Ammachi Meen Curry

Ammachi Meen Curry

"Traditional  Kerala Fish Curry  cooked in earthern pot  by our dear old Granny"


Ammachi Meen Curry

Ingredients

Fish – 1/2 kg,  cut into medium pieces(any fish of your choice)

Shallots – a handful, sliced

Ginger – 1 Tbsp, roughly chopped

Garlic – ½ Tbsp, roughly chopped

Green chilli – 1

Curry leaves – 2 sprigs ( the more the better)

Kashmiri chilli powder – 4-5 tsp

Corriander powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Salt – as required

Fenugreek- ¼ tsp

Mustard – ¼ tsp

Cocum/Kodumpulli – 3-4 pieces (soaked in little water for 10-15 minutes)

Coconut Oil – 2 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp

Method

• Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a  chatti (earthern pot) and splutter the mustard and fenugreek.
• Add the ginger, garlic, green chilli and shallots and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Grind this into a fine paste once cooled.
• Heat 2 Tbsp oil in the same chatti and add the grinded paste and curry leaves. Sauté for 2 minutes. Now reduce the flame and add the chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt and continue sauting until the raw smell goes.
• Add the soaked cocum and 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil and then add the fish.
• Cook until fish is cooked and gravy thickens. Remove from flame and keep it in the chatti itself as this enhances the taste.
•  This curry tastes better the next day.

*For those who don’t like the pungent taste of cocum you can reduce the number of pieces or discard them from the curry.

 *Drizzle a spoon of coconut oil and curry leaves(crushed slightly) on top of the curry after removing from the flame. This gives a special taste and aroma to the curry.