Ingredients:

  • Pomfret/sole darnes or small whole fresh fish 900 gm
  • Cardamoms 2
  • Cinnamon 1” stick
  • Cloves 2
  • Coconut, grated 120 gm/ 1/2 cup
  • Coriander, chopped 10 gm/2 tsp
  • Fenugreek (methi) seeds 2.5 gm/ 1/2 tsp
  • Groundnut oil 80 ml/ 1/3 cup
  • Lemon juice 30 ml/2 tbs
  • Mustard (sarson) seeds 5 gm/1 tsp
  • Oil to fry fish
  • Onions, sliced 80 gm/ 1/3 cup
  • Red chillies, whole 6
  • Salt to taste
  • Tamarind (imlee),
  • soaked in 1/2 cup water 25 gm/5 tsp
  • Tomatoes, chopped 120 gm/ 1/2 cup
  • Turmeric (haldi) powder 5 gm/1 tsp

Preparation:

  1. Apply lemon juice to fish and leave for half an hour. Then wash with fresh water, squeeze lightly and pat dry. Fry the fish lightly in oil and set aside.
  2. In a small pot heat 1 tablespoon/15 ml groundnut oil. Add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, whole red chillies and sauté lightly then cool.
  3. Blend to a smooth paste in a blender with the grated coconut. Mash the soaked tamarind with your fingers, then squeeze out and discard the pulp.
  4. Keep the extract aside. Heat the rest of the groundnut oil in a pot and sauté onions till brown. Add the tomatoes and turmeric and stir-cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
  5. Add the tamarind extract and bring to boil. Reduce flame and let simmer for another 5 minutes. Add coconut paste to the gravy. Cook till gravy thickens.
  6. Add salt and curry leaves. Gently add the fried fish to the curry and simmer for 5 minutes.