Ayila (or) Mackeral Curry

This is again my mom s recipe. Prepared with canned Jack mackeral.

Ingredients:
Mackeral - 1 can
onion - 1 medium (Chopped)
Tomato - 1 small
Green Chili - 2 (slit lengthwise)
Tamarind - 1 lemon size(Soak in water and extract the juice)
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek - 3-4
Curry leaves - 2 Sprigs
Coconut - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli Powder -1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
salt to taste
oil

 Grind the coconut along with turmeric powder, Chilli powder and Coriander powder into a smooth paste.

1.Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. When they splutter add the fenugreek seeds.
2.Add the onions and saute. When they become brown here and there add the green chilli s  and the tomatoes.
3.Then add the ground paste and mix well. Add the tamarind juice.Then add the canned mackeral and salt and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of water. Cut the mackeral into small pieces and add. Then only the masala will get into the fish.
4.Add curry leaves and close with a lid and allow it to cook for 15 -20 min.

The curry tastes even more when left for 2 -3 hrs before serving.

Varutharacha meen kulambu

In Chicago i used to get sea fish regularly from a store. After moving to St.Louis, i dint know where sea fish will be available. But thanks to the anna in the grocery store, he told he will get it for me.He got me some black pom fret.

Comparatively i feel black pomfret is tastier then silver pomfret.This is again my moms recipe. The best meen kulambu i have ever eaten is my grandmothers. She used to make it in earthen pot and the masala she used to grind it with hand in 'ammi kal'. Her kulambu has an unique flavour.

Ingredients:

Fish - any fish

Masala:

Coconut - 1 cup

Onion - 1 small

Curry Leaves - 1 sprig

Black Pepper - 4 or 5

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Chili Powder - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder - 2 tsp

Tomato - 1 small

Green chili - 3 slit

Curry leaves -1 sprig

Green Raw mango - 4 or 5 pieces (optional)

Tamarind water - 1 1/2 cups (Soak big lemon size tamarind in water and extract the juice)

1.Clean the fish well and make it into pieces

2.Preparation of Masala:

a. Cut the onion into small pieces.Saute the coconut in medium heat along with the onions curry leaves and black pepper.

b.When the coconut turns light brown add the turmeric powder,chili powder and coriander powder.

c.When the masala becomes reddish brown switch off the stove and allow it cool. Then grind it into a nice paste.

3.Heat a kadai and add the ground masala along with tomatoes, green chilli's, raw mango pieces, tamarind water, curry leaves and salt.
4.When the gravy is about to boil add the fish pieces and allow it to cook for 15 -20 min .

Prawn Thokku

I learnt making this recipe from my SIL, when i had been to her house for last vacation.She added just chicken 65 masala to the prawns and it tasted very good. I made slight variation and added extra spices too.

Fresh Prawns can be added directly .But if we go for the frozen one, it is better to marinate the prawn with little turmeric powder, Chilli powder and little salt.Add very little salt if ur marinating coz the chicken 65 masala might also contain salt.

Ingredients:

Prawns - 1/2 lb

Onion - 1 medium (finely Chopped)

Tomato - medium

Ginger Garlic Paste - 3 tsp

Curry Leaves -1 sprig

Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

cumin Powder - 1/2 Tsp

Chicken 65 masala - 1 tsp ( i used Sakthi brand)

Salt to taste

1.Heat oil in a kadai and add the onions and saute it well.

2.Add ginger garlic paste and when the raw smell goes off add tomatoes and saute until the tomatoes get mashed.

3.Then add Chilli powder,Turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and chicken 65 masala.Mix well.

4.Add the prawns along with 1 cup of water,curry leaves and allow it to cook for 10 min.

If u want more gravy u can add little more water.

Some Chicken masalas have salt in it already so adjust the salt accordingly.

Sardines (Chalai or mathi meen) Kulambu

My mom used to prepare this sardines kulambu whenever we get this tinned fish. Sardines are called 'chalai meen' in Tamil. Since finding Sea fish is a little difficult in the place we stay, I started getting this canned sardines. Initially I got Sardines in water, but nowadays am not finding them. So am going for the sardines in tomato sauce. I separate the sauce and the fish and just add the fish as the sauce gives a sweet taste to the curry.

Alternatively instead of adding tomatoes to the curry we can add 2 tablespoon of this sauce. It gives a little thickness to the curry.

Ingredients:

Sardines - 1 can
Mustard - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 4 or 5
Curry leaves - 1 Spring
Onion - 1 large
Tomatoes - 1 medium
Tamarind paste - 2 tsp

1.Heat oil in a pan.When the oil becomes hot add mustard and when the mustard splutters add 4 or 5 fenugreek seeds.Don't add too much fenugreek it will give a bitter taste to the dish.

2.Add the chopped onions. Saute it till the onions become pink.

3.Add slit green chillies.

4.Add tomatoes cut into pieces and saute it.

5.Add turmeric powder, chilli powder,coriander powder and mix it.

6.Add tamarind water or tamarind paste. Add 1 cup of water to it and allow it to boil. Add curry leaves.

7.Then add the fish. Allow it to cook for 15-20 min.

U can also add raw mango pieces to the mixture before allowing it to boil. It gives more sour taste to the curry.Allow it to settle for sometime before savouring it. It tastes even better the next day.

Fish Fry

I was born in Nagercoil, a place close to kanyakumari where we can find fresh sea fish daily.My mom used to get it from a nearby market called Ganeshapuram and we used to literally cook fish daily in our home except on Sundays .That is so coz that market is closed on sundays.But here its not the same.Initially when i came here i used to get catfish,which is fresh water fish.It was nowhere near the taste of sea fish.But after many months i found a store that sells sea food. I bought some Mackerel and prepared fry.

Ingredients:

Fish cut into pieces.

Turmeric Powder-1/4 Tsp

Chilli Powder-2 tsp

Pepper Powder-1/2 Tsp

Salt- According to taste

1.U can use any fish. Make small cuts in the fish,so that the masala gets into the fish.Make a paste using the ingredients and apply to the fish. Marinate the fish pieces in turmeric, chilli powder, salt and pepper. Allow it to stay for 15 minutes.

2.Shallow fry in oil.

1Tsp of chilli powder can be substituted with sakthi chicken 65 masala too. It tastes good.U can adjust the chilli powder according to ur taste