Meen koottan (Fish curry)

INGREDIENTS:

Fish – ¼ kg, cleaned and cut
Onions – 1 large, sliced
Tomatoes – 3 large, sliced
Green chillies – 4, split
Ginger – 1 inch piece, finely chopped
Tamarind pulp – 2 tsp
Water – as needed for the gravy
Oil – 1 tbsp

Masala:
Coconut – 1 small cup, grated
Shallots – 4
Curry leaves
Fenugreek – ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 3 tsp
Salt – as needed
Sugar – 1 tsp (optional)
Oil - 1 tsp
Water - a little

Marinade:
Salt – ¼ tsp
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Chilli powder – ½ tsp
Pepper powder – ¼ tsp
Curry leaves

METHOD:

Mix the ingredients for the marinade, apply it on the cleaned and cut fish pieces. Marinate for half an hour.

Masala: Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry fenugreek seeds. When they turn red, add coconut, shallots, curry leaves and sauté well. When the coconut turns a light brown, add the powders, sauté for two minutes and take off the stove. Cool well and grind to a paste, adding a little water.

Curry: 

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a vessel. Fry both sides of the marinated fish lightly in it. Keep aside.

To the remaining oil, add curry leaves, green chillies, ginger and sauté well. Add onions, followed by tomatoes; ensure that you sauté both for some time.

Add the ground masala and mix well. Add tamarind, water and mix well. Add salt and sugar and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the fried fish pieces. Mix well and cook for another 5-10 minutes ensuring that the pieces do not break.
Take off the stove and add curry leaves.

Seasoning (optional):

If you want, you can fry some finely chopped shallots in oil and season the curry with it.

Postscript: We have used pomfret pieces for this curry. Any fish would do!