopsuey can be cooked in both ways - vegetarian Chopsuey or chicken Chopsuey. I have cooked vegetarian version if you like to add chicken means - use boneless chicken pieces.

Ingredients :

Noodles 200 grams
Ginger chopped - 1-inch piece
Garlic chopped - 4 cloves
Chopped green chilly - 2 nos
Onion sliced - 1 no
Sliced tomato - 1 no
Chopped vegetables (Carrot, Cabbage, Capsicum, peas) - 1 cup
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Tomato sauce - 1 tsp
Eggs - 2 no
Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tsp

For noodles : 

1. Soak noodles in water for 1/2 hour. 
2. Drain the noodles completely and remove all water content 
3. Once drained, heat oil in a pan and deep fry the noodles 
   
4. It takes around 7-8 minutes for cooking the noodles crisp on one side. 
5. Cook the another side similarly in medium flame 
6. Remove and drain on an absorbent kitchen towel.

For Sauce : 

1. In a pan, add 2 tsp of oil, add ginger, garlic and chilly 
2. Add chopped onions and sauté for a minute or until it turns translucent. 
   
3. Add tomato and cook until the moisture evaporates 
4. Add the chopped vegetables and stir-fry for two minutes or until the vegetables are just cooked but still retain the crispness (If you want to add chicken pieces, add at this stage) 
5. Add garam masala and mix well  
   
6. Add tomato sauce and pepper powder, mix well. 
7. Pour 1/2 cup of water, add salt and bring it to boil  
   
8. Add a handful of crispy fried noodles into the sauce. 
9. Add coriander leaves and remove from flame
   
    

For Serving : 

1.  Fry egg in a pan without breaking the yolk with salt and pepper. (You can cook both side or single side it's completely based on your taste) 
2. On a serving plate, place the crispy fried noodles, pour the prepared sauce and top with a fried egg. Serve hot.

Injipuli

Injipuli, Kerala dish - tangy spicy condiment in which the main ingredients are ginger and tamarind. It is one of the main items served in a sadhya along with the pickles. It can be stored for 20 days when refrigerated and handled with care. It is also a part of Tamil Nadu cuisine. It is also known as Puli inji in some parts of Kerala, South India. Many versions there, some use green chilly in this recipe.


Ginger help relieves gastrointestinal irritation, stimulate saliva and bile production and suppress gastric contractions. It good to take this recipe once in a week with rice.

Ingredients :  

• Ginger (Thin slices)– ¼ cup, 
• Tamarind Juice - 1/2 cup 
• Jaggery – small block 
• Chilly powder – ¼ tsp
• Salt to taste
• Coconut oil – 3 tbsp
• Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
• Asafoetida – a generous pinch
• Dry red chilly - 2 nos 

For Injipuli : 

1. In a pan, add the thinly sliced ginger and dry roast for 2 minutes 
2. Add 1 tsp of oil and roast on low flame, till moisture disappear. 
3. Keep aside till cools down
   
4. In a mixer, grind the ginger without adding water. 
5. In the same pan, add 2 tsp oil, temper with mustard seeds, once it starts to crackle, add asafoetida and red chilly. 
6. Add chilly powder and keep it in low flame (Don't burn it) 
   
7. Add the tamarind juice and salt
8. Add the ginger paste and mix well
9. Keep stirring for 2-3 minutes in low flame.  
10. Now add the jaggery and allow to cook till the oil starts floating on top and the consistency becomes thick 
    
11. Remove from heat and let it cool. Store it in air tight container. 

Nonbu Kanji

Nonbu Kanji, south Indian recipe. In southern states - Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, Muslims break their fast with nonbu kanji, a rich, filling rice dish of porridge consistency, cooked for hours with meat and vegetables.

I like to prepare this recipe for dinner, most of the time I prefer the vegetarian version of the kanji. The quantity serves for 2 people. You can also make this kanji with chicken or mutton pieces.

Ingredients : 

• Raw Rice - 3/4 cup 
• Moong dal  - 1/4 cup 
• Cloves - 2 no 
• Bay leaf - 1 no 
• Chopped green chilly - 2 no 
• Chopped onion - 1 no 
• Chopped tomato - 1 no 
• Chopped vegetables - 1/2 cup 
• Chopped coriander leaves - 3 tsp 
• Coconut milk - 1/2 cup 
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp 
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp 
• Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp 

For Kanji : 

Soak raw rice and moong dal for 1/2 hour. 

1. In a pressure cooker, add 2 tsp of oil 
2. Add cloves and bay leaf 
3. Add chilly and onion, cook until golden brown 
   
4. Add ginger garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes in low flame 
5. Add tomato and cook soft 
   
6. Add the vegetables (Carrot, peas, brinjal). If you want to add chicken (Small pieces) add at this stage
7. Add turmeric powder and chilly powder cook for 3 minutes 
8. Add coriander leaves and cook 
   
9. Add soaked rice and moong dal 
10. Add 3 cup of water and cook for 5 -6 whistles 
    

Kanji will be in mushy state, remove the bay leaf and cloves 

Mash well and add coconut milk

Cook in low flame for 2 minutes and serve hot 

Mani iyer mess special " Brinjal and potato fry"

 Brinjal and potato fry, this recipe I first tasted at Mani Iyer Mess at Singapore branch. This place serves wonderful vegetarian meals and sambar is the showstopper. I really liked the way they have cooked brinjal and potato, without mashing the veggies and the masala was making a wonderful coating on them. I wanted to recreate this recipe, this is not their original recipe. I tried making the original recipe and I was able to get 90% of the original taste.

Ingredients :  

• Diced Brinjal - 1 cup 
• Boiled diced potato - 1 cup 
• Dry red chilly - 3 nos 
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp 
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp 
• Sliced Onion - 1 no 
• Slit chilly -3 nos 
• Chopped tomato - 1 no 
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp 
• Chettinad masala powder - 1 tsp 
• Chilly powder - 1 tsp 
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp 
• Salt - for taste 
• Chopped coriander - 2 tsp 
• Curry leaves - 5 nos 

For Fry 

1. Boil potato with salt required 
2. In a pan, add 1 tsp oil, fry brinjal for 3-4 minutes in low flame and keep aside 
   
3. Pan fry the boiled potato similar way separately 
4. In the same pan, add 2 tsp of oil add dry red chilly, fennel seeds and cumin seeds. 
5. Add onion, chilly and curry leaves and cook for 3 minutes 
   
6. Add chopped tomato and turmeric powder and cook till soft 
7. Add Chettinad masala powder (Check my link for the recipe Chettinad masala powder  ) 
   
8. Add coriander and chilly powder.
9. Add 1/4 cup of water and cook for 2 minutes 
   
10. Once the curry gets thick add the fried potato and brinjal 
11. Add salt required for the curry and coriander 
    
12. Cook till the masala coats the veggie 

Serve hot with any south Indian meals or can also try with phulkas :) 

Ulli Theeyal

Theeyal - Kerala dish, made from a mixture of roasted coconut and spices are ground to a paste and cooked in tamarind water with vegetables. Theeyal literally means burnt dish. This curry takes lots of time and patience to roast coconut and other spices.

My mom used to keep this once a week with different vegetables each time, yes !!! The base curry is same and the add-on differs - small onion, brinjal, lady's finger, drumstick, black Chana dal, yam, bitter-guard or garlic sometimes mix of all vegetables. Garlic has a special feature -Garlic Theeyal cannot be combined with other vegetables. Once this curry is learnt properly you can make different types of Theeyal each week.

Ingrediants : 

• Grated coconut - 1 cup 
• Black pepper - 15nos 
• Small onions - 6 nos 
• Curry leaves - 6 nos 
• Chilly powder - 1 tsp 
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp 
• Tamarind juice -1/4 cup 
• Salt - For taste 

For Dry roast 

1. In a pan, dry roast grated coconut, black pepper, curry leaves and small onions (3 nos) 
2. Keep in low or medium flame and dry roast, it takes around 10-15 minutes to become dark brown.
3. Once the coconut mixture gets roasted well, add chilly powder and coriander powder
4. Switch off the stove in 2 minutes after you add the powders (or else will get burnt)
   
5. Keep the mixture aside, once cools down, in a mixer add tamarind juice and grind into a fine paste 

For curry 

1. In a pan, add oil and chop small onions and fry 
2. If you want to add vegetables add at this stage and fry the vegetables (Small onion, brinjal, lady's finger, bitter-guard or garlic can be added directly. Drumstick, black Chana dal or yam must be cooked before you add) 
   
3. Once the onion gets roasted, add the paste 
4. Add water required for the curry and bring it to boil 
5. Serve hot with rice 

Since Theeyal is cooked with roasted coconut, you can keep this for next day also :) Time takes only for roasting coconut. 

Chettinad Egg Masala Curry

Chettinad cuisine is one of the best cuisine of Tamil Nadu, India, with a variety of spices. This egg masala is spicy and goes well with dosas, appams, idiyappam, and idlis.

Chettinad Masala powder recipe is already there in my blog, you can refer that. Simple recipe and takes around 20-30 minutes to prepare. ( Chettinad masala powder)

Ingredients : 

• Red dry chilly - 1 no 
• Bay leaf - 1 no 
• Star anise - 1 no 
• Slit green chilly - 4 nos
• Chopped garlic and ginger - 2 tsp 
• Chopped small Onion - 1/2 cup 
• Chopped Tomato - 1 no 
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp 
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp 
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp 
• Chettinad masala powder - 2 tsp 
• Boiled Egg  - 4 nos 

For Egg :  

1. Cut the boiled eggs into two halves
   
2. In a pan, add 1 tsp of oil and keep the eggs on the pan 
3. Fry till golden brown on both sides and keep aside 

For Curry

1. In a pan, add 3 tsp of gingelly oil. 
2. Add red chilly, bay leaf and star anise 
   
3. Add mustard and fennel seeds 
4. Add green chilly, chopped ginger and garlic and fry for a minute
5. Add the chopped small onion and cook in low flame till golden brown. 
6. Add the chopped tomato and cook till soft
   
7. Add turmeric powder and chettinad masala powder
8. Cook in low flame for 3-4 minutes 
   
9. Add 1/2 cup of water to the curry and bring it to boil
10. Once the curry starts to boil, add the fried egg
11. Reduce the flame and cook for 2-3 minutes 

Beach Sundal Masala

Chennai Beach Sundal Masala !! My most favorite recipe of Chennai. Whenever I visit Marina beach, I don't come without having this sundal. The flavours are simply amazing and the way they serve is fantastic.

Most of you would have seen this picture on a beach, a plate full of sundal curry over a stove at low flame will be continuously burning, sides of the curry will be decorated with slices of tomato. When we place an order, they scoop some of the sundal and mixes with the curry. Serving will be fun, they crush masala vadai or poori in a plate, pour the piping hot Sunday gravy with some garnishing. One plate is more than enough for an evening time snack.

Since I'm staying in Singapore, only when I reach Chennai I can have this recipe, so I thought to recreate this awesome recipe at home. Simple and delicious recipe for all Chennai lovers.

Ingredients : 

• Soaked green peas - 1 cup  (Soak for 6-8 hours)
  
• Chopped green chilly - 1 no 
• Chopped ginger and garlic - 2 tsp 
• Chopped onion - 1 no 
• Chopped tomato - 2 nos 
• Curry powder - 2 tsp 
• Mango powder - 1/4 tsp 
• Chopped Coriander leaves - 2 tsp 
• Salt - For taste 

For Vadai

• Bengal Gram - 1/2 cup 
• Dry red chilly - 4 nos 
• Curry leaves - 5 nos 
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp 

(Soak all these for 1 hour before you start the recipe)

For Green chutney

• Coriander Leaf - 1 cup 
• Mint leaves - 1/2 cup 
• Green chilly - 3 nos 
• Lemon juice - 2 tsp 

(Grind all these in a mixer to a fine paste with little water)


For Vadai

1. Grind all the soaked ingredients without water
2. Add the salt required for the vadai and mix well 
   
3. Make this vadai mix into small balls 
4. In a deep pan, add oil required for frying and maintain at medium flame
5. Drop in the balls in hot oil
6. Fry them all in medium flame till golden brown
7. Once it cools down, crush them all in a serving bowl and keep aside. 

For Gravy 

Pressure cook the soaked green peas with salt for 4-5 whistles. 

1. In a pan, add 2 tsp of oil, add green chilly, ginger and garlic. 
2. Add the onion and fry till brown 
   
3. Once the onion is cooked well, add chopped tomato 
4. Cook tomato till mash state 
5. Add Curry powder and mango powder 
   
6. Add the boiled green peas and mix well 
7. Add water required for the gravy and bring it to boil 
   
8. Add the green chutney to the gravy and cook for 4-5 minutes in low flame 

For Serving 

Crushed masala vadai are already placed in a serving bowl, pour the hot sundal gravy and garnish with some lemon juice, chopped onion and coriander leaves. 

Goan Fish Curry

Goan Fish Curry, this is spicy fish curry. Fish cooked in spicy coconut and red chilly paste makes a wonderful main course recipe for plain rice. If you have tried Kerala coconut fish curry, this is easy to make and you will love the taste. I like to cook fish curry in meen chutti (Clay pot), I personally feel that the clay pot enhances the flavours of the curry.

Ingredients 

• Fish - 500gms 
• Lemon juice - 3 tsp 
• Turmeric powder - 2 tsp 
• Red dry chillies - 10 nos 
• Grated coconut - 1 cup 
• Crushed Coriander seeds - 3 tsp 
• Chopped onion - 2 
• Crushed cumin seeds - 1 tsp 
• Garlic - 2 nos 
• Tamarind extract - 1 tsp 
• Tomato puree - 1/2 cup 
• Slit green chillies - 3 nos ,
• Chopped coriander - 2 tsp 
• Salt 
• Curr leaves 

For Marination 

1. Mix the salt, lemon juice and turmeric powder and rub over the fish chunks and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Soak the dried chilli in 250ml of warm water for 15 minutes. 
3. Drain and keep the water for curry .

For Paste 

1. In a mixer, add the soaked chillies, coconut, crushed coriander seeds, chopped onion (1 no), crushed cumin seeds, turmeric powder, garlic, tamarind extract 
2. To make a smooth paste use the red chilly soaked water. 

For Curry 

1. Heat oil in a clay pot or a pan and add curry leaves and sliced onion (1 no) and fry to soften - do not brown. 
2. Add the spice paste and cook until golden brown. 
   
3. If needed add 1/4 cup of water to ensure the paste doesn't burn.
4. Add the tomato purée and fresh chillies and cook for a further five minutes.
   
5. Add 1/2 cup of water, bring to the boil and cook for a few more minutes. 
6. Add salt to the curry (Keep in mind the fish is already marinated with salt)
   
7. Reduce the heat and gently place the marinated fish and cook for 10 minutes in low flame. 
8. Sprinkle with coriander to serve.