Kerala Fish Curry (Meen Curry)
The red coconut fish curry cooked in a clay pot along the Kerala coast. Sharper and tangier than most Indian curries, and ready in half an hour.
What you need
- 500 g firm fish (kingfish, tilapia or salmon), cut into thick pieces
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tbsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 cup grated coconut or 1 cup thick coconut milk
- 2 green chillies, slit
- 1 tbsp ginger, chopped
- 3 shallots
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 2 pieces kudampuli (Malabar tamarind) or 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- Salt to taste
The easy way to cook it
- 1
Soak the kudampuli in half a cup of warm water.
- 2
If using grated coconut, grind it with the chilli, coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, shallots and ginger into a smooth paste.
- 3
In a clay pot, mix the paste with 1.5 cups of water, the kudampuli water and salt, and bring to a gentle simmer.
- 4
Slide in the fish and green chillies and cook on low for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking the pot rather than stirring.
- 5
If you used coconut milk, add it now and heat for 2 minutes without boiling. Finish with coconut oil and curry leaves.
- 6
Rest for 30 minutes before serving. It tastes even better the next day.
Cook's note: Shake the pot, never stir. Stirring breaks the fish into flakes.
