Kerala Style Nethili Meen Curry Recipe with step wise pictures. Nethili Meen kuzhambu made three different ways. One has coconut and one without coconut. I have a kerala style version of anchovies fish curry.
Kerala Style Nethili Meen Curry Recipe
Nethili meen kuzhambu is my husband all time favorite. This kerala style fish curry not only taste amazing but is super easy to make as well.
About Nethili / Anchovies
An anchovy is a small, common forage fish in the Engraulidae family. The majority of species are found in marine waters, but several will enter brackish water, and some are restricted to fresh water in South America. The Indian anchovy, also known as Hardenberg anchovy, is an oceanodromous ray-finned fish in the Engraulidae family. In Srilanka, it is known as handalla and is widely available in most markets
and supermarkets. It is commonly used as a live or dead bait in the
tuna fishing industry.
What is Nethili Meen Kuzhambu
Anchovies Fish Curry/ Nethili Meen Kulambu is a traditional South Indian fish curry recipe. The spicy, tangy, and flavorful Nethili fish curry pairs well with steamed rice or idly. Meen Vevichathu is what it is called in kerala. It is a spicy and delicious fish curry which is mainly tamarind based and taste so delicious. The main flavour for this comes from the unique sour ingredient called as kokum.
Goan Fish Curry
Anchovies Fish Curry
Sardine Fish Curry
Chettinad Fish Curry
Malabar Fish Curry
Mackerel Fish Curry
Ingredients for Anchovies Fish Curry
Anchovies / Nethili Meen :
Polyunsaturated fatty acids are abundant in nethili fish. Netholis bone is high in calcium, which is beneficial to our bones as well. Nethili prevents cardiovascular disease and is beneficial to people who have heart problems.
Tamarind Pulp :
Tamarind pulp is a thick tamarind extract. To make tamarind pulp at home, soak the tamarind pods in warm water for about 15-20 minutes, or until soft.
Fennel seeds :
Fennel seeds are the dried seeds of the fennel herb, and they resemble cumin seeds but are greener. They taste aniseed and have a warm, sweet aroma. They can be used alone or in spice blends like Chinese five-spice powder and Indian panch phoran.
Hope you will give this a try and let me know how it turns out for you.
Table of Contents
How to Make Kerala Style Nethili Fish Curry
- Heat oil in a mud kadai. Add in mustard, dry red chillies and fenugreek seeds and let them sizzle.
- Add in shallots, garlic, ginger, curry leaves and turmeric powder. Saute this for 3 mins or so.
- Now lower the flame and add in spice powders. Saute this on low heat for around 5 mins. The spices will get toasted and colour will darken.
- Now add in tamarind pulp and water. Add in salt and bring it to a boil.
- Once it reaches a boil, add in fish and mix well. Add in some curry leaves
- Cook this partially covered for 5 to 7 mins on medium high heat. The fish will be cooked by this time.
- Now take it off the heat and cover with a lid. Let it sit for 2 to 4 hours for the flavours to develop. You can serve immediately as well, but it will taste wonderful if it sits for a while.
- Now serve this with boiled tapioca or rice.
Kerala Style Nethili Meen Curry With Step by Step Pictures
1)Heat coconut oil in a pot
2)Add in mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds
3)dry red chillies
4)Add in curry leaves
5)Add chopped onions
6)ginger, garlic and green chillies
7)Saute till golden
8)Add in turmeric powder
9)Add in kashmiri chilli powder and regular chilli powder
10)cumin powder and coriander powder
11)Mix well
12)Cook this on medium heat for 4 to 5 mins till spices gets toasty
14)Add in tamarind (kudam puli) which is soaked in water
15)Mix well
16)Add more water
17)Add salt
18)Bring it to a boil
19)Add in nethili fish
20)Simmer for 5 mins
21)Done
22)Serve
📖 Recipe Card
Nethili Meen Curry Recipe | Nethili Meen Kuzhambu Recipe | Nethili Meen Kulambu
Ingredients
- Anchovies / Nethili - 500 grams
- Coconut Oil - ¼ cup
- Mustard Seeds / Kaduku - 1 tsp
- Dry Red Chilli - 1 broken
- Fenugreek Seeds / Vendayam / Methi - ¼ tsp
- Shallots / Sambar Onion - 20 peeled and sliced thinly
- Garlic - 5 cloves chopped finely
- Ginger - 2 cm piece chopped finely
- Green Chilli - 2 slit
- Curry leaves a big handful
- Chilli powder - 1 tblsp or to taste
- Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 3 tblspn
- Coriander powder - 1 tblsp
- Cumin powder - 1 tsp
- Turmeric Powder / Manjal Podi - 1 tspSalt to taste
- Kokum / Kodapuli - 3 piece or Tamarind Pulp - 2 tblspn
- Water - 2 cups
Instructions
- Heat oil in a earthernware kadai. Add in mustard, dry red chillies and fenugreek seeds and let them sizzle.
- Add in shallots, garlic, ginger, curry leaves and turmeric powder. Saute this for 3 mins or so.
- Now lower the flame and add in spice powders. Saute this on low heat for around 5 mins. The spices will get toasted and colour will darken.
- Now add in tamarind pulp and water. Add in salt and bring it to a boil.
- Once it reaches a boil, add in fish and mix well. Add in some curry leaves
- Cook this partially covered for 5 to 7 mins on medium high heat. The fish will be cooked by this time.
- Now take it off the heat and cover with a lid. Let it sit for 2 to 4 hours for the flavours to develop. You can serve immediately as well, but it will taste wonderful if it sits for a while.
- Now serve this with boiled tapioca or rice.
Video
Nethili Meen Kuzhambu (with Coconut)
This fish curry is one of the recipe which i found on a cookbook and tried it immediately. The actual recipe name is nethili meen kootu, but i called it as simple nethili meen curry.
Similar Recipes,
Goan Fish Curry
Anchovies Fish Curry
Sardine Fish Curry
Chettinad Fish Curry
Malabar Fish Curry
Mackerel Fish Curry
Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 30 to 40 mins
Serves : 5 to 6
Ingredients for nethili meen kuzhambu
- Anchovies / Nethili Meen - 300 grams cleaned
- Oil - 4 tblspn
- Curry leaves a handful
- Onions - 1 large size chopped finely
- Tomatoes - 1 large chopped finely
- Green Chillies - 2 slit
- Chilli Powder - 1 tblspn or to taste
- Coriander Powder / Malli Podi - 2 tblspn
- Turmeric Powder / Manjal Podi - 1 tsp
- Tamarind Pulp - 3 tblspn
- Water - ½ cup
- Salt to taste
- Coriander leaves a handful finely chopped
For Masala
- Fresh Coconut - ½ cup grated
- Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tblspn
- Fennel Seeds / Saunf / Sombu - 2 tsp
Nethili Meen Kuzhambu with Coconut Preparation
- Grind the ingredients given for masala to a smooth paste. Set aside. Dissolve tamarind with some water and set aside.
- Heat oil in a earthernware pot. Add in curry leaves and fry for few sec.
- In goes onions, chillies and salt. Saute this till it gets light golden.
- Add in tomatoes and cook till it gets mushy.
- In goes spice powders and mix well. Add in coconut masala and cook till oil separates from the mix.
- Pour tamarind water and cook till oil floats on top.
- Add in fish and simmer for 5 to 8 mins.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and mix well.
- Serve.
Pictorial:
 |
| Take all your ingredients |
Nethili Meen Kuzhambu Recipe (Without Coconut)
Making fish curries are one of the staple food of us. We make it on each saturday. My husbands favorite one is this fish curry. But to be frank i was totally bored to make that again and again. I wanted to make a curry that has no coconut in it. And this is the answer, It is made from the small anchovies and it tasted divine. The cool thing is you don't need coconut for it. My hubby tasted it and he liked it too. I hope you will love it too.
Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 30 mins
Serves - 5 to 6
Ingredients for Making Nethili Meen Kuzhambu without Coconut
- Anchovies / Nethili Meen - 3 cups cleaned
- Coconut Oil - 2 tblspn
- Mustard Seeds / Kaduku - 1 tsp
- Fenugreek Seeds / Vendayam - ½ tsp
- Curry leaves - 1 spring + 1 spring
- Onion - 1 large sliced thinly
- Tomato - 2 large chopped finely
- Brinjal - 1 large cubed
- Mango - 1 small cubed
- Chilli powder - 2 tsp
- Pepper powder - 1 tsp
- Coriander powder / Malli podi - 1 tblspn
- Turmeric powder / Manjal podi - 1 tsp
- Tamarind Pulp - 3 tblspn
- Salt to taste
How to Make Nethili Meen Kuzhambu without Coconut
- Heat a kadai with oil, when it is hot add in mustard, fenugreek and curry leaves.
- Add in onions and saute till it turns light golden.
- Now add in tomatoes and saute till oil separates. Add in salt and mix well.
- Now add in turmeric, chilli, coriander and pepper powder. Mix well.
- Add in brinjal, mangoes and mix well. Pour in some water and cover the pan. Cook for 10 mins till the brinjal is cooked and the sauce is thick.
- Add in tamarind pulp and mix well. Cover again and cook till oil separates.
- Now add in anchovies and cook for 5 to 10 mins.
- Throw in a handful of curry leaves and switch off the flame. Cover the pan till serving.
- Serve over rice.
 |
| Take all your ingredients |
If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @[email protected] and I’ll help as soon as I can.
Follow me on Instagram, Facebook,Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter for more Yummy Tummy inspiration.
Tamilarasi Sasikumar
Looks so tempting.... lovely fish curry...
Corporate to Kitchen
I like these little fish. The kolambu looks nice.
Lyndsey Chapin
It sure looks like a lovely fish curry, and so full of flavor. Thanks for sharing.
Priya Suresh
Can get the aroma of this gravy from here itself, fingerlicking kuzhambu.
Bam's Kitchen
I am delighted to have found you on facebook and had to head over to check out your website. This dish looks absolutely delicious and I love your step by step photos. Looking forward to keeping in touch. Take Care, BAM
Goumathi
Hi
Yummy Tummy. I have tried some of your recipes and suchly it has turn out to be good.
I am going yo try this fish curry out today. As always hoping it will be good too. Well need your advice. If I have the ready made fish or chicken masalas, can I substitute with those masala powders which in your recepis.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Goumathi
Goumathi
Hi!
The fish curry turn out so well.
Thanks for your advice.
Goumathi
aisha
Help
aisha
Hi I need ur help in fish Cury
Aarthi
@aishaWat help?
Anonymous
Your recipes are really good.
Anonymous
Mouth watering recipe
Rohini Baskaran
Tried this recipe today.... It came out great.... I was not satisfied with d taste..untill i added d fish...n then...it took a great changeover...perfect balance... Temptingly tasty....
Meena .s
Tasty, I tried it and it was great. But I made it without using oil. Still it was nice and i added a small Brinjal. And I wish to tell you one thing that I now can cook a little bit only because of you, I learned rasam, nethili fish curry & peera, dhal curry, cauliflower kootu from you. I tried all of these for the first time with OK comments from my family. Because I never had cooked anything before... Aarthi love you have much. U r a good teacher...
Senthil T
I tried it now.....really awesome.... Thank u so much for posting this with yummy pics.....pics help me a lot...
Sudhak
Tried it and came out really well...awesome it was...thanks arthi
Alboni - Boni's Healthy Twists
Really very tempting ... feel like grabbing and eating. .. awesome !!! Plz visit my blog too and share your valuable comments. Thank you. http://Www.bonishealthytwists.blogspot.com
scunthorpe
Looks great. You are so lucky to have access to fresh anchovies. I might try this with fresh sardines.
Sarala Prathish
I regularly follow all your posts..it is really good and easy to follow with step wise pictorial demonstration which is indeed kind of very helpful. Thank you for the great dishes. I have a doubt can the same procedure be followed for every other fish or is it only for anchovies?...
Aarthi
yes u can
Aishwarya
Pake motha sapenum pola erke sis 🐟🐟😋😋😋😋😋
Swetha
Tried this recipe today !!! Great taste and so flavourful... simple, quick reciple with easy ingredients... Thanks Arthi .
Athulya
Tried it now it’s tasty