Nethili Karuvadu Kuzhambu made two ways with coconut and without coconut. This recipe will be your ultimate guide for perfect dry fish curry.
Nethili Karuvadu Kuzhambu
Hubby loves dried fish curry, not only dried fish, he love anything fishy. I have mentioned this all the times whenever i post fish recipes. I love making fish curries for him and sit on his side asking him how it taste, because each time i make different curries. Most of the time it is his favorite fish curry.
I have posted a dried fish fry recipe before, that is the first time i cooked using dried fish. Dried fish is only for the heavy fish lovers, because it has a intense fishy taste which i don't like. And also it is packed with tons of salt, so you have to wash it well to get rid of it and also you shouldn't add any salt until the dish is finished, taste it and add it in the end.
About Chettinad Cuisine
Chettinad cuisine is the cuisine of the Nattukotai Chettiars, also known as Nagarathars, who live in the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu state in South India. Chettinad cuisine is perhaps the most well- known dish in Tamil Nadu. It employs a wide range of spices, and the dishes are prepared with freshly ground masalas.
Chettiars also use a variety of sun-dried meats and salted vegetables, which reflect the regions dry climate. The majority of the dishes are served with rice or rice-based accompaniments like dosas, appam, idiyappam, adais, and idlis. Through their mercantile contacts with Burma, the Chettiars learned to make a type of sticky red rice pudding.
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About Nethili Karuvadu Kuzhambu
Now coming to this recipe, couple weeks back when me and hubby where shopping, he found few packed of dried fish in the shelves. Immediately he got couple of packets of them. And i used them to make this dish and it tasted really good. Try to find dried fish which is packed properly and looks clean, imported dried fish can have less salts, I have shared a tip of soaking the dried fish in hot boiling water for 15 mins before you cook them, this will remove most of the salt and make it soft. So follow this recipe and let me know if it tried it.
Ingredients for Chettinad Nethili Karuvadu Kuzhambu
Dried Anchovies:
Dried anchovies are produced through a process in which small fish are caught, salted, and dried for preservation. Anchovy is a common ingredient in many Southeast Asian dishes. Dried anchovies are commonly used to add flavour to soups and stews from Southern India to Korea and Japan, and they are enjoyed as a quick snack, condiment, or side dish.
Shallots :
Shallots are a little sweeter than regular onions and have a more subtle flavor. They are good used in raw applications where you want an onion flavor without too much punch, such as in salads and vinaigrettes, , or in slow roasted or braised dishes, where their sweetness can enhance a dish without watering it down.
Version 1: Nethili Karuvadu Kuzhambu (without Coconut)
This version of dried fish curry has no coconut added and it is spicy, tangy at the same time. it has mangoes and raw banana added which makes it even more delicious.
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| Soak dry fish in boiling water for 15 mins |
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| i transferred it to a big pot, since my curry was overflowing.. Now add salt after the veggies are half cooked |
Version 2: Nethili Karuvadu Kuzhambu
This version of karuvadu kuzhambu has coconut added in them which makes it super delicious.
Nethili Karuvadu Kuzhambu Recipe (Two ways)
Ingredients
Nethili Karuvadu Kuzhambu (without Coconut)
- Dried Anchovies / Nethili Meen Karuvadu - around 40 to 50
- Oil - 4 tblspn
- Mustard Seeds / Kaduku - 1 tsp
- Cumin Seeds / Jeerakam - 1 tsp
- Urad dal / Ulundu Paruppu - 1 tsp
- Dry Red Chilli - 2
- Curry leaves a handful
- Shallots / Sambar Onion - 15 to 20 chopped finely
- Tomatoes - 2 large chopped finely
- Chilli Powder - 1 tblspn or to taste
- Coriander Powder / Malli Podi - 2 tblspn
- Turmeric Powder / Manjal Podi - 1 tsp
- Tamarind Pulp - 3 tblspn or to taste
- Raw Banana - 1 peeled and cut lengthwise
- Raw Mango - 1 cut lengthwise
- Water - as needed
- Salt to taste
- Sugar / Jaggery - 1 tsp or to taste
Nethili Karuvadu Kuzhambu (with Coconut)
- Dried Fish / Karuvadu - 25 pieces I used nethili karuvadu
- Coconut Oil - 2 tblspn
- Mustard Seeds / Kaduku - 1 tsp
- Cumin Seeds / Jeerakam - 1 tsp
- Urad dal / Ulundu Paruppu - 1 tsp
- Fenugreek Seeds / Methi / Vendayam - ½ tsp
- Curry leaves a sprig
- Garlic - 10 cloves peeled
- Onion - 1 large sliced thinly
- Green Chilli - 1 slit
- Tomatoes - 1 large chopped finely
- Brinjal - 1 sliced or chopped
- Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
- Coriander Powder / Malli Podi - 1 tblspn
- Turmeric Powder / Manjal Podi - 1 tsp
- Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
- Cumin Powder / Jeerakam Podi - 1 tsp
- Salt to taste
- Tamarind Pulp - 4 tblspn
- Thick Coconut Milk - ½ cup
- Water as needed
Instructions
Nethili Karuvadu Kuzhambu (without Coconut)
- soak dry fish in hot boiling water for 15 mins. Drain and remove the heads and set aside.
- Heat oil in a earthernware pot. Add in mustard, cumin, urad dal, dry chilli and curry leaves and fry for few sec.
- Add in shallots and garlic. Saute this till it gets light golden.
- Add in tomatoes and cook till it gets mushy.
- Add water, raw banana and mango and cook till it is half cooked.
- Add in salt and spice powders and mix well.
- Add in tamarind water and cook till oil floats on top.
- Add in fish and simmer for 5 to 10 mins.
- Add in sugar and mix well.
- Serve.
Nethili Karuvadu Kuzhambu (with Coconut)
- Clean dry dish by removing the head and scraping the gills. Now add hot boiling water over this and soak it for 15 mins. Drain and set aside.
- Heat coconut oil in a earthernware pot.
- Add in mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and saute for a min.
- Add in garlic cloves and saute for a min.
- Add in onions and green chillies. Saute till they turn translucent.
- Add in tomatoes and cook for 5 to 7 mins till they turn mushy.
- Add in all the spice powders and brinjal and saute for a min.
- Add in water and bring everything to a boil, cook untill brinjal is half done.
- Add in tamarind Pulp and boil for 5 mins.
- Add in dried fish and simmer for 8 to 10 mins.
- Add in coconut milk and boil once. Taste to see if you need salt and adjust it.
- Turn off the heat and add in curry leaves.
- Serve over rice.
Anonymous
Super
pranav lee
Will not adding banana and mango affect the taste much?