Me and teeny tiny coconuts |
I had the pleasure of visiting my husband’s hometown of Calicut/khozikhode located in this famous belt this past month which lies in the state of Kerala in India. Khozikhode is a typical Indian beachtown. Humid, balmy weather in the mornings, cool and breezy in the evenings.
As any Indian town/state; this general area has it’s own identity when it comes to food and culture. “Malabar” style of cooking is predominant here. Right from the chilled “Sulaimani”, a spiced black lemon tea with believe it or not Arab influenes to the omni present coconut in almost every dish, “Malabar” cuisine is sure to tantalize your tastebuds.
Sulaimani |
Here is my rendition of a fabulous fish dish aptly named “Malabar” fish curry, my first of many discoveries which I’m thrilled to share with you.
To serve 2-3 generously;
1-1.5 pounds of boneless fish cut into cubes( tilapia, king fish, pomphret)
2 cloves of garlic smashed
1/2″ ginger peeled and grated
1 med. sized onion chopped fine
2 med. sized tomatoes chopped fine
1 Tbp tomato paste
2 green chillies chopped
2 sprigs of curry leaves
1 tsp of tamarind paste (more as desired)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
Salt, pepper and cayenne to taste
1/2 cup of coconut milk or 1/4 cup of coconut cream
Heat a tbsp of oil in a shallow pan for a couple of minutes. Add the mustard and fenugreek seeds and let sputter for a minute without burning it. Add the garlic, ginger, chillies, onions , tomatoes and half of the curry leaves. Sautee for 3-4 minutes till onions turn translucent. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 4-5 minutes to develop some flavor. Add the tamarind paste and 1/4 cup of water. Mix well and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the fish pieces one by one. Gently mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add the rest of the curry leaves. Mix well. Cook for about 10-12 minutes till the fish is white and flakes easily with a fork.
Season with a couple of drops of coconut oil before serving. (Optional)
Restaurant’s version |
My version.. pretty close eh ? |