Fish with mashed chilly and shallots (Ulliyum mullakum chathacha meen curry)

  

          It is a typical Kerala style fish curry. Normally we use any small fish like Mackerel, Sardine, Pomfret etc. to cook this type of curry. It is very simple and easy to cook yet very tasty. The main highlight of this recipe is its smashed paste. In kerala the paste is prepared on a grinding stone/mortar and pestle ( ammi kallu or ara kallu) and cooked in a clay pot (mann chatti).  It gives a fabulous taste but I used a blender . It still tastes good.

 

recipe type:- side dish (spicy)

serve - 4 to 5
cooking time - 10 to 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• any small fish - 250gm ( clean and cut 2 pieces or use as whole )
• smashed spicy paste ( red  dry chilly - 12 to 15, shallots (small onion) - 50 g , curry leaves , salt(to taste) blend it without water and make a smashed paste form)
• tamarind juice ( gooseberry sized tamarind soak in  1/2 cup water and strain it)
• coconut oil - 2 tbs
• water - 1/4 cup 
• curry leaves

Method:-

Heat the pan . Add oil. Add smashed spice paste. Fry 2 minutes. Add tamarind water and plain water.Mix well. When boiled add fish pieces one by one, make sure each piece is dip in the gravy. Cover it and cook 5 to 10 minutes. Uncover the pan.Add salt, if needed. Cook until the gravy thicken. Sprinkle some coconut oil for taste and smell. Turn off the heat. Garnish with curry leaves. Serve with white rice or tapioca (kappa) and enjoy!