Chettinad Fish Kulambu/Curry | Chettinad style Meen Kulambu

Chettinad Cuisine is one the famous cuisine in Tamilnadu which is one of the spiciest and most aromatic cuisine in India. Its is famous for its wide variety of spices used like star aniseed, dried flower pods, bay leaf, cinnamon, whole red chillies, fennel seeds etc. They always use freshly ground spices/ masalas that makes the recipes hot and pungent. Also the cuisine is very famous for its non vegetarian food. And today recipe is fish kulambu from the chettinad region.

Ingredients

• 10 to 15 Shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 Tomato, medium sized, chopped
• 2 or 4 pieces of Fish, any type of fish you like
• 1 Green Chilly
• 4 cloves of Garlic
• Tamarind, 1 big lemon sized
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• Few Curry leaves
• Salt to taste
• Few Coriander leaves for Garnishing
• 3 tbsp of Oil

To Grind

• 1 tbsp Coriander seeds
• 3 Dry Red Chillies
• 1 tsp Fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
• less than 1/4 tsp Pepper corns

Method

• Soak the tamarind and required amount of salt with 1 cup of water in a bowl and extract the pulp and keep aside.

• Heat the heavy bottomed kadai, when hot add coriander seeds and dried red chillies and dry roast for 2 Min's. Then add the fennel, cumin seeds and peppercorns to it and dry roast again for 1 or 2Min's. Transfer to a plate and allow it to cool and then grind to a very smooth paste and keep.

• Add the tamarind extract to the ground masala and mix well together and keep.

• Now heat oil in a large kadai, when hot add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.

• Next add the chopped shallots to it and fry for 2 Min's. Add curry leaves to it and fry.

• Add the garlic pods and green chilly and fry for 1 Min.

• Then add chopped tomatoes and saute till it becomes soft.

• Next add the tamarind and ground masala mixture  to the kadai and add 1 cup of water(required amount of water) to it and mix well and wait till it boils.

• When the gravy start boiling, reduce the flame to medium and cook for 3 Min's.

• Next add the fish pieces and turmeric powder to it and cover and cook in medium flame for about 10 Min's or till the fishes are cooked and gravy becomes thick.

• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice.

Serves 2 persons

Cooking time : 20 to 30 Min's
Sending this recipe to SeaFood Feast event hosted by Usha of MySpicyKitchen.