Kottayam fish curry recipe which is also called as Meen Mulakittathu is a very simple recipe using fish tamarind. only very few ingredients are used to make a delicious Kerala Kottayam style meen curry.
When we talk about the fish curries, there are so many variants of the curry made across different regions of Kerala. Just the “Meen mulakittathu” itself has many variations. This Kottayam fish curry is pretty common and famous in restaurants.
We have used Kudampuli/fish tamarind which is a very special ingredient in most of the Kerala fish curries. You can replace it with normal tamarind if you couldn’t get it but the taste will entirely be different. Wash the kudampuli thoroughly to get rid of the burnt smell in it and then soak in enough water for at least 15 minutes before use.
some of the other fish curry recipes:
- Fish curry with coconut and kudampuli
- Simple Malabar fish curry
- Kerala restaurant style Fish curry
- Meen vevichathu
- Meen pollichathu
Kottayam fish curry recipe
Quick video recipe
Recipe with step by step pics
To make this Kottayam style fish curry, firstly, we need to mix all the spice powders and make the base masala for a curry. For that, we need to take turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, food color (optional), cumin powder and pepper powder in a bowl.
To this spice powders, add a little oil and water to make a thick paste of it. You can also give it a pulse to blend it well.
In a mud pot, heat coconut oil and crackle mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida.
When it crackles, add sliced small onions and birds eye chilli/any green chilli variety.
Together add crushed ginger garlic and curry leaves. fry well until the onions are slightly brown in color.
Furthermore, add the prepared masala and mix well. fry for a couple of minutes until raw smell leaves.
We need 4-5 kudampuli or fish tamarind soaked in water. add the tamarind along with the water.
Add more water if needed and add salt, mix well and let it boil for atleast 5 minutes.
Gently put in the clean fish pieces. mix once and close cook for another 10 minutes. Now here, depending upon the fish variety the cooking time differs. Some fish need only less than 5 minutes to cook. so if you cook longer, then it breaks. if you are not sure of the cooking time, check it every 2-3 minutes to see if the fish is cooked and soft.
Open and check the tanginess of the curry. Remove off few tamarinds if you find the tanginess perfect.
serve it after a few hours for best taste.
kottayam fish curry recipe
Ingredients
for spice mix paste
- 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 4 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tsp chilli powder
- 1 pinch food color
- 1 tsp pepper powder
- 1/2 tsp coconut oil
- 2-3 tbsp water
for curry
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida
- 1/2 cup small onion – sliced
- 4-5 no birds eye chilli – or 1-2 slit green chillies
- 2 tsp crushed ginger garlic
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 5-6 no fish tamarind/kudampuli
- salt to taste
- 6-7 medium sized fish pieces – any variety
Instructions
- Mix everything given under "for spice mix paste" to a thick paste. Keep the bowl aside until use.
- wash and soak the fish tamarind in water for 15 minutes.
- Heat coconut oil in a mud pot and crackle mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida.
- further, add sliced small onions, chilies, curry leaves, crushed ginger garlic and fry till slightly brown.
- Add the prepared paste into the pot and fry for a couple of minutes.
- pour in the soaked tamarind along with the water used for soaking.
- add more water if needed along with salt. mix well.
- let it boil for 5-10 minutes.
- gently drop the clean fish pieces. mix once. close cook for 5-10 minutes or until fish is soft.
- discard few tamarind rinds based on tanginess of the curry.
- serve after few hours.
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