Hubby’s Fish Curry Recipe / Hubby’s Chala Meen Kulambu / Zero Oil Sardine Fish Curry

I should admit to you a truth my friends. I am not a expert in cooking fish dishes, i never liked fish recipes, we dont cook fish recipes often, most of the fish recipes which i try has been a flop for me, THESE ALL HAPPENED BEFORE MARRIAGE.

Once i got married to a total fish addict. I started learning fish recipes slowly. Once of the basic recipe is fish curry, i make it in my style, but my hubby was not very keen into that curry. So he thought me how to make the perfect fish curry in the world. And i should admit the truth that it was yum, i started eating fish lovingly from that day onwards.

He would say that a fish curry should not be bland, it should be spicy, tangy, salty, aromatic, flavourful all at the same point. Also adding these veggies makes it more flavourful. So now i make this often for my hubby and i would wait for him to take his first mouthful, to hear his wordings. During my first attempts he would say “not bad”, now he says ” yum”. Yay i won.. So i am sharing you my hubby perfect fish curry recipe..

Notes from my hubby:

1)If you have sour raw mango add it into the curry and skip the tamarind part.
2)This curry gets more flavour and taste the next day when it is reheated.
3) Adjust the spice, tart and salt level as per your taste.
4) You could use any fish of your choice.

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 30 mins
Serves – 3 to 4


Ingredients:

Sardine Fish / Chala Meen – 20 pieces cleaned & washed
Brinjal – 1 medium size cubed
Drumstick – 1/2 a long one, slit in middle and cut into pieces
Tomato – 1 medium size cubed
Salt to taste
Turmeric Powder / Manjal Podi – 1 tsp
Tamarind Pulp – 3 tblspn or to taste ( Click here for recipe )
Curry leaves – a handful


To grind :
Coconut – 1.5 cup
Chilli Powder – 2 tblspn or to taste
Coriander Powder / Malli podi – 1 tblspn
Shallots / Sambar Onion / Chinna Ulli – 4
Garlic – 2 cloves
Whole Pepper / Mullu Milagu – 1 tsp
Water as needed to grind


Method:

Take all the grinding ingredients in a blender and add water. Grind into a smooth paste.

Now take drumstick, brinjal, tomato in a kadai and add some water.

Add in salt, turmeric and tamarind and mix well. Cover and cook this for 10 mins.

Add in the ground masala and mix well. Add water if needed.

Once it reaches to a boil. Set the flame to simmer and let it cook for 5 to 8 mins.

Now add in the sardine pieces and simmer for 10 more mins.

Throw in a handful of curry leaves and mix well. Let it simmer for 2 more mins.

Now switch off the flame and let it sit covered till ready to eat.

Serve with hot rice.


Pictorial:

Take all your ingredients

Clean your sardine pieces

These are the grinding ingredients

Take them in a blender

Make into a fine puree

Take brinjal, drumstick,tomato in a kadai

Add little water to cook this

Add salt and turmeric

Add some tamarind juice

mix well

cover to cook

cook till veggies are tender

Add the coconut masala

let it boil

Add fish pieces

mix well

throw in curry leaves

let it simmer

all done

Serve