Kitchen Corner-Try It

   Kallu Shappu Karimeen Curry | Kerala Toddy Shop style Pearl spot Fish Curry  Today's fish curry represents the food of rural Kerala, the authentic taste of Kerala. It has a robust, bold flavor and spices that tickle your taste buds. If you like to indulge in spicy fish curries, mashed tapioca/ kappa vevichathu is considered the tastiest combo. This combo is quite popular in toddy shops/ kallu shappu or Kerala's rural taverns. If you are not familiar with toddy shops, they are small taverns that serve a mildly alcoholic beverage called toddy. It is collected from the budding flower stalks of the coconut tree and is either consumed fresh or slightly fermented. But it is not just the toddy, but also the delicious food that makes locals flock to these humble taverns. Food served in toddy shops is simple,  delicious, and very spicy. So if you like spicy food, then this kallu shappu/ toddy shop-inspired fish curry is a must-try. All you need to go with this curry is a ...

Kozhikodan Ayala Mulakittathu Today's recipe is a spicy  mackerel curry. Different regions of Kerala have their own version of fish curry and this is north Kerala style fish curry. I usually make fish curry with kudampuli/gambooge. But in this curry tamarind/valanpuli/sambar puli is used. My grandmother who is from Trivandrum also uses tamarind to make fish curry. Try this spicy and tasty fish curry,you will surely love it. Ingredients Ayala/Mackerel- 1 kg ( or any fish of your choice) Pearl onions sliced - 3/4 cup Tomato-2 Ginger thinly sliced- 2 tbs Garlic crushed- 2 pods Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp Kashmiri chili powder-2 1/2  tsp ( adjust according to spice tolerance) Coriander powder- 1 1/2 tsp Fenugreek powder- 1/2 tsp Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp Fennel seed powder- 1/4 tsp Tamarind- 1 small lemon sized Fenugreek seeds- a few Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp Curry leaves - 2 springs Coconut oil salt to taste Clean fish and cut into pieces. Slice pear...

Unakka Meen Manga Curry/Dry Fish Mango Curry Dry fish is salted sun dried fish. It is used to make fish curry and is made just like the regular fish curry. This fish curry is coconut based and is spicy, sour  with raw mango and tamarind. The dry fish in this recipe is mackerel. You can use any other dry fish of your choice. Ingredients Dry salted mackerel- 3 Raw mangoes diced- 1 medium Shallots- 8-10 Tomato-1 Ginger- 2 inch thick Green chilly-2 Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp Chilly powder- 1 1/2 tsp Fenugreek powder- 1/3 tsp Shredded coconut- 1 1/3 cup Tamarind- 1 small ball Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp Dry red chilly-1 Curry leaves Coconut oil Rinse and clean  the fish thoroughly. Soak in warm water for 10 minutes. Make a fine paste or coconut, tamarind, chilly powder, turmeric powder and fenugreek powder. Finally add shallots and ginger and give it a quick pulse. Just crush it coarsely ,no need to make a paste. Add this paste into an earthen pot or pan. A...

Breadfruit/Kadachakka Puzhukku Kadachakka Puzhukku is cooked and mashed breadfruit with coconut and spices. It is a simple everyday meal that you can find in rural villages of South India. Puzhukku is a mildly spiced mashed vegetable with coconut paste, common are mashed tapioca, mashed jack fruit , and mashed breadfruit. This recipe is very similar to the kappa/tapioca puzhukku . For an authentic taste of Kerala, try puzhukku with red spicy, tangy Kerala fish curry. It is a super delicious combo and a filling meal- hearty and comforting. Mildly spiced mashed breadfruit and the bold fish curry with spicy chilly, coconut, and tamarind strikes the right balance of heat, sourness, and flavor. Today's recipe is something that all fish lovers should try! Back home in Kerala, breadfruit is a staple, referred to as Kadachakka or Sheemachakka. Just like jack fruit, breadfruit is grown in almost everyone's backyard. Not everyone shares my enthusiasm about breadfruit at home. It ...

Mathi Puliyum Mulakum/Sardine Fish Curry Mathi puliyum mulakum/sardine fish curry is a regional specialty. Kerala is a paradise for seafood lovers with so many drool-worthy fish and seafood recipes. Now let's be honest, the real joy of Kerala is its food. If you are feeling adventurous, try what the locals eat. This is one such curry, simple and straight forward with distinctive regional flavors. Mathi mulakum puli means sardine cooked in chilly tamarind paste. It is a spicy seafood delicacy with a bold and assertive taste. If you like to indulge in spicy food this is a perfect dish. Sardine is a small oily fish found plenty in Kerala coast. Curried or fried sardine fish taste delicious. It is healthy and rich in protein, calcium and omega fatty acids. It boosts the immune system and helps maintain healthy skin. Spicy sardine curry is an absolute comfort homey food and goes well with kappa puzhukku/boiled mashed tapioca or with rice. Don't forget fried curry leaves and c...

Nadan Vaala Meen Curry This is a nadan style fish curry. It is my grandmothers recipe. When ever she gets vaala meen/ribbon fish/belt fish she makes a similar curry . This is a varutharacha meen curry/roasted coconut gravy. You can also make it without roasting the masala. But the roasting gives a distinct aroma and enhances the taste of the curry. You can add regular tamarind as souring agent or fish tamarind/kudampuli. Try this you will surely love it. Ingredients Vaala meen- 1 kg Pearl onion- 2 cup (roughly chopped) Dry Kashmiri red chilly-12-15 Coconut grated- 1 cup Thondan mulaku/banana peppers-2 Ginger- 1/2 inch thick Muringakka/drumstick- 10-12 pieces Kudampuli/Malabar Tamarind- 3 pieces (or tamarind lemon sized ball) Turmeric powder-a pinch Mustard- 1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds- 1/3 tsp Curry leaves- 1 spring oil and salt to taste Clean the fish, sprinkle salt on a broad and a rub the fish  with salt. Rinse and cut into small pieces. Soak kudam p...

Fish Masala Roast Fish Masala is versatile recipe which you can make with any kind of fish. I have tried several variations of this recipe with King fish, Salmon, Mackerel, Cat fish etc.Some time I use tomato as the star ingredient and sometimes green masala. But for this fish masala, I added lots of pearl onions.The gravy has a touch of natural sweetness of pearl onions. It is a spicy and aromatic sauce. If you do not want to add this much pearl onions add some chopped tomatoes instead. Fish Masala can be served as side dish with steamed rice, ghee rice, appam or pathiri. Some times I make this for Sunday lunch.   Ingredients Fish - 1 lb Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp Pepper powder- 1/3 tsp Salt to taste Oil for frying Pearl onions/shallots thinly sliced- 2 cup Sliced coconut pieces- 3 tbs Tamarind- goose berry sized ball Green chilly-1 Ginger chopped- 1 tsp Fenugreek seeds- 1/2 tsp Coriander powder- 1 1/2 tsp Roasted coconut powder- 1 tbs (optional) ...

Fried Fish Curry/ Pomfret Fish Curry Easy and yummy fried fish curry which goes well with steamed rice. This recipe is with pomfret, but you can use the fish of your choice.Try this,you will surely love it. Ingredients Pomfret- 2 lb Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp Pepper powder- 1/3 tsp Chilly powder- 1/2 tsp Salt to taste Tamarind pulp- 1 tsp For the gravy Shallots sliced- 1 1/2 cup Tomato- 3 medium Ginger - 2 inch thick piece Grated coconut- 1 cup Coriander powder- 1 tsp Chilly powder- 1 1/2 tsp Roasted fenugreek seeds- a few Coconut milk- 1 cup Green chilly-2 Curry leaves- a few oil - 3 tbs Thinly sliced coconut- 3 tbs Salt  to taste Marinate fish with salt, pepper powder, chilly powder, turmeric powder and tamarind pulp. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes and then fry the fish. In a blender add grated coconut and ginger and make a fine paste. Add chilly powder, coriander powder and fenugreek paste and blend once again. Chop tomatoes and make a fin...

Meen Vevichathu (Kottayam Fish Curry) Today's recipe is Kerala;s spicy and sour red curry. Different regions of Kerala have their own version of fish curry and meen vevichathu is a popular recipe in central Kerala. The main ingredients in this fish curry is chilly paste and kudampuli/gambooge. This curry does not have coconut milk which is a main ingredient in Kerala fish curry. So it can be kept in room temperature for up to two days. It tastes best with rice/tapioca.  Try this,you will surely love it. Ingredients Fish- 1 1/2 lb ( I used golden pomfret) Pearl onions sliced - 1/2 cup Onion cubed- 1 small Ginger thinly sliced- 2 tbs Garlic crushed- 4-5 pods Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder-3- 3 1/2 tsp ( adjust according to spice tolerance) Coriander powder- 1/2 tsp Hing- a pinch (optional) Fenugreek powder- 1/2 tsp Kudampuli- 3 piece Fenugreek seeds- a few Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp Curry leaves - 2 springs Coconut oil and salt to taste ...

Karimeen Molly Karimeen molly/ fish molee is a very popular dish in Kerala. If you are a fan of mild creamy fish curry cooked with coconut milk, you have come to the right place. Kerala is a paradise for seafood lovers. Now you may ask what is fish molee/molly? It is a mildly spiced fish stew made with coconut milk and served with appam or fresh bread. It is a soothing dish that complements any spicy meal. Molee is best relished with appam and the combo is divine. Appam  is laced pancake made with fermented rice and coconut batter. Perfectly made soft appam and delicious fish molly is a personal pride that every malayalee share in common.  What amazes me about Kerala fish curries is that you have a wide range of curries- from spicy hot red fish curry, pungent and bold with earthy spices and tamarind and at the opposite spectrum is this mild fish molee cooked in coconut sauce. Now, this doesn't mean that Fish molly is bland. Coconut gives it a creamy richness, tangy...

Varutharacha Neimeen Masala Curry Varutharacha meen curry has a distinct aroma and is very appetizing.There are different dishes in Kerala cuisine, both vegetarian and non vegetarian, which uses roasted and ground coconut paste.This process of roasting add a rich dark color and thickness to the gravy. It is time consuming,but surely worth the effort.  I have used king fish/neimeen to make this curry. Serve this with rice, chapati or pathiri. Ingredients King fish/Neimeen- 1 kg Shallots sliced - 1/2 cup Ginger- 1 inch thick Garlic- 2 pods Kudampuli/Malabar Tamarind- 3 pieces Tomato- 1 Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp Chilly powder- 2 tsp Coriander powder-2 1/2 tsp Mustard- 1/2 tsp Curry leaves- 1 spring. oil salt to taste To roast and make paste Coconut- 1 1/2 cup Fennel seeds- 1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds- 1/3 tsp Clove-2 Cardomon-2 Shallots- 2 sliced Curry leaves- 1 spring Oil- 2-3 tbs Soak kudam puli/ Malabar tamarind in 1/2 cup warm water and se...