What would happen if you ate red hot fiery fish curry ???
Fishy fires in the stomach and well I need not elaborate more. This is a version of a typical kerala fish curry (the one without coconut) cooked in a clay pot also known as chatti. This ensures ample satisfaction (read happy grunts) for hubby when he simply craves for "punch wala food" (read unhealthy and spicy).
INGREDIENTS
250 grams Fish preferably sea fish ( I am literally at sea if you ask me the varieties, a pure vegetarian, fish is essentially divided into sea fish and river fish for me)
2 bulbs Garlic ground to a paste
1" piece Ginger ground to a paste
2 teaspoons red chilly powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 pinch asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon of jeera/cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
5 peppercorns
5-6 pieces of garcinia/kokum (one can also use a small ball of tamarind) soaked in about 100ml water
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups water
METHOD
1. Clean the fish and keep it aside (I get mine cleaned and cut from the fishmonger itself)
2. Heat oil in a pan (not the chatti) and add the asafoetida
3. Sputter the mustard and jeera seeds and curry leaves
4. Add the garlic paste and ginger paste and fry for five minutes over a low flame till the mixture browns
5. Add the peppercorns, turmeric, salt and chilly powder and stir.
6. Add the garcinia to the water in which it was soaked and mix well.
7. Add the water and bring to a boil.
8. Carefully arrange the fish in the chatti and add the cooked red gravy and cover the pot.
9. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
10. Serve with rice.
