Kerala Njandu Fry/ Crab Stir Fried with spices..

Calicut Crabs washed and ready to go.

Crabs simmering in the spices.

The Final Product..A mass of legs and hands..

Back after a hiatus, and as usual there is a writer's block, staring into a empty post, wondering where to start. Where did I go? Well, took on a job and then went for a roller coaster ride for 3 months juggling home, family and work. I just couldn't surf all the wonderful blogs after getting home and now I have tons to catch up on..
Now the job is over, the weather has turned gloomy, the sun slinks away at 4.30 itself and you don't see your neighbors for days at end and there seems a general feeling of crabbiness. But its the festive season here(read shopping season) and though you would think who shops in this weather.. every body escapes to the mall where its brightly lit, filled with people and colors and sounds and whether you shop or not, the mood gets festive.

And furthermore, its the crab season on the West coast, so we will at least get some good crabs once in a while. If you like crabs, this is the season to try it.
The recipe and the fotos below are of the Calicut Crabs, from my last holiday, recipe courtesy of my Aunt. She makes the best nadan dishes..:) Calicut crabs are a medium sized ones so you don't have to cut it up. But I have been making this with the Dungeness Crabs and it is good! Just one crab is enough to feed two people lavishly. As to how to clean crabs, just google it and you will get tons of websites and even videos on it. If you buy the crabs live from the docks, like my siblings do, bring them in a tight bag, put a pot of water for boiling at home and dump them into that and cover and steam cook for 5 minutes. Then drain and cut up and clean.
I usually get the crabs from Costco when they have the seafood stand and its previously cooked (blanched) and so I just cut into smaller pieces and clean it before preparing it.
The cooking with spices gets the spicy flavor into the crabs instead of just being on the surface of the shell and then stir frying just caramelizes the shallots and spices. So the result is lickable spicy shells and then a sweet slightly flavorful meat inside.

You will need:
For the cooking:
10 medium sized crabs.
Red hot chili powder- 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric- 1/2 tsp
Ginger- 1 inch piece
Garlic -4-5 cloves
Salt & pepper, to taste.

To fry:
10-15 small shallots, sliced well.(about 2 cups)
Curry leaves- 2 sprigs
Coconut oil- 1/4 to 1/2 cup
Green chilies-2 slit vertically.

Preparation:
Mix the spices, ginger garlic paste, add salt and 1/2 cup water in a clay pot.Add the cleaned crab and mix. Cover the pot and let it cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Open and increase the heat and let the liquid evaporate. There should be no liquid remaining. Keep aside.
Heat oil in a wok/cheenachatti or pan and add the curry leaves and shallots. When the shallots wilt and start browing, add the green chilies and the cooked crab and all the thick gravy around it. Stir fry on medium high heat for about 6-10 minutes till all the shallots and the gravy darken and stick to the crab pieces.
Serve hot with rice or roti. (just crab is fine too.)



-----------------------------------------------
Cooking Method:
Clean crabs and divide each into 4 pieces. Place
into large pan, add all ingredients except coconut
milk, mustard powder, lime juice and salt.

Bring to a boil, add coconut milk and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Add lime
juice, mustard powder and salt. Stir for a few minutes until flavours are married. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Meen Pathiri/ Steamed Fish Pancakes

One of my favorites from Malabar cuisine is meen pathiri i.e. rice pancakes stuffed with fish and steamed..is that an accurate description of such a balances of flavors? or is fish pie a better title? Trying to explain traditional cuisine to those who haven't tasted needs a stretch of imagination in terms of the language and ingredients.
This is another of those traditional Malabar recipes that is getting endangered and should be on a protected list..They were (and maybe still) are so commonplace in our houses but you might be more familiar with it through the travel cookery shows in Kerala where they are deemed exotic and laborious.


Pathiri is a term used loosely in Malabar region of Kerala to mean roti/chappathi/ or flatbread. The prefix of the word" pathiri" decides what kind it is..godumbu pathiri is made of godambu,i.e.wheat, ari pathiri is made of rice flour, erachi pathiri, has erachi /meat stuffed in it, meen pathiri has meen,/fish stuffed in it and so on.
This fish pathiri is made with Kng fish/Aikora or with Mackarel/ Aila or even with Sardines/ Mathi. When pressed for time, I have made this with canned tuna, canned sardines and it tastes passably good.

Central Kerala Red Fish Curry...

For this post, I don't want to dwell on the house sale.. the status quo on that is still the same. It's been hot and humid here the whole of last two weeks.. hey wait, isn't that the weather in Kerala? Maybe the weather allocation got switched.. upside, I don't have to water my flowers, they are blooming like never before. Beautiful!! Downside.. my veggie garden is neglected and is attacked by weeds which are growing faster than the veggies. I didn't put down a weed fabric when I set the garden out and regretting it now. We did get some red delicious tomatoes and a gigantic cabbage was harvested this week.. the plant came from my kid's school as a competition to see who will grow the biggest cabbage. We just planted it and fed it and it grew big..

Mathi Mulakittathu / Moliyar/ Sardines in Spicy Curry...

The house sale has become just another factor in the list of daily chores and activities. Even my kids are pitching in the daily clean up now.:)
"The blushing bride" as one of my blogger friends called the house, is wilting under all the attention or the lack of it. We had one open house last week and nearly went a little berserk getting it ready. Still not much response. The house prices are falling so much that bigger houses than ours are encroaching on our price zone, while the buyers are just shopping around still. The daily headlines of unemployment and housing market in a down spin doesn't help either. But let's see, we still have to wait and bide our time.

We are also on the other end, like most of my blogger friends, looking for a house and I know how difficult it is to like a house. When we were living in an apartment, it was easy to go around seeing houses and visualize ourselves in it, since they were almost always bigger than the apartment. The second home is not so easy. Now when we do our round of house viewing, can't visualize it as where we want to live in and at the end of the day, just want to come back "home". We get back home, stretch our feet in the backyard patio, peruse the endless grass and hear the twitters (the original bird sounds, not the internet chatter) around, wave to the rabbit, sip a cup of tea and think aloud, "why again are we moving?"

Makes you wonder what is it that we call "home". It's bricks and mortar, alright, but there must be something primeval about it that we get so attached to it. I have lived in a lot of houses over the years yet when I dream, there is only house from my childhood that comes regularly in my dreams as Representative of "my home". As children, we probably get fixated on the house that we lived in the longest with our family. Now as adults with our own families, each house that we live in represents a phase of life..newly married, FOB, pre-kid, post kid...

Anyway, in a rebel state of mind, I didn't buy an induction stove, but started cooking some fish curries to "perfume" the house..just kidding...couldn't stay away from some spicy curry for too long..... just have to do a thorough airing and cleaning after each cooking though. Vinegar and a wet towel help a lot.

So here is a really easy Mathi Curry. When I went to my regular fish market this time, I had to regretfully decline the King Fish head..pheeeuu!!Couldn't afford to cook that as that smell will linger on like a bad memory. But they had these Sardines, so good looking that I couldn't resist it. Thinking of the heaped plates full of fried sardines, from last summer back in Calicut, I chose 3 sardines and came home smug to find my DH laughing at me..u bought just 3 sardines? Well, one for me and two for you... And I decided to make the curry as the leftover fry smell is another torture.
The recipe is the way my mom makes it but she couldn't give me numbers. Ummi Abdullah's book had a similar recipe so I used that to come up with the final recipe. There are only slight differences in the recipes such as we don't really use mustard and my mom almost never fries the shallots. But I like it this way.

You Will Need:
Sardines-3 or 4
Shallots-6 sliced finely
Green Chilies-2 slit vertically
Garlic- 3 big cloves crushed well.
Tomato-1 small one
Red Chili Powder- 2 tsp(substitute with Kashmiri chili powder if you don't like the spice level.)
Turmeric-1/2 tsp
Tamarind Extract- 1tbsp(Laxmi Natural Tamarind Concentrate.)
Mustard-1/2 tsp(optional)
Fenugreek-1 tsp
Coconut oil-2 tbsp
Curry leaves
salt to taste

Preparation:
Use a pan or clay pot. Some say the high heat damages the clay pot so you could do the spluttering of mustard in a pan and add to the clay pot.

Heat the oil in a pan/ meen chatti( clay pot) and add the mustard seeds.
Cover and reduce heat and let them splutter. Open and add the fenugreek, onions,green chilies and garlic. Fry till the onions are transparent and starting to brown at the edges. Add the tomatoes and saute for just a minute. Mix the chili powder, turmeric powder with 1 tbsp water and add to the pan.

Fry for a minute or so and then add the tamarind extract. This extract that I use has the natural taste and the light brown color of real tamarind. If you are using whole tamarind, soak a small ball in half cup warm water and extract the juice by squishing the tamarind into the water and straining it.

Add 1/2 cup to 1 cup water if there is no liquid left in the pan and let it come to a boil. Adjust the sourness and salt and then add the fish and the curry leaves. Cover, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 7 to 10minutes. Keep it covered for some more time. The fish will take time to imbibe the flavors and tastes better definitely the next day or later in the evening.

Fish Head Thoran.../Fish Head Stirfry.

Once every two months, I go thru a barbaric ritual. I go to the fish market and buy a whole King Fish, better known as King Mackeral here.
Earlier, I would get the fish cleaned and cut into steak slices. In the brief English that the fish monger knew, he would lift up the fish head and ask, "No head?" and I would make a disgusted face and shake my head signaling no. The guys there would look at each other and one would say something in Spanish, causing incredulous smiles from the others. They probably consider it a delicacy.
Did I mention the fish head and tail curry that was so relished by every one else during my last visit home? I just sat and stared in shock and awe.
Visions of parents and in-laws disapproving the wastage of good fish would clamor for attention but I would refuse to give in. Unless family was visiting, there was no one to eat the fish head, so why tag home with it only to stink up my waste bin?

Then my friend's mom visited and showed her a simple way to use up the fish head. My friend started taking the fish head home and making thoran with it. She suggested the same to me and I had a mixed reaction of curiosity and yuckiness. I got reminded of the Food TV's Next Food Network Star show, where the sole Indian contestant was shown the door when she couldn't handle raw fish.
Finally curiosity took over and I decided to try it. The first time I did take it home and followed her instructions and made the thoran....BUT I didn't eat it. DH ate it unsuspectingly and liked it. Of course he hadn't seen how it was made.

The next time, I made it and kept it in the fridge. Two days later, after the memory of the whole process had slightly faded from my mind, I tasted it and could appreciate why so many of my family loved fish head. It had a buttery rich taste to it, kind of like fish and crab mixed together. This is not a real thoran as I did not add coconut but you could add that too if you want.

Now the fish monger happily packs the whole fish in ice and I make a face thinking of the work after I get home. Why do I do this exercise in primitive cooking?
I like it but I have decided not to eat it the same day I make it. I wait for it to age in the fridge before setting it on the dinner table!!

Making the thoran, dealing with the fish's head, teeth and eyes.... is an experience in grossing out itself!! I am sure hardly any of my readers will try this out but still had to post it just for the fear factor value!!
You could even make this with any big fish pieces, doesn't have to be the head.

You Will Need:
Serves 2-3
King Fish Head or any large fish head-1
Ginger_garlic paste-1 to 2 tablespoon

Red Onion or shallots- sliced- 1 cup
Green Chilies- 3-4 slit length wise.
Turmeric-1/8 tsp
Red Chili Powder-1/2 tsp or more as per taste
Coriander Powder-1/2 to 3/4 tsp depending on taste
Black Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
Kudam Puli or Regular tamarind- 1 tiny dry piece
Salt-to taste
Oil-2 tablespoon
Curry leaves-1 sprig

Preparation:
Wash the fish head pieces (add tail or any other ugly looking pieces) and put it in a non-stick or steel saute pan with the ginger garlic paste and salt. Take care not to heat the pan before adding fish. If the pan is hot, the fish will stick to it. Cover and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. Open and if there is water let out by the fish, cook uncovered for 5 minute or more so that the water gets evaporated. After the fish cools down, take a deep breath and start removing only the meat from the fish. There will be eyes and teeth and all that but keep at it. Remove all the meat possible from all the nooks and corners. Keep aside and make sure you get rid of the waste immediately.
Heat oil in a pan( cast iron or non stick works best. Fish sticks to steel)and drop in the curry leaves. Then add the onions and green chilies. Saute till the onions start turning a little brown at the edges and add the red chili powder, turmeric and coriander powder. Stir a couple of times and then add the fish, one tiny piece of either dry kudam puli /tamarind and stir well. Continue sauteing on medium or low heat till the fish gets a little dry and crisp and then add the pepper powder. Add oil if you feel its too dry. Adjust salt as needed. At this stage, you could add a pinch of fennel powder, a tablespoon of coconut grated etc but I prefer it without it. Don't let the fish dry out too much. Serve with rice or chapathis.

Thenga Aracha Meen Curry/ Fish curry with coconut

A typical scene back home(now seen only during vacation): It's 10.30 am in my house in Kerala and we are chatting around in the kitchen after the breakfast is cleared. The stomach is protesting from the hogging but Mom is already cutting veggies, assigning work to her helper B and discussing what to make for lunch. I just hover around, pretending to help while trying to take furtive notes....mom sometimes adds the magic ingredients when I turn my back....the kids are running underfoot and with their bellies full are for now appeased.

With so many people at home on vacation, food dominates the day. Whether it's my house or my in-laws, it's almost the same scene. "What's for lunch?" "What's for dinner?" is as much a conversation piece as the latest news and movies. Plus the endless cravings will pepper the discussion resulting in a skewed menu, meeting every one's demands.

Once back in the parents house on vacation, isn't it great to take a break from menu planning? No, I am not on vacation now, but was conjuring up home for a write up that Sailaja asked me to do. Once I started, it was like a time machine transporting me back!!

Anyway, to continue, just as we speculate on the itinerary for the day, the fish of the day makes an entrance. Wrapped in a newspaper,(earth friendly packaging, anyone?)placed in a designated fish bag, it seems like it's still alive and flapping. My mom's trusty helper B takes over, gets comfortable in the work area of the kitchen and meticulously cleans the fish, attracting a slew of stray cats, mewing pitifully while patiently waiting for their share. The palm trees are swaying and there is a kind of peaceful swishing all around. The green itself is so soothing!

Meanwhile, mom is busy in the kitchen, extracting tamarind paste, grinding ginger garlic and tossing some onions, green chilies, and spice powders into the clay pot. There is a constant chatter going on, sprinkled with a generous dose of gossip.

The ingredients are all crushed together by hand instead of stirring with a spoon...it blends the flavors, she says. Soon the clay pots are bubbling away on the fire... and B has the fish washed and clean in the work area, ready for the curry. No sign of any yucky stuff now, and the fish/fishes are quickly separated into fry pieces, curry pieces and moliyar/molaku chaar pieces. All the curries are made simultaneously. Small quantities, daily cooking..is the mantra.

When the mix in one claypot boils, the fish is added to it and when the fish is cooked, a fresh ground paste of coconut is added to it. (And if the fish is bad, you will know it the moment the fish hits the bubbling cauldron. It will stink up your kitchen!!)Seasoning is just curry leaves and shallots. That's it. This is in direct contrast with the other fish curries which need slow frying of shallots or roasting the coconut etc.
The other claypot has its own set of ingredients which will become the molaku chaar. And the fish pieces are marinated with chili powder, turmeric, ginger garlic and salt.. sometimes crushed shallots and curry leaves too are added to it.

This coconut based curry is best with the middle pieces of the fish.. the most meaty ones... the yucky parts will hinder the delicate flavor of fresh coconut. The head and tail are more suited to the rustic molaku chaar/ red spicy fish curry. (Once only head and tails were bought from the fishmonger for a much relished Molaku chaar!!!) And every piece is suited for fry but mostly the meaty pieces are reserved for it.

Ah! It's the weekend here so maybe I will replicate the scene in my kitchen. I will imagine the palm fronds and the lush green and try not to see the white blanket outside all around.


You will need:
Any fresh fish-/Porgie/Perch/Red Snapper/Pomapano-6 pieces
Onion(optional)-a very small pieces, sliced
Green chilies- 4
Ginger-1/2 inch
Garlic- 3 clove
Turmeric- 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder-1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds-1 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Grated Coconut– 1 cup
Tamarind extract- 2 tsp or as extracted from a lime (small) sized ball.
Salt-1/2 tsp or to taste

Seasoning:
Coconut oil or Canola oil- 2 tbsp
Shallots- 6
Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Preparation:
1. Preparing the Fish: Clean and slice the fish. Wash it and toss with lime juice.
2. Dry Grind the ginger and garlic to a coarse paste.
3. Grind the coconut with the 1/2 cup water till it is a very fine paste. If you are using frozen coconut, make sure it is at room temperature before grinding to avoid clumping. Add water only as needed and not all together. When you think it's done grinding, grind some more to make it superfine. You could use coconut milk as a substitute.
4. Put the sliced onions, green chilies, ginger garlic paste, fenugreek seeds, the red chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder and the tamarind extract into the cooking saute pan or clay pot. If using tamarind extract, add 1 cup water. Crush everything in the pot by hand and mix well.
5. Adjust the sourness and add salt as required. Place this pot with the mix in it on the stove and when it is boiling, slide the fish pieces gently into the pan. Let it cook for 5 minutes without stirring. Add the ground coconut. If the ground coconut is a thick paste, add 1 cup water to it, else omit additional water. The water content is a matter of experience so add water slowly.
Reduce heat to a simmer and cover and let it cook for about 5-8 minutes. Do not stir with a spoon. Just hold the pan on the sides by the mittens and shake the pan to mix well. Remove from flame and keep covered.
6. Seasoning: Heat the coconut oil in a pan and sauté sliced shallots and curry leaves till slightly brown. Pour over the prepared curry. Serve with rice or with triangular paratha.

Chemeen Ada/ Rice Pancakes with Shrimp stuffing

This is one of my earliest posts but since it is a Ramadan Iftar item, I thought of republishing it. This is also one way of making meen pathiri.i.e. without grinding the rice and using rice powder instead.

Ada, as most south Indians know, is a delicious preparation of sweetened grated coconut encased in a layer of rice paste , wrapped in banana leaves and then steam-cooked. As it cooks, the rice absorbs the earthy aroma of the banana leaves. I love the ada whether it is filled with coconut and sugar, jaggery, or jackfruit.
But the similar preparation I was used to at my household, was pathiris and pies made of rice paste, rice flour, or steamed rice. One such pie (pathiri) is the meen pathiri, rice ground to a paste with coconut and spices, and filled with fish/shrimp masala and steamed in banana leaves. While the meen pathiri is traditionally made as a pie, cut into triangles and served, I found it easier to handle the stuffing when it is shaped as an ada. Quite like a pocket pita sandwich. So it can be made either way.
I first tasted the shrimp version of the pathiri when my aunt made it and found it a nice variation from the fish masala as the shrimp adds a hint of sweetness to counter the spicy filling. So this recipe from my aunt(elama) was a must add to my collection, especially since we get more fresh shrimps here than fresh sea fish. And though I cannot recreate the flavor of banana leaves, I reconciled to making pathiris using parchment paper or aluminum foil. Not quite the same, but the contrasting texture of soft and crunchy, the mild coconut flavored rice shell and the spicy shrimp filling is just as satisfying.So I decided to blog abou the shrimp ada before the meen pathiri.


You will need: this makes about 10 adas
For the filling:
Shrimp- 1lb
Onion- 3 medium sized ones
Tomato-1 medium sized one
Green chilies- 4
Red chili powder-1 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric- 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves- 3 sprigs
Salt to taste
Oil- 4 tbsp
For dry roast:
Coconut grated-1/2 cup
Shallots-4 small ones chopped
Fennel seeds-1/2 tsp
Green chilis-2 chopped
Preparation:
1. Wash and marinate the shrimps in ½ tsp chili powder, ¼ tsp turmeric and ½ tsp salt. Keep for 15 mins.
2. Chop the onions, curry leaves and green chilies finely .Heat 2 tbsp oil and sauté the onions, chilies and leaves in that order. When they look translucent, add the chopped tomato and the spice powders. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or till the tomatoes look pulpy and add salt. Add a bit more oil if needed. Stir and sauté till the whole mixture gives out oil and moves as one mass in the pan. Keep aside. In another pan, add the shrimp and let it cook in its own juice till all the juice dries out. Add the remaining 2 tbsp oil and let it fry for a minute or two.
3. Remove and coarsely chop the shrimps (or use a chopper) and add to the onion mix and stir together on low heat.
4. Meanwhile, in a cast iron skillet or a heavy bottom pan, dry roast the ingredients specified above, all together on very low heat till the coconut gives out its aroma and starts turning brown at the edges. Take it off the flame and pulse in a dry grinder to powder it coarsely. No water is to be added.
5. Add the powdered coconut to the shrimp mixture and stir everything together. Turn off and let it cool down before filling.

The rice paste:
Rice flour- 1cup
Water- 1cup
Salt- ½ tsp
Fennel seed powder- ½ tsp
Coconut milk - ¼ cup (or use ¼ cup coconut ground with little water)
The rice shell can be made by soaking parboiled rice and grinding it with coconut and fennel seeds to a wet paste, as RP of My Worshop has described, or you can use rice flour mixed with water to make a pliable paste as Healthy n Spicy has described.
Two reasons for using the longer method of cooking the rice flour. a) so that it remains super soft the next day also. b) To make it easier to roll it out thinly.
6. Heat the water with salt till it boils and then add the rice flour. Do not stir. Turn off the flame and keep it covered for 5 minutes. Open it and stir in with the handle of a spoon and cover it again for 5 more minutes. Spread the flour mix onto a mixing plate and let it cool down. Add the coconut milk/ground and fennel powder and then knead it into dough. It will be a little sticky to begin with but as the dough comes together, it gets easier. The final consistency is a little wet as compared to a bread or a chappathi dough.
7. Cut parchment paper into suitable size squares. Place a lemon size ball on the paper and flatten it with the heel of the hand (like doing karate chops) to avoid sticking to the hand. If that is difficult, place another parchment paper over it and roll it with a rolling pin to a palm sized disc. Remove the top paper carefully. Place 2 tbsp of the filling on one half of the dough and gently fold over the other side (with paper) to align exactly at the edges and seal the edges, pressing down on the paper.
Check out Priya's kitchen for a wonderful description of the ada with emphasis on steaming and parchment paper.
For steaming, use a steamer or rice cooker or any large vessel half filled with water. Place a colander or a steamer basket over the water when the water boils and reduce heat to medium. Place the adas in the basket, cover it and cook for 7-10 minutes. Let it cool down before serving.

Kadukka Nirachathu (Arikadukka) /Stuffed Mussels

So most of you familiar with Malabar cuisine have already guessed correctly what the kadukka or kallumakai or mussels ended up as..It is Kadukka Nirachathu or Arikadukka as some call it is a very popular snack in the Malabar region.

Arikadukka are Mussels stuffed with a mixture of ground raw rice paste, shallots and spices and then steamed and fried with the shell on. This is a much sought after item on the "salkaram"(party) as well as Ramadan menu. Some separate the mussels after steaming and then dip then in a batter of rice flour and spices and then fry then but we prefer to fry the mussels with the shell intact. It adds to the fun of peeling and eating them as if they were pistas or groundnuts and inhibits the wary guests.
These beauties are from Kerala..

The name itself conjures up the image of large batches of the delicacy being made by my mom and my aunts all sitting in the open kitchen facing the backyard. from making the filling to cleaning the mussels to frying then, this is definitely a group activity made easier by all the gossip and laughter that flies around.
Mostly made at home, I think it is now available in some speciality restaurants such as Zains in Calicut. (This time, my parents got some Kadukka nirachathu all the way from home and they served as a much needed shot of nostalgic taste.)

Kadukka or mussels are easily available in Northern Kerala and is used in a multitude of recipes...curries with plantains, mangoes, fried, and made into spicy gravies. But the taste and texture of mussels is showcased wonderfully best in this delicacy. In Kozhikode, we get our yummy kadukkas from south beach (near Thangals Road..Rs.60 for 100) but recently my folks say the best kadukkas are from Telicherry coast. Since tasting that is now left for my next visit home, I stand by the Kozhikode ones for now.
The mussels should not be too small or too big and should be raw and fresh, not frozen and not refrigerated. The ones you get in Kerala are long and narrow with blue green shell, while the ones here are a little short and squarish. I have made it with the ones available here too, but they are not as meaty and their shells are very delicate. Still the rice filling gives it its distinctive taste and its good.

A bit of warning..
The following post contains graphic images not suited to vegetarians and those weak of heart. For the true followers, its not easy to explain the method without graphics so if any of you are put off by the sight of mussels, just bear with me.
Also, if you don't have to guts to play with raw mussels, don't attempt to make this. Though fish makes me queasy, I have no qualms about mussels and the anticipation of the yummy snack makes it all worthwhile. And last but not the least, the process is a labour of love and requires at least an hour of your valuable time and concentration. If you have company to help you, all the better.
Don't attempt this on a day when you are out to prove a point or spoiling for a fight.:) It is bound to go wrong then. And use only parboiled rice, not basmati or any rice you find at home. It will not solidify and will be sticky inside and would absorb a lot of oil while frying.

When made properly, the kadukka can be removed completely from the shell and served.

The first recipe is using rice flour instead of ground rice, keeping the difficulty of grinding rice in mind. Use coarse rice flour, such as Puttu Podi.

You Will Need:
Mussels(Kadukka)- about 20-25
Coarse Rice Flour-2 cups
Water-1 1/2 cup
Coconut-1 cup grated
Red Shallots(Chuvanna Ulli)-8-10
Onion-1 medium sized one
Fennel Seeds(Perunjeerakam)-1 tablespoon
Green Hot Chilies-8
Curry leaves-one sprig
Turmeric- 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder-1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Preparation:
1. Wash the raw mussels properly under running water, scrubbing the surface completely clean. Allow it to drain in a colander. If they are already open, discard them as they are not good. Ideally, they should open slightly and close again when tapped. Use mussels the same day they are bought. Do not refrigerate or freeze and then use them as it changes the taste.
2. Prepare the dough: Grind the coconut, fennel seeds, shallots, green chilies to a coarse paste without adding any water. Boil the water (use exact measurements as specified) with 1/2 tsp salt or to taste. When it comes to a rolling boil, add the rice flour and stir with a long handle of a spoon. (The rice flour should be grainy to approximate the texture of ground raw rice.) Switch off the flame and after stirring completely, cover and let it cool for at least 10 minutes. Open and add the ground mixture and turmeric and red chili powder, chopped curry leaves. Spread into a mixing plate and knead into a grainy but not too dry dough. Add water by spoonfuls if needed to mix well.
3. Chop the onion finely and fry in 1-2 tbsp oil till light brown. Drain the oil and add the onions to the dough and mix thoroughly.
Do not add salt liberally as the shellfish already has sea water and hence is a bit salty to begin with. Add a bit less than what you feel is needed.

4. Open the mussels one by one by sliding a blunt knife in thorough the slits and forcing it open. Once open, it won't close again. Take care not to crack the shell. Try to remove the hairy substance at one corner by pulling it out.

5. Stuff each mussel with the rice filling and shape neatly.

6. Use a steamer or cooker and steam the stuffed mussels for about 30 minutes. They may look soggy when you take them out but they firm up on cooling. You can store them at this stage for a couple of days in the fridge and fry as needed.

These mussels are are from here..

7. Heat enough oil in a cast iron wok (cheenachatti) or deep pan. When the oil is hot, slide in the mussels one by one. Fry them in batches suited to the size of the pan till golden brown. Drain onto paper towels and serve.
If made the previous day, they can be reheated in a microwave for a minute or less.


Traditional Filling:
Parboiled Rice-2 cups soaked in boiling water for at least 3 hours and then drained. Grind the rice to a paste adding all the other ingredients as before(except the fried onions)but without adding water. This is not easy as you need a wide base grinder equipped to handle heavy duty grinding without water. An electric grinder or a Sumeet or Preethi food processor should be fine.
Then add the onions, spices and salt and proceed as above.

Meen Molagu Chaar/ Red Snapper In Red Curry

A real basic and simple curry, made everyday in my house back in Kerala. The taste varies dramatically with the kind of fish used. It is colloquially called Moliyaar, a corruption of "molagu chaar", meaning red chili sauce. Also called "puliyum Molagum" by others (tamarind and red chili curry). Hardly any oil, no coconut and no strong spices. Just a watery sauce made with red chili powder and tamarind which flavors the delicate fish beautifully. It also suits the summer heat with minimal prep work.
This is a curry I don't make often here as it doesn't taste good with fish frozen into a hundred years of sleep on huge slabs of ice. I generally fry the onions and spices to get rid of all excess water and to concentrate the curry.
But my mom is here and its time to break out of the rut. So for the first time, we got a snapping young Red Snapper fish which she identified as a larger version of "Pudiyappila Kora"(Literally translated as Bridegroom Fish) available back home. When we got home, while I was debating whether to fry it or make into yet another masala curry, she had already got the chatti(claypot)out and ready with an assortment for a molaku chaar or red chili curry. I just had enough time to react and reach for the camera, my recipe book and follow her words (That's why the photos are blurry.)
Ever tried following your mom and writing down a recipe while she zips around the kitchen adding hidden ingredients the moment your back is turned? The curry took 15 minutes from beginning to end and tasted good despite the simplicity and US fish.

So here is the recipe but there is a disclaimer. I am not responsible for how this curry turns out in your house (unless you prepare it in front of me and show me the fish). The curry hinges on the freshness of the fish and will not taste good with frozen fish. So how do u know fresh fish? The experts start poking into the skin and eyes but queasy me does neither. If the fish looks firm and doesn't fall apart while washing or cutting, its fine. If you start preparing the curry and the house stinks, its not fresh and you better throw the curry out. A fresh fish curry should smell of the sea and not of the beach.

You will need:
Half of a Snapper-1 lb
Onion- 1/2 medium size, sliced
Green Chilies-8
Ginger-Garlic paste-1 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds-1 tsp
Red Chili Powder-2 tsp(use less as per taste)
Turmeric-1/2 tsp
Tamarind-lime sized ball.
Shallots-2 sliced
Coconut Oil-1-2 Tsp
Salt to taste
Curry leaves, Cilantro -one handful

Preparation:
1.Rinse the fish and drain well. Soak the tamarind ball in 1 cup warm water and extract the pulp.
2. In a clay pot or any sauce pan, mix the onion sliced,green chilies sliced, ginger garlic paste, fenugreek seeds, chili powder, turmeric powder, chopped curry and cilantro leaves, salt and the tamarind water.
3. Cover the clay pot/pan and place on high heat. Let the water in it come to a boil. Simmer for a couple of minutes and then add the fish. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 5-7 minutes. Shake to combine the fish and gravy. Adjust the salt and remove from flame.
4. Heat the coconut oil in a pan and fry the shallots till they turn brown. Pour over the curry. Let the curry sit for at least 10-15 minutes before serving. This goes well with rice on the first day and with anything on the consecutive days.

Spicy Fish Cutlet

One of my earliest food memory is of a 5-6 yr old(me) sitting on the kitchen counter, waiting for my mom to finish frying cutlets anxiously. I ate and sometimes fought with my brother for the first one. The first greedy bite almost always lead to a game of hot potato.. too hot to swallow and too good to spit it out. When I finally managed to taste it, I was making A-one signs with my hand to show appreciation. (A-one Sign: Hold your thumb ad forefinger together to form an "o" and raise the other three fingers up.)
Since then, cutlets are a comfort food, fried and spicy, but I need it really straight off the frying pan. Now my son and better half have taken over the baton of loving cutlets, whether its meat or vegetable or fish. And now I like making them than eating them, though I love them if someone else has made them and I am at the receiving end.

The fish cutlets are an oxymoron..fish is good for you, fried is bad for you..:)..but they are so easy to make here, as all the ingredients are straight from the pantry..canned tuna, potatoes, eggs, bread crumbs.. so they get made on a regular basis. My mom doesnt't use the canned tuna for the cutlets as there is a plethora of large fish around her in Calicut. The luxury! This recipe originated with my ma-in-law and now I have adopted it as my own. It is also a good dinner item..Slap it between two slices of bread with some dressing, salad leaves and you have a fish sandwich.
You will need: (Makes 14-16 cutlets)
Light Tuna Cans(in water or oil)- 2
White Potato-2 (Approx. 3 /4 lb)
Onions- 2 medium sized ones
Green chilies- 8 (use less or more as per taste)
Garlic- 2 cloves
Black pepper- 2 tsp
Biryani Masala/Garam masala- ½ tsp (optional)
Lemon juice- 2 tsp.
Salt to taste
Coriander/Cilantro leaves- 1 cup washed, dried and chopped finely
Canola Oil- 2-3 tbsp
Egg or 1 Egg white–1
Bread crumbs- 1 cup

Preparation:
1. Chop the onions, garlic and chilies finely into tiny dices. Open the can lid completely and press into the can and drain all the liquid away. If you are using the tuna packed in oil, drain the oil seperately and use half of that for frying the onions. Else use the canola oil.

If you are using fresh fish, use a larger fish such as Salmon, King Fish or Swordfish as they hold up well. Marinate them with a bit of salt and pepper, and place them in a pan with 1 tbsp of oil, covering the pan to steam cook them. Remove the skin and bones, flake the flesh and keep it ready.

2. Heat the oil in a shallow non-stick pan and add all the onions, green chilies and garlic. After a couple of minutes, add the tuna too. Keep stirring and slightly fry the ingredients till the tuna's can smell goes away and the onions reduce in size. Add the garam masala and salt. This should take about 6-8 minutes. Take care not to let the mix stick to the pan and not to add too much oil in the beginning itself. You can always add a bit more if it starts sticking.
3. After 15mins, take the mixture off the flame and add the lemon juice, and pepper. Adjust the seasoning.
4. Meanwhile, wash each of the potatoes, wipe them dry and cover with plastic wrap. Place them in the microwave and adjust the setting for the baked potatoes. All the potatoes can be cooked at the same time. Alternatively, the washed potatoes can be pressure cooked with ½ cup water for a single whistle.
5. Peel the potatoes and mash them with your hands/potato masher or the back of a spoon. There should be no lumps. Add the fish mixture to the potato, and add the chopped coriander leaves and salt. Mix and taste and add more salt or lemon juice if needed.
6. Make lemon sized balls of the mixture and shape it into an oval or round shape.
Beat the egg (You can use just egg whites too) with a pinch of salt. Keep a plate with bread crumbs also ready.
7. Dip each oval ball into the egg and then into the bread crumbs. Give it a final shaping. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the cutlets till brown on either side.

This is a slightly time consuming snack and works best in large batches, so I make them and freeze them for the days when we get home from work famished and raid the freezer for anything resembling food or for impromptu guests.

Freezing Tip: After shaping them with the bread crumbs, place them wide apart on a plate or tray and freeze them for at least 12 hrs. They will turn rock solid and will not stick to each other anymore. Then, you can seperate them from the plate and collect all of them in a ziplock freezer safe bag and store in the freezer for upto 2 months. When you need to use them, remove as many as you need, thaw them outside for an hour or microwave them for 20-30 seconds(more or less as per microwave)and then fry as usual.

Fish (Tilapia) Curry

By now, you must have heard my ranting on the quality of fish here and the endless nostalgia on Calicut's ample fish supply. Well, Tilapia is one fish we get here fresh at all the supermarkets and according to the American Tilapia Association, it is now the fifth most popular seafood consumed in the United States. It is a fresh water fish favored by many, but we always found it lacking in the robust flavor when made in the traditional Kerala style or fried with spices.
It would lie solitary in the coconut curries, unconcerned by the spices around it and break up when we simmer it for too long. It does take well to grilling with any marinade, especially a green marinade that I had blogged about a long time ago. And however much I fried it,it never took on the much yearned crispy crust.
So when I tried a combination of both as suggested by one of my friends, it gave the fish as much flavor as it could hold! So do try this recipe if you love fish and can't get fresh sea fish. It has a tomatoey flavor and goes well with both rice and roti.

You will need:
Tilapia Fillets-2-3(1/2 lb)
Onion- 2 cups finely chopped
Tomatoes-2 plum tomatoes (medium size)
Green Chilies-5-6
Ginger-1 inch
Garlic-4-5 cloves
Red Chili Powder-1 tsp(use less as per taste)
Turmeric-1/2 tsp
Lemon Juice- 3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Curry leaves, Cilantro -one handful
Oil-3-4 tbsp

Preparation:
1.Cut the fish fillets into 2-3 inch sizes and rinse the with lemon juice and drain. Sprnkle some salt and turmeric and chili powder and coat. Keep aside for 10 minutes. Meanwhile chop all the ingredients finely.
2. Heat 1-2 tbsp oil in a non stick pan(definitely nonstick else you will need more oil) and saute the fish fillets gently on medium high heat till they change color. Flip them over and cook the other side. This is just to firm up the fish and not to deep fry it. Drain onto a plate and keep aside.
3. Scrape off all the fish from the pan and reheat with the remaining oil. Add the curry leaves and chopped onions. Saute just till they start turning brown at the edges. This needs oil to fry well or patience to do it on low heat. Either way, after it is sauted, add the green chilies, ginger and garlic. Saute till the aroma is realeased and then add the red chili powder, turmeric and stir well.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, stir well on medium heat till it starts breaking down. At that point, add the fish fillets and 1 small cup of water.
5. Now comes the tricky part. Do not use the spoon liberally to stir after adding the fish. Hold the pan with mittens and shake to combine the fish and gravy. Add salt, cover and let it simmer for 5-6 minutes on medium heat. Now open and cook for another 4 minutes, just to concentrate the liquid. Add the cilantro leaves and check seasoning. Add 1 tsp of lemon juice if your tomatoes are bland.
Serve with rice or roti or bread.

Meen Chaar/ Fish Curry w/Coconut

T his is one of the favorite fish curries in my family. Fish curries in Northern Kerala are made with Tamarind, Mango, Gooseberries,Yoghurt, Ilumban Puli etc for sourness. The fish curries from South Kerala are more commonly made with Kodum Puli. I am not very familiar with all the other souring agents, so do let me know. I like both styles as my mother makes one way and my mother in law makes both ways. But I am sure there are traditonalists who don't like the tastes mixed. In that case, you could use just one kind of souring agent.

I have used both Kodum Puli and Tamarind in here, which is my innovation to make a spicy and tangy fish curry out of the frozen bland fishes here.Just one piece of the kodum puli changes the taste, so use it with care. I have to simmer for a while to let the flavors seep in, else the curry and the fish stay seperate. Hence the need for a sturdy fish.

You will need:
Pompano/Pomfret/King Fish or any firm fish steaks- 1 lb or ½ kg( or even prawns)
Onion- ½ of a medium onion
Shallots- 6
Green chilies- 4
Ginger-1/2 inch
Garlic- 2 clove
Turmeric- 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder-2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds-1/8 tsp
Fennel Seeds or powder-1/2 tsp
Coriander powder- 1/8 tsp (optional)
Grated Coconut– 1 cup
Curry leaves- 1 sprig
Coconut oil or Canola oil- 2 tbsp
Tamarind extract- 2tsp or as extracted from a lime sized ball.
Kodum Puli-1 piece soaked in water for 15 minutes.
Lime/Lemon Juice-1tbsp
Salt- ½ tsp or to taste

Preparation:
1. Preparing the Fish: Clean and slice the fish. Wash it and toss with lime juice. Pat dry the fish with paper towels and marinate with the half the salt, a pinch of the chili powder and turmeric for at least 15 minutes outside the refrigerator.
2. Grind the ginger and garlic to a paste. Keep aside.
3. Grind the coconut with the aniseed and ½ cup water till it is a very fine paste. If you are using frozen coconut, make sure it is at room temperature before grinding to avoid clumping. Add water only as needed and not all together.
4. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a shallow pan (clay pot or meen chatti) till medium hot and add the fenugreek seeds, onions(not the shallots), sliced green chilies and sauté till the onions become transparent. Then add the ginger garlic paste and the dry spice powders. Add 2tbsp water and let the spices cook on very low heat for about 3 minutes.
5. Then add the tamaring extract or water and the kodum puli and let it simmer. Adjust the sourness and add salt as required. Add 1cup water and when it is boiling, slide the fish pieces gently into the pan and add the ground coconut. If the ground coconut is a thick paste, add 1 cup water to it, else omit additional water. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover and let it cook for about 15 minutes.
6. Heat the remaining coconut oil in a pan and sauté sliced shallots and curry leaves till slightly brown. Pour over the prepared curry.

P.S. On a daily basis, this step can be combined with the initial seasoning ingredients to save time. Just saute the shallots then with the curry leaves and fenugreek.
Kodum puli is a souring agent similar to Kokum but not exactly that. I use both kodumpuli and tamarind in this recipe as I like the slight zing of the kodum puli and the sweetness of the tamarind together. U can omit either of them as per taste.

Chemeen Vartiyathu/ Skillet Shrimps

The shrimps are based on Kerala Kitchen’s Shrimp recipe, and if you are making it, just follow her recipe ad verbatim as it is perfect. This time though, I did not fry it as much to lighten it and left it semi wet with the masala sticking to it. I also switched from the onions to shallots. Fry it with a bit more oil till slightly dry and it is too good. I have linked her recipe for those who want to try it and also posted my recipe here with the variations in it.
You will need:
Shrimp - 1/2 lb
Marinade:
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek powder - 1/8 tsp
Lemon juice - from 1/2 lemon
Fresh ground black pepper - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

For Dry Gravy:
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Red Chili powder-2 tsp
Dried red chillies - 4
Shallots-7-8
Coconut Cuts-2 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbs
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves

1. Defrost the shrimp, wash and drain. Marinate it with the ingredients for at least 1/2 hour.
2. Finely chop the shallots and coconut pieces . Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard and add the chopped shallots, coconut and curry leaves. Add the ginger & garlic paste and fry untill the raw smell goes.
3. Now add the marinated shrimp and cook on medium heat for about 10-12 minutes or till the shrimp has changed color and the masala is sticking to the shrimp all around. Since we are not frying the red chili powder, you may need to add a couple of tablespoons of water to let the powders cook. Alternately, add one more tablespoon of oil and let it fry. Now add freshly crushed fennel seeds and fry the shrimp until done. Add the fennel seeds and more chopped curry leaves after turning off the flame.

Shrimp Fry, Shrimps, Food Blog, Indian Recipes, Kerala Recipes

Meen Porichathu/ Fish Fry

Fish fry is an essential item on the menu anywhere in Kerala. The fish varies, the marinade varies, but a noon meal (oonu) is not a meal without it. The hotels stick to the economical big fish but there is a variety of small fish freshly caught and sold every day which makes every fish fry a different one. Now when I am standing in an Asian grocery store looking at the big, bigger and biggest fish spread out on ice, a pang of envy crosses my mind. But instead of dwelling on it, I decide to fry the familiar King fish and Pomfret(Neimeen and aakoli). The thick salmon, swordfish etc also takes well to the marinade but the thin fillets have to be fried with care.

Fresh fish fry may stink up your whole house but will definitely warm your heart and fill you up with marvellous memories of other fish fries, the tastes and tales back home. I grill fish often using the same marinade with a bit of oil added in but nothing can beat the crispness of a deep fried fish. It is considered to taste good with rice :)) but somehow, it tastes best by itself just as it is fried, before it cools down.

You will need:
Fish – 1lb or ½ kg ( Pomfret/King fish or any firm fish)cut into thin slices
This one is made with black pomfret/pompano( Aakoli)
Red Chilli Powder - 4 heaped tsp More or less as per spice level
Turmeric Powder -1 1/2 tsp
Garlic powder – 1 tsp
Lemon Juice-1 tsp, 2 tbsp for rinsing.
Ginger powder-1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves -4 (optional)
Salt,- 3/4 tsp or to taste
Canola Oil- about ½ cup as needed for frying.
Preparation:
Clean the fish properly. Toss with about 2 tbsp of the lemon juice, rinse and pat dry with paper towels or drain completely.
Make a fine paste of the spice powders and curry leaves, mixed with 1 tsp lemon juice and salt. Add few teaspoons of water if needed to make a thick paste. At this point, taste the marinade (relax, it is not yet fishy) and add more seasoning if needed.
Marinate the fish evenly with this paste. This is best done by hand, to allow the marinade to penetrate into the fish.
Keep aside for at least half an hour. Heat the oil in a shallow thick bottom sauté pan and slide in the fish pieces one by one. Don't drop the fish in from the top. Deep fry (in that case,add more oil) or shallow fry on medium heat as preferred. Flip the fish pieces only after 3-4 minutes to prevent it from cracking and splattering.
The total frying time should take anywhere between 5 to 15 minutes depending on how big the fish pieces are and how crisp (well done) you would like it to be. I like it pretty crisp whereas my sibling needs to get it just right, not too rare, not too crisp, still soft and moist. So each to his own cooking time. The oil would stop crackling when it is almost done. Serve it with lime and onion slices.
P.S. One way to get rid of the fishy smell is to boil undiluted vinegar. Then dip a small kitchen towel in it, wring out excess vinegar and walk around the house waving it.(Muttering or chanting "go away fish smell,come back another day"):)It absorbs the smell. Then just aerate the kitchen for some time. It does provide entertainment for my little one.
Food BLog, Fish Fry, Kerala Recipes, Malabar Recipes

Fish Molee/Fish Stew with Coconut Milk

Fish molee is a very light fish stew, flavored with coconut milk. Maybe the name 'molee' is derived from the spanish word "mole" which means stew. Central kerala had a flourishing trade with the Portugese in the olden times, so a cultural exchange and local ingredients may have resulted in this recipe.

The stew derives its characteristic taste from the freshness of the fish, the coconut milk and the black pepper. Compromise on one and it becomes a cloying imitation of a fish curry. I wouldn’t recommend trying this stew with the canned coconut milk at all. The canned coconut milk has the stale aftertaste of rancid coconut oil, whereas anyone who has used the milk from fresh coconuts will vouch for its light taste and texture. If I don’t have fresh milk, then I use the coconut milk powder and mix it in low fat milk instead of water to get a creamier texture.

This is the Malabar version of the stew, with a little bit more spice. Traditionally made for breakfast with lacy pancakes (appams) or bread in south Kerala Christian homes, we have it with rice breads (Pathiri) or steamed rice cakes (Puttu) also. My mom fries the fish a bit so that it doesn’t break up in the cooking process, and now I like the slightly crisp flavor of the fish as opposed to the raw fish cooked in the stew.
And it does taste excellent with the rolls here.

Try it both ways and let me know which one you would vote for. I make it with black pompano(Pomfret) fish but any fish cut thin without too much skin should be good. The skin would give it a bitterness. It can be even made with shell fish or shrimps.

You will need: For the Marinade:
Pompano/Pomfret/King Fish/ Fish Fillets- 1 lb or ½ kg
Turmeric- 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder-1 tsp
Lime/Lemon Juice-1tbsp
Salt- ½ tsp
Oil- 3 tbsp
For the Stew:
Onion- 1or 2.
Green chilies- 6
Ginger-1/2 piece
Garlic- 1 clove
Tomato-1/2 tomato
Coriander powder- ½ tsp
Fresh Ground Pepper- 1tsp
Salt to taste
Thick Coconut Milk – 1/2 cup
Very thin coconut Milk- 1 cup (Dilute the thick milk with water)
Lime Juice or Vinegar-1/2 tsp
Curry leaves- 1 sprig
Coconut oil or Canola oil- 1or 2 tbsp

Preparation:
1. Preparing the Fish: Clean and slice the fish. Wash it and toss with lime juice. Pat dry the fish with paper towels and marinate with the salt, chili powder and turmeric for at least 15 minutes outside the refrigerator.
Heat the oil in a shallow pan till medium hot and gently pan fry the fish fillets for about a minute or two on each side, just until it changes color and firms up. This step can be skipped if the fish is very delicate or if you are using skinless fish fillets. Drain onto paper towels and keep aside.
If using fresh or frozen grated coconut, make two extractions of coconut milk. First extract 1/2 cup and then second 1 cup. Thin coconut milk is the second extraction with shredded fresh coconut and water which is considerably thinner than the thick milk from the first extraction. Keep aside. Slice ginger, garlic and onions. Slit the green chilies and chop the tomato into quarters.
2. Stew: Heat oil in a pan and sauté sliced onions, garlic and ginger, curry leaves. Add the coriander powder and continue stirring for a minute. Add the second extraction of coconut milk, lime juice and salt to taste. The thin diluted coconut milk will not separate, so when it starts to boil, add the sliced fish and cover. Cook on a slow heat for about 5-10 minutes.
When done, add the tomatoes and pepper; check taste and remove from the stovetop. The tomatoes should not get cooked and the pepper added in the end gives it an irresistible aroma.
3. Ensure that the heat is absolutely low or even off, before adding the thick coconut milk or first extraction of coconut milk. Do not let it come to full boil after that. You could continue simmering for another 5 minutes.

I use the claypot (Meenchatti) which holds the heat and continues the cooking even after I take it off the flame. Remove from fire and serve hot.
This curry’s taste is hinged on the fresh flavors so it may not taste the same the next day. This is not one for the long haul.

P.S. You cold even replace half the coconut milk with low fat milk to reduce the cholesterol factor. If it is good quality coconut milk, once the flavor is set, adding a lot more (for more gravy) will not increase the flavor.
Related Posts: Shynee's Fish Molee.
Fish Stew, Fish, Food Blog, Indian Recipes, Kerala Recipes

Calamari/Squid Stir fry

The first time my brother went home to Calicut on vacation, he raved about this Calamari fish to my parents. It didn’t sound like any fish we were used to eating. It sounded exotic, subtle and non fishy tasting. Since he could not find the native Malayalam name for it, he went to the fish market with my cousin in search of Calamari. When he brought home this ugly looking fish, it turned out to be a squid, an average fish lost in the endless variety of big and small fish available.
A squid is a mollusk related to the cuttlefish and octopus. It has ten tentacles, and like its cousin, the octopus, it also has a protective mechanism which releases a dark ink into the water when in danger.
There in Calicut, a coastal town, you get to buy it whole, ink and all and you have to clean it well to get rid of the inky flavor. Hence, not preferred as much as the cleaned Pomfret, Mackerel or King Fish. Here it is available fresh, cleaned and ready to cook. So I find it an easy alternative to making fish. The meat is firm and white with a mild, slightly sweet/bland taste and it takes on whatever flavors are added to it. Squid is also known as calamari, its Italian name.
The squid ranges from one inch in size up to eighty feet, but the most common size for eating is less than twelve inches. Although the tentacles are edible, the body is the prime section of meat which can be stuffed whole, cut into flat pieces, or sliced crosswise into perfect rings. Squid lends itself to just about every cooking method imaginable and is often eaten raw in sushi dishes. For those who only get to buy it whole, try this link on how to clean the squid.
Also, found our that it is called Kanava in malayalam.
The most common way to eat Calamari is the breaded and fried way, with a spicy or tangy sauce which can be tomato based or cream based. We had our fill of the freshest Calamari in breaded form in Cape Cod, MA. But at home, we mostly make the spicy curry version to go with rotis. This is the way it is mostly made at home, but I added two ingredients. Lemon grass, gives the curry an added flavor and balances the spicy taste. Secondly, a bit of milk or cream is added to blend all the pieces into a sauce.

You will need:
Calamari- 2 (about 6 inch long).
Onion-1
Shallots-5-6
Green Chilies/Any hot chili-4-5
Ginger -1/2 inch piece
Garlic-4-5
Tomato- half of a small tomato.
Red chili powder-3/4 tsp (depends on spice level)
Turmeric-1/4 tsp
Lemon grass- 2 inch piece
Coriander leaves-1/2 cup chopped
Curry leaves-one sprig chopped
Milk/ Cream- 1/4 cup
Canola/vegetable Oil-3tbsp
Salt-1/4 tsp(to taste)

Preparation:
1. Crush the lemon grass to release its juices. Substitute grated lemon rind or ½ tsp lemon juice. Grind the ginger, garlic and green chilies coarsely. Chop the onions and shallots finely.
2. Wash the calamari and cut it across its length into thin circles. Marinate with ½ the turmeric, chili powder and salt.
3. Heat the oil in a sauté pan and fry the shallots and onions. When it start turning a little brown, add the ginger garlic paste, lemon grass and the stir for a minute. Add the rest of the spices and one tablespoon of water to prevent it from burning. Fry for about 2-3 minutes on very low heat. Add more red chili powder if you like it spicy but make sure it is cooked before proceeding.
4. Add the calamari and stir fry for about two to four minutes. Add the chopped tomato and continue to stir. When the calamari and the spices come together as a mass, add the cream or milk (regular milk is fine) and let it simmer just once.
5. The calamari cooks really fast so do not cook for a long time after adding the calamari. If overcooked, the calamari will turn hard.
6. Take it off the flame, add more salt if needed and add the coriander and curry leaves.
Calamari,Squid, Low Cal,Stir Fry,South Indian,

Weekend Cookbook Challenge- Fish Pie

An unusual blog that I stumbled upon while surfing is the The weekend cookbook challenge.It focusses on a theme every month and then rounds up entries from the varied respondents. When I decided to participate in Weekend cookbook challenge- foreign foods cohosted by Once upon a feast, the dilemma was what to cook. Being in America, the question of what food is foreign to me is not easy to answer. Back in India, anything foreign was broadly called continental and seemed exotic. Something distant we see in pictures like an unknown face. After tasting a variety of cuisines first hand at the multitude of ethnic restaurants here and then trying them out at home, now some of them seem like well known friends.
So I chose to make a traditional English Fish pie. It is the fish version of the shepherd’s pie which is ground lamb covered with mashed potatoes and baked. The first time I came across the recipe was on The Naked Chef's show on Food TV and then tried it at a friend's house. But now to link this common recipe to an actual cook book, a similar recipe is also there in Complete Fish & Game Cookbook by A.D.Livingston, a cookbook from the library. I added scallions and parsley to the recipe. In fact, next time, I would even add a teaspoon of a garam masala , our blend of whole spices, which would really add a richness to the fish filling. Almost any kind of fish can be used for the pie, fresh or canned. I choose Tuna/ Flounder/Tilapia fillets when using fresh fish, or canned tuna when in a hurry.
You will need: For 4 servings
Fish-12 ounce (340gm) or 2 can tuna packed in water
Peas- 1 cup
Onions-1 ½ cup chopped
Green chilies- 6
Scallions-1/4 cup chopped
Pepper- 1 tsp
Ginger -1/2 tsp chopped
Garlic -1/2 tsp chopped
Parsley- 2 tbsp chopped
Oil- 2 tbsp
Salt- to taste.
White sauce:
All purpose flour (Maida) - 1 1/2 tbsp
Butter- 1 tbsp
Olive Oil-1 tbsp
Milk- 1 1/2 cup
Nutmeg- ¼ tsp
Salt to taste
Mashed Potato:
Potato-3 medium size ( ½ lb)Russet
Butter-2 tbsp
Milk-1/4 cup milk or less.
Salt- to taste
Pepper- 1/2 tsp
Preparation:
1.White sauce: Melt the butter and oil together in a pan. Add the flour and mix. Cook the flour in low heat, till it turns light brown, stirring all the while. This could take upto 10 minutes and needs constant attention to prevent it from burning. When it turns light brown, add half the milk, whisking with the other hand to prevent lumps from forming. No spoon, use only an egg beater or whisk. When all the milk is absorbed, add the rest too, blending gently. Allow it to simmer for a minute and keep aside.
2.Mashed Potatoes: Scrub the potatoes well and cut them in quarters with the skin on. Boil the potatoes with skin, in just enough water to cover all the potatoes. Drain the spuds when it is cooked, and mash it a fork or potato masher. Don’t let it over cook. For a really smooth and lump-free mash, use a potato ricer and stir through the warm milk and butter. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Add the milk slowly and use only enough to make it fluffy.
3.Fish: If using fresh fish fillets, clean and cook fish in a sprinkle of salt without adding oil. Add a tablespoon of water if it is sticking. Stir it in a non stick pan for a 2-3 minutes till it changes color. When cool, flake the fish and keep aside.
4.In a wide non stick pan, heat the oil and sauté the onions. If using tuna packed in oil, drain the oil completely and use no additional oil. Add the onions and fish together. Sauté all the ingredients together for 5-8 minutes or till the onions look transparent. Add the parsley in the end.
5.Layering: Mix the white sauce with the fish filling. Pour 2 beaten egg whites all over the mixture. Coat the baking pan with a thin layer of oil and spread the fish mix evenly. Spread the mashed potato on top evenly. Use an ice cream scoop to make even mounds of the potato.
6.Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and place the baking pan in the middle. Bake for 10-15 minutes. When the potato starts turning golden brown, it is ready. Remove from oven and allow it to cool before serving.

Kadukka Varuthathu/Mussel Fry

Mussels, known commonly as Kadukka or Kallumakai(literally "the berry on the rock")is a shell fish harvested from the rocks near the coast or now cultivated in freshwater fields. For the uniniated, if you like clam, you will like mussels.Fresh mussel meat has about the same amount of protein as beef steak, must less fat, 25% less calories and many more mineral nutrients.
I have tried the ones available in the local supermarkets, Chinese grocery stores and found that the frozen mussels in half shells from New Zealand have the freshest taste. Ironical, but true.If you buy from the supermarket, they are perishable and will keep for only 24 hours in the refrigerator before starting to open. If you wish to eat them later, it's best to freeze them whole or shell them and freeze the meat in its own liquid in an airtight container.


More about them later. For now, you just have to remove the meat from the half shell and cut off the top corner part which looks blackish. If you buy whole mussels, try this link for cleaning instructions.

Mussels(Kadukka)- 1/2 lb
Red chili powder- 2 tsp
Turmeric- 3/4 tsp
Salt- to taste
1. Wash the mussels well and allow them to drain.
2. Mix all the spices together and marinate the mussels in this for 15 mins at least. If more than that, marinate in the fridge.
3. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a deep wok/pan and when it gets a little hot, add the mussels. Fry on medium heat for 5-7 mins on either side. Fry for a longer time if you want it crispier. How crispy it should get varies with individual taste.
Serve hot.

Kaya Chemmeen Kootan/ Green Banana Curry with Shrimps.

With the lentil (parippu) prices going up here, suddenly I had to do some lateral thinking to come up with non lentil curries. That’s when I came across this recipe hurriedly scribbled in my recipe book, from my in-laws last visit.
Umma had made this curry in the spur of the moment, seemingly without any effort, just tossing in a handful of shrimps into a pan of simmering raw bananas. It reminded me of the old story of the soldier and the stone soup. It is amazing how our mothers can pull off variations spontaneously. Such a simple recipe and the end result was a scrumptiously rich curry thickened by the banana’s starch. I added a very small dash of coconut milk to seal the Malabar flavor and hold the banana and shrimp together.
To entice you to try it, let me tell you that the closest approximation of the taste is of Tapioca (kappa) with fish curry. So the combination works very well. It goes well with rice and accordingly to my spouse , goes well with parathas too.

You will need:
Shrimp- 1 cup peeled (about 20)
Green banana (plantain or regular)-2 medium sized ones.
Green chilies- 2 vertically slit
Red chili powder-1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric- 3/4 tsp
Fennel Seed/Saunfperunjeerakam)-1/4tsp
Salt to taste
Coconut Milk Powder- 1 tbsp(Optional)
For seasoning:
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Shallots or small onions- 2
Curry leaves- 1 sprig
Coconut oil-1 ½ tbsp

Preparation:
1.Chop the shallots finely and keep aside with the curry leaves.
2.Peel the green banana and quarter them into ½” inch long cubes. Soak them in water with a pinch of turmeric and salt for 10 minutes. Marinate the washed shrimps in ½ tsp chili powder, salt and ¼ tsp turmeric. Cut the shrimps into 2-3 pieces if they are very big.
3. Rinse the bananas and put them in the sauce pan with1 ½ cup water on a medium flame. Add the green chilies, salt, aniseed and the rest of the chili powder and turmeric.
4. Add ½ cup more water as the bananas start getting cooked. Add the shrimps to the bananas after 10 minutes. It will take about 10- 15 minutes for the bananas to be cooked to a point where it starts breaking down. The bananas have to turn starchy and the water should look clouded.
5. Check the salt and liquidity of the curry and add more salt and water if needed. Stir in 1 tbsp coconut milk powder (blended with 2 tbsp water) and let it come to a full boil and take it off the flame.
6. Seasoning: Heat the oil in a small wok/pan and as it heats up, add mustard seeds and cover till it tops sputtering. Add the curry leaves and shallots and fry till the edges of the shallots turn brown. Pour the flavored oil over the curry.

Spicy Grilled FIsh/ Chutta meen

My first contribution to the simple series is a grilled fish. Marinated in a spicy blend of green chilies, parley, garlic, lemon juice and salt.

You will need:
Fish – 1 lb or 4 pieces. Any fish fillet or steak pieces (Tilapia/ Tuna/ Catfish/ Swordfish)
Garlic - 5 cloves.
Green chilies – 14 small ones (use less for less heat)
Lime juice- 4 tbsp
Olive oil – 5 tbsp
Sea salt – to taste
Parsley/ Coriander leaves – 1 bunch (enough to make 1 cup after grinding)

Preparation:
1. Wash the fish and keep aside. You don’t need to wash it if it is fillets.
2. Grind all the ingredients together with oil and lime juice. Don’t add water unless it is too dry. It should be smooth with a chutney-like consistency. Taste and add more salt /lemon juice as suited to your palate.
3. Marinate the fish pieces in this blend for an hour or more in the refrigerator.
4. Preheat grill to 350 F. Or use the broiler in the cooking range.
5. Use foil or a nonstick tray on the grill. Spray/ brush a layer of oil on it and lay the fish fillets gently.
6. Grill on each side for 5 minutes or so. Turn over and sear the other side. The cooking time varies with the fish. The tuna steaks took about 8 minutes on either side.
7. Serve with a wedge of lemon and some mint chutney on the side.