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Nadan Meen Curry

In Kerala, nearly every household boasts its own fish curry recipe, often considered a cherished family heirloom.
It's a common sentiment to hear people say they require at least a hint of fish curry to enjoy their rice, emphasizing the indispensable role of fish in Kerala meals.
While the specifics of fish curry may differ across Kerala, there's a sense of similarity in the foundational flavors. It's akin to everyone journeying toward a shared destination but opting for different routes!
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Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 250 gms Fish
  • 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 4-5 (a pinch) Fenugreek seeds
  • 6-8 Small/pearl onion, sliced
  • 2 tsp, each Crushed ginger & garlic
  • 2 heaped tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
  • 3 tsp Coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1/4 – 1/2 tsp Pepper powder
  • 1 small – medium Tomato (pureed)
  • 2 pieces Kudampuli (gambooge) (soaked in 2 tbsp hot water for 10-15 mins)
  • 1/2 cup Thick coconut milk
  • Salt
  • 1 stalk Curry leaves
  • 1.5 tbsp + 1 tsp + 1 tsp Coconut oil

Instructions
 

  • Mix together kashmiri chilli, coriander, turmeric, and pepper powder with 1 tsp oil and 2 -3 tbsp water to a thick paste. Keep it aside.
  • Heat oil (1.5 tbsp) in a clay pot/wide pan. Add mustard, fenugreek seeds, and half of the curry leaves. Let it crackle.
  • Add sliced pearl onion and crushed ginger & garlic. Cook till pearl onion becomes golden brown in color, 4-5 mins.
  • Add the spice powder paste. Mix well and cook for 3-4 mins or till the oil starts appearing.
  • Add pureed tomato and 1/3 cup water and salt. Mix well and bring it to a boil. Reduce the flame to the lowest and add soaked gambooge (kudampuli) along with the water. Mix well.
  • Add cleaned fish pieces. Rotate the pan amd make sure the pieces are covered in the gravy. Cover and cook for 15 – 20 mins, till the fish is almost done.
  • Once the gravy becomes thick and the fish is almost cooked, add thick coconut milk. Rotate the pan gently and let it cook for another 5 mins on the lowest flame. Remove from fire.
  • Drizzle some coconut oil on top, add the remaining curry leaves and let the curry rest for half an hour for the flavor to settle in.

Notes

I used King/seer fish (neymeen) for this recipe. You can use any meaty kind of fish here.
After adding the fish pieces, it's best to rotate the pan to mix the gravy and fish. 
Also, you can do a tempering in the end with 3 sliced pearl onions, 1/4 tsp mustard, 1-2 dry red chilli, and curry leaves. Add it to the fish curry. 
Keyword Nadan Meen Curry
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