Red Fish curry (Kottayam style)

Ingredients:
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Fenugreek seeds (uluva)
2 Red dry chilli (vattal mulakku)
4 green chillies
Few Curry leaves
1 Onion, chopped
4-5 garlic pods, sliced
1/4 inch ginger, thinly sliced
2 small pieces Kodamn puli (fish tamarind), soaked in warm water
2 tbsp Chilli powder
1/4 tbsp Coriander powder
1/4 tbsp Turmeric powder
1 kg Fish (King fish or some fleshy fish)
coconut oil

Method:
1. In a mud/ earthern pot (mann-chatti) heat some coconut oil. Splutter the mustard seeds. Add the fenugreek seeds to it. Stir lightly.
2. Slit green chillies and add to pot. Add the dried red chillies.
3. Add onions, ginger and garlic. Stir well. Add curry leaves.
4. When the onions start to brown, add chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder.
5. Stir well till the raw smell of the powders go away and the mixture is blended well with the oil.
6. Add the pulli (tamarind) and the water used for soaking it.
7. Add more water if required for the gravy. Add salt as required.
8. Bring to boil.
9. When the gravy starts to boil, lower the heat slightly and add the fish pieces to it.
10. Cover and cook for around 15- 20 minutes or till the fish is cooked. Ensure you swirl the pot once in every 5-10 minutes so that gravy moves around and mixes well with the fish. Do not use a spoon as the fish will flake as it begins to cook.

The fish curry is now ready to serve. However, the taste intensifies the longer it stands after removing from the flame.

This is a spicy dish and goes well with kappa. It is also had with rice. I love the meen curry, moru kaachi (buttermilk curry) and thoran (coconut infused side dish) combination :)