Nethili Meen Thokku Recipe

Nethili Meen Thokku

This is my hubby's all time favorite. This is such a wonderful recipe with a thick tangy masala coated all over the fish. You can make this in bulk and keep it in fridge and enjoy for a whole week. The original recipe says that we can store this in room temperature for 3 to 4 days. But i was scared to keep it out, so i pop this in fridge and use it accordingly.

If you are looking for more fish recipe, refer here. Also take a look at my nethili kulambu, nethili avial and nethili fry.

Ingredients for Nethili Meen Thokku

• Anchovies / Nethili Meen - 300 grams
• Oil - ¼ cup + ¼ cup
• Fenugreek Seeds / Methi / Vendayam - 1 tsp
• Garlic - 2 sliced thinly
• Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
• Coriander Powder / Malli Podi - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder / Manjal Podi - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Tamarind Pulp - 4 tbsp or to taste
• Curry Leaves - a small handful

For Grinding:

• Shallots / Sambar Onion - 20 peeled
• Tomatoes - 2 large chopped
• Garlic - 10 cloves
• Whole Pepper - 1 tsp
• Green Chilli - 2

How to Make Nethili Meen Thokku

1. Take all the ingredients in a blender and make it into a fine paste. Set aside till use.
2. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add in ¼ cup of oil and add in fenugreek seeds and sliced garlic. Let it sizzle for a min.
3. Add in the pureed masala and mix well. Cook it for couple of mins.
4. Add in salt and all spice powders, mix them well.
5. Cover and cook till oil separates.
6. Now add in the tamarind pulp and mix well. Cook till the mix is thick and looks like a masala.
7. Add in anchovies fish and mix well. Cover and cook for 5 to 8 mins till the fish is tender and cooked.
8. Now drizzle in the remaining oil all around the sides of the pan and swirl the pan to coat the oil on all sides. Cook this for 5 to 8 mins
9. Throw in a handful of curry leaves and swirl the pan. Keep the flame on low and cook it for few mins.
10. Don't stir the masala at this point, if you stir it, the fish will break. So always swirl the pan.
11. Cook all this till oil separates and the mix is thick.
12. Serve with rice.

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.

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Nethili Meen Thokku Recipe

Nethili Meen Thokku Recipe with step by step pictures. This recipe is a tangy and spicy dish which is prepared as semi dry curry made from the dried anchovies.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 23kcal

Ingredients

• ▢ 300 grams Anchovies / Nethili Meen
• ▢ ¼ cup + ¼ cup Oil
• ▢ 1 tsp Fenugreek Seeds / Methi / Vendayam
• ▢ 2 sliced thinly Garlic
• ▢ 2 tsp Chilli Powder
• ▢ 1 tbsp Coriander Powder / Malli Podi
• ▢ 1 tsp Turmeric Powder / Manjal Podi
• ▢ Salt to taste
• ▢ 4 tbsp or to taste Tamarind Pulp
• ▢ Curry Leaves - a small handful
• ▢ For Grinding:
• ▢ 20 peeled Shallots / Sambar Onion
• ▢ 2 large chopped Tomatoes
• ▢ 10 cloves Garlic
• ▢ 1 tsp Whole Pepper
• ▢ 2 Green Chilli

Instructions

• ▢
  Take all the ingredients in a blender and make it into a fine paste. Set aside till use.
• ▢
  Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add in ¼ cup of oil and add in fenugreek seeds and sliced garlic. Let it sizzle for a min.
• ▢
  Add in the pureed masala and mix well. Cook it for couple of mins.
• ▢
  Add in salt and all spice powders, mix them well.
• ▢
  Cover and cook till oil separates.
• ▢
  Now add in the tamarind pulp and mix well. Cook till the mix is thick and looks like a masala.
• ▢
  Add in anchovies fish and mix well. Cover and cook for 5 to 8 mins till the fish is tender and cooked.
• ▢
  Now drizzle in the remaining oil all around the sides of the pan and swirl the pan to coat the oil on all sides. Cook this for 5 to 8 mins
• ▢
  Throw in a handful of curry leaves and swirl the pan. Keep the flame on low and cook it for few mins.
• ▢
  Don't stir the masala at this point, if you stir it, the fish will break. So always swirl the pan.
• ▢
  Cook all this till oil separates and the mix is thick.
• ▢
  Serve with rice.

Notes

1)Once the fish is added and cooked, dont stir the fish with spoon. Always swirl the pan. I strongly advice you to use a nonstick pan with plastic handles.

2)Cook this till oil separates and floats on top.

3)This dish will keep well for 4 to 5 days. I keep this in a air tight container in fridge and take small amount as needed and reheat it while serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 23kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.05g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 303IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.4mg

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Nethili Meen Thokku Recipe Step by Step

Take all your ingredients