Karimeen Masala Roast | Kerala style Pearl Spot Roast

Karimeen Masala Roast

Kerala style fried Pearl spot with spicy onion masala.
Recipe source: Magic Oven,Lakshmi Nair
Prep Time: 20 minutes+ 30 minutes marination
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 3 to 4
Ingredients:

1. Karimeen /Pear Spot- 3 medium( or 4 small sized)
2. Ginger ,finely chopped - 1 tbsp
3. Onion,finely chopped - 1 medium
4. Shallots,sliced - 1/4 cup
5. Green chilies,chopped - 2 to 3( or according to taste)
6. Curry leaves - 3 to 4 sprigs
7. Water - 1/2 cup
8. Salt - to taste
9. Coconut oil - as required

For Masala paste:

1. Dry red chilies - 20 to 25( or according to taste ,see notes)
2. Shallots /chumannulli - 8
3. Garlic- 10 small cloves
4. Whole black pepper - 1/2 tsp
5. Vinegar - 1 tbsp
6. Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
7. Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp

Instructions:

Soak dry red chilies in water for about 15 minutes .In a blender combine together soaked( drained) red chilies and the rest of the ingredients listed under ' For masala paste'.Grind to form a smooth paste.Add salt to taste and mix well. 

Make deep slits on the cleaned fish.Take half of the prepared masala paste and rub it well on to the fish.Keep aside for atleast 30 minutes.

Next to prepare onion masala- heat oil in a pan,add ginger and saute for few seconds or until raw smell leaves.Now add onion,shallots,green chilies and few curry leaves.

Saute until onion turns golden brown.Next add the remaining masala paste and cook,until oil starts to separate.Stir well in between to avoid burning.

Add water and salt to taste.Mix well and cook until the gravy turns thick and spreadable.

Next heat oil in a pan and add 2 sprigs curry leaves.Shallow fry the marinated fish until it turns brown on both the sides,turning once in between.Transfer the fried fish onto a serving plate and spread an even layer of the prepared onion masala on both sides of the fish..(Cover and keep aside for atleast 15 minutes before serving for the flavors to mingle.)Serve with rice or chapathi.

NOTES

• Adjust the quantity of dry red chilies according to your taste.If you want it less spicy, remove the seeds before preparing the masala or you can use dry Kashmiri red chilies instead of  dry red chilies. 
  

Nadan Mathi Curry | Kerala Sardine Curry

Nadan Mathi Curry

Spicy and delicious Kerala style Sardine curry.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 to 5
Ingredients:

1. Sardines /Mathi - 500 gms
2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Ginger,crushed - 1.5" piece
4. Garlic,sliced - 5 to 6 large cloves
5. Shallots,sliced - 3 to 4
6. Curry leaves - 2 to 3 sprigs
7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Kashmiri chili powder- 2 to 2.5 tbsp (or according to taste)
9. Fenugreek powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Fish tamarind /Kudampuli - 3 to 4 small pieces( or according to taste)
11. Water - 1.5 cups( or as required)
12. Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
13. salt - to taste
14. Oil - as required

Instructions:

Crush ginger and slice the garlic .Soak tamarind in water until required.

Heat oil in a manchatti /pan,add mustard seeds and let it splutter.Next add ginger,garlic,shallots and curry leaves.

 

Saute until it turns golden brown.Reduce the flame to low and add turmeric powder ,kashmiri chili powder and fenugreek powder.Mix well until combined.

Add tamarind and cook for one or two minutes,stirring continuously or until masala turns deep maroon.( make sure you do not burn the masala or else the curry will turn bitter)

Add sufficient quantity of water ( about 1.5 cups) and salt to taste.

Bring it to a boil.Add fish and gently swirl the pan. 

 

Cover and cook until done and gravy turns slightly thick.Add asafoetida and gently swirl the pan.

Add more curry leaves and cook for one more minute.Serve with rice or tapioca.

NOTES

• If you are using regular red chili powder,reduce the quantity to 1.5 or 2 tbsp , or according to your taste.
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Kerala Appam Recipe | Palappam | Kerala Laced Rice Pancakes | Step by Step Pictures

Kerala Palappam

Kerala style laced rice pancakes ( Gluten free and vegan)
Prep Time: 4 hours, + more for fermentation
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Makes: 18 to 20 palappam
Ingredients:

1. Raw rice ( Pachari) - 1.5 cups( see notes)
2. Grated coconut - 3/4 cup ,heaped
3. Cooked Rice - 1/2 cup
4. Sugar- 1.5 to 3 tbsp 
5. Yeast - 1/4 tsp
6. Water - 1.5 cups
7. Salt-  to taste

Instructions:

Wash the rice well and soak it for about 4 to 5 hours.

Grind together drained raw rice, grated coconut , cooked rice and 3/4 cup water to form a smooth batter.

Next add sugar,yeast and remaining water and blend for about 30 seconds or until sugar and yeast is completely dissolved.

Transfer the batter to a large bowl.Cover and let it ferment  for about 5 to 8 hours( depending upon the temperature conditions) in a warm place , until almost doubled in volume.

After fermentation( for about 5 to 8 hours) add salt to taste.Gently stir the salt in.Cover and keep aside for atleast 30 minutes.The batter will rise a bit and will be light and foamy.

Heat the appachatti over medium high flame.Rub it with some oil if you are using an iron appachatti.( Skip this step if you are using a non stick appachatti.) Gently pour a ladle full of batter into the pan.

Immediately swirl the pan to spread the batter in a circle.Cover and cook for about a minute or until the edges turn golden brown.

Carefully remove the appam from the pan.Serve with vegetable curry/egg curry /chicken curry.

STEP BY STEP PICTURES:

In a bowl,add rice ( i used 1 cup raw rice and 1/2 cup basmati rice)and water , rinse it well.

Soak the washed rice in plenty of water for about  4 to 5 hours. 

Add grated coconut and cooked rice into a blender.

Add the drained ,soaked rice and 1/2 to 3/4 cup water to the blender.

Grind to form a smooth batter.

Next add sugar to the batter.  

Add yeast and the remaining water ,blend until sugar and yeast is completely dissolved ,for about 30 seconds.

Transfer the batter to a large bowl.Cover and let it ferment  for about 5 to 8 hours( depending upon the temperature conditions) in a warm place , until almost doubled in volume.

The batter will look something like this,after fermentation.

Now add salt to taste.

Gently stir the salt in.Cover and keep aside for atleast 30 minutes.The batter will rise a bit.

Now the batter will be light and foamy.

Heat the appachatti over medium high flame.Rub it with some oil if you are using an iron appachatti.( Skip this step if you are using a non stick appachatti.) Gently pour a ladle full of batter into the pan.

Immediately swirl the pan to spread the batter in a circle.Cover and cook for about a minute or until the edges turn golden brown.

Carefully remove the appam from the pan.Serve with vegetable curry/egg curry /chicken curry.

NOTES

• You can also use 1 cup raw rice and 1/2 cup basmati rice ,if desired.I feel adding 1/2 cup basmati rice makes appam more soft  and fluffy.
• Adjust the quantity of water depending upon the type of rice you use.Basically the batter should be a bit watery so that the edges turn out really thin.
• Adjust the quantity of sugar according to your taste.Adding a bit more sugar will help to get the edges golden brown.
• Leftover batter can be refrigerated for upto 2 days.Bring down to room temperature before making appams.
• You may serve appam with Nadan Mutta curry, Kerala Egg curry,Egg curry with potato ,Kadala curry,Kerala vegetable stew,Mutton stew,Kerala duck curry or even fish molly.

Kallu Shappu Meen Curry | Toddy Shop Fish Curry | Spicy Red Fish Curry

Kallu shappu style meen curry

Spicy Kerala style Toddy shop fish curry,usually served with tapioca.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 5 to 6
Recipe source: Shappukarikal
Ingredients:

1. Fish,cut into medium sized pieces - 1/2 Kg
2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
4. Ginger,crushed - 2" piece
5. Garlic,crushed - 6 to 8 cloves
6. Green chilies - 2( or to taste)
7. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
8. Kashmiri chili powder- 2.5 to 3 tbsp( see notes)
9. Coriander powder- 1 tsp
10. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Kudampuli /fish tamarind / kokum - 20 to 25 gms
12. Asafoetida- 1/4 tsp
13. Water- as required
14. Coconut Oil - 1.5 tbsp
15. Salt- to taste

Instructions:

Soak fish tamarind/kokum in water until required.Heat oil in a manchatti.Add mustard seeds and let it splutter.Next add fenugreek seeds and saute for few seconds.

Add ginger, garlic ,green chilies and curry leaves.Saute until raw smell leaves.Now reduce flame to low and add kashmiri chili powder,coriander powder and turmeric powder.

Add kudampuli/kokum and stir well.Saute for about a minute over low flame, until the masala turns deep maroon.

Add water and salt to taste.Mix well and bring it to a boil.Now add fish ,cover and cook until done and gravy turns thick.

Add asafoetida and 1 tsp coconut oil.Gently swirl the manchatti and switch off the stove.

.NOTES

• If you are using regular chili powder reduce the quantity to 2 tbsp.