MALABAR MEEN CURRY / MALABAR FISH CURRY

Malabar Style Meen Curry / Malabar Style Fish curry is prepared with spices, Kudampuli (Malabar tamarind) and coconut milk. Many versions are there in preparing this curry, this time I tried to prepare with dried red chilli and tomato paste instead of chilli powder. This curry is best to be served with steamed rice, dosai, idli, appam or idiyappam. Not too spicy since we are adding coconut milk. 

Kudampuli (Malabar tamarind) makes this curry more delicious if you are not able to get this can replace with regular tamarind water.  

Wash kudampuli in water to remove the dirt, and then soak in hot water. 

Category: Main Course

Cuisine: Kerala, Indian

Servings: 4 

Total Time: 30 mins

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time:  20 mins

Ingredients : 

• 1/2 Kg Fish 
• 1 Onion Chopped 
• 1 Tomato Chopped 
• 2 Tablespoon Ginger Chopped 
• 1/4 Cup Coconut Milk 
• 1/2 Tablespoon Turmeric Powder 
• 1/2 Tablespoon Cumin Powder 
• 2 Kudampuli (Malabar tamarind) 
• 1/4 Teaspoon Fenugreek 
• Salt to taste 
• 3 Tablespoon Coconut Oil 

For Red Paste : 

• 10 Dried Red Chillies 
• 1 Tomato 

 To make Malabar Style Meen Curry / Malabar Style Fish curry at home follow the detailed step by step recipe with photos posted below

Step By Step Picture Instructions : 

• Soak dried red chilli in hot water for 10 minutes 
  
• Drain and add them in a mixer along with chopped tomato 
  
• Retain this water for curry 
• Blend them into a fine paste and keep aside 
  
• In an earthen pot or heavy bottomed vessel, add coconut oil and heat on medium flame 
  
• Temper with fenugreek 
• Add finely chopped ginger and roast for a minute 
  
• Add chopped onion and fry until soft 
  
• Add the red paste to the onion and mix well 
  
• To this mixture, add turmeric powder and coriander powder 
  
• Mix them all together and cook in low flame until oil separates 
  
• Add chopped tomatoes and mix well 
  
• Season with salt required for the curry 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Add the soaked water and kudmapuli to the curry 
  
• Bring it to boil 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Add the fish pieces and cook on a medium flame 
  
• Once the fish is cooked well, add coconut milk and reduce flame 
  
• Cook the curry for 2-3 minutes and turn off heat 
  
• Serve hot 
  

ERACHI CURRY / CHICKEN CURRY

This erachi / chicken curry is one of my favourite chicken recipes. This actually has two versions - one version I learned from my mom and the other from my mother-in-law. Both are awesome cooks and makes delicious traditional recipes. My Mother-in-law still grinds each and every masala in “Ammi”. She always quotes that ”when any curry is cooked in manchatti (earthen pot) and masala grounded in Ammi that recipe tastes more delicious”. But it’s true. The recipe I'm sharing in this post is my Mother-in-law version erachi curry or else I can say my husbandman’s favourite erachi curry. 

This recipe is the coconut based recipe and can be served with idli, dosai, appam, idiyappam or steamed rice. In my cooking, I cant skip coconut, coconut oil and curry leaves. If you are not a lover of coconut oil, you can use any oil of your choice.  

I'm using boneless chicken, you can use chicken pieces with bone and this same recipe you can try with mutton. If you are trying with mutton, pressure cook mutton with turmeric powder, salt and ginger garlic paste, and then add to the curry. 

Category: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 4 

Total Time: 40 mins

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time:  25 mins

Ingredients : 

For Coconut Paste : 

• 1 Cup grated coconut 
• 6 Shallots 
• 2 Tablespoon Chilli Powder 
• 1 Tablespoon Coriander Powder 
• 1 Cinnamon Stick 
• 1 Green Cardamom 
• 3 Cloves 

For Curry : 

• 500 grams Chicken 
• 10-15 Shallots 
• 7 Garlic 
• 1 Inch Ginger 
• 1/2 tablespoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 Cinnamon Stick 
• 2 Bay leaf 
• 1 clove 
• 1 Green Cardamom 
• Salt to taste
• 2 Tablespoon Coconut Oil 

To make erachi curry / Chicken Curry at home follow the detailed step by step recipe with photos posted below

Step By Step Picture Instructions : 

For Marination : 

• In a mixer, add ginger and garlic, make a fine paste 
  
• To the chicken pieces, add half of ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder and salt 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Leave this covered for 10-15  minutes 
  

For Coconut Paste : 

• In a pan, add grated coconut and shallots 
  
• Add cinnamon stick, green cardamom and cloves 
  
• Start to roast them on medium flame 
  
• Roast until the coconut turns golden brown ( this takes almost 10 minutes ) 
  
• Add chilli and coriander powder to the coconut 
  
• Mix them well and roast for another 2-3 minutes on low flame 
  
• Don't burn them 
  
• Keep the roasted coconut aside till it cools down 
  
• In a mixer, add the roasted mixture and ground to the fine paste by adding little water 
  

Keep this coconut paste separate 

For Curry : 

• In a pressure cooker, add oil and temper bay leaf, cinnamon stick, green cardamom and cloves 
  
• Add shallots and roast for 2 minutes 
  
• Add the remaining ginger garlic paste and roast until the raw smell disappears 
  
• Add the marinated chicken pieces and mix well 
  
• Add salt required for the curry 
  
• Now add the coconut paste to the chicken 
  
• Add water and mix well, and pressure cook for 2 whistles 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Serve hot