Chakka Erissery !! (Raw Jack fruit & coconut)

Chakka/Raw Jack fruit Erissery  is something we Keralites are devoted to,mainly because it's availability is limited to the season.Though we serve it with rice,I suggest you to have it as a main dish .It's that much a filling treat to cherish !!

Ingredients

To cook Jack Fruit

4 cups of raw jackfruit/chakka,cleaned and chopped
1/4 cup of jackfruit seeds,peeled,cleaned and cut into two each
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
salt
2 cups water (approx)

For the coarse paste

1 cup grated coconut
2 green chillies
3 cloves of garlic (small)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds

To temper

1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 dry chillies
2 sprig curry leaves
4 tbsp grated coconut

Method
Cook the chopped jack fruit and seeds adding turmeric powder,salt and water.Meanwhile make a coarse paste of ingredients mentioned in particular section.Add this paste to Jack fruit when it's cooked three fourth.Mix well and mash it with the spoon when the raw smell disappears.Switch off the stove.Now heat oil in a small skillet and splutter mustard seeds,dry chillies and curry leaves.Add coconut to this and fry till golden brown.Pour this over the Erissery..

Pazha Manga Paayasam / Mango Kheer ! (My 100th Post..!)

With the mangoes raining everywhere,I thought of posting a simple and toothsome payasam/kheer with the yummy mangoes.Mainly because this is my 100 th post.To serve something sweet to mark the occasion,I made this one.Thank you all friends for visiting,dropping few lines of support here..

Ingredients

2 large,sweet mangoes,peeled and puréed in a mixer (almost 2 cups of mango pulp)
1 cup grated jaggery (depends on the sweetness of mango and what you want)
2 tsp water
1.5 cup of thick coconut milk
3 tbsp ghee
few cashews
few chopped coconut pieces
few raisins (optional)
1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Method

Boil the jaggery with water and make a syrup.Strain and add this to the puréed mangoes.Roast this mixture in a thick bottomed vessel adding ghee in between.Roast till the mixture gets thick.Pour the coconut milk and mix slowly.Don't boil the payasam any more.Switch off and sprinkle the cardamom powder.Roast the cashews,raisins and coconut pieces in ghee and pour it over the payasam/kheer.Let it sit for a while before using.This is to just set the flavours.

Thengayaracha Mutta curry !! (Eggs in a coconut based gravy)

Ingredients

4 hard-boiled eggs,shelled and halved
1 large onion,finely chopped
1 green chilly,slitted
2 tbsp oil
2 sprig curry leaves
1 cup water
salt

For the coconut paste

1 cup grated coconut
3 tsp kashmiri chilly powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
5 shallots
1 tsp chopped ginger
small piece of tamarind


Method

First,make a fine paste of coconut and other ingredients mentioned.Heat oil in a medium skillet .Roast chopped onion and green chilly till the onion turn light brown.Add the coconut paste and roast till the raw smell disappears and oil separates.Add water and bring to a boil.Add salt.Arrange the halved eggs on top and simmer the curry till thick and oil clears on top.Put the curry leaves and switch off the stove.Serve with chapathi/rice/parotta/appam.

*Recipe Source : Lakshmi Nair

Njandu Curry ! (Crab in roasted coconut gravy)

Ingredients

To Cook Crab

4 medium crabs,cleaned and halved

1 tsp chilly powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 cup water

salt

To roast & grind

1 tsp coconut oil

1 heaped cup grated coconut

1 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

2 shallots sliced

5 pepper seeds

2 dry chillies

few curry leaves

For the final cooking

2 tbsp oil

1 small onion,chopped

2 green chillies, slitted

1 small piece of ginger crushed

1 sprig curry leaf

1 tomato, chopped

water,salt as needed

Method

In a clay pot/curry pot cook the crab pieces with the spices,salt and water mentioned in the particular section.Cook till the crab pieces are done and switch off the stove.In the meantime roast the grated coconut with cumin,fennel seeds and all the spices mentioned in particular section till coconut turn golden brown.Add the powders in the final stage to avoid burning.Grind this into a fine paste adding little water.The gravy should be thick.Now heat oil in a curry pot and add the chopped onion and green chilly.Roast till the onion is transparent and add the crushed ginger and curry leaves. Sauté till the raw smell disappears.Drop the tomato pieces and mix well till the water releases.Add the ground coconut to this and roast till the raw smell goes.Now add the crab along with the water remaining in the pot(If the curry is too thick at this stage you may add little water).Mix well and bring to a boil.Simmer,covered till the gravy thickens and oil clears.Check salt.Serve with rice/chapathi.

Neichoru - Kerala Ghee Rice !! (Pressure Cooker Method)

This is a simple method to make the super delicious Neichoru aka Ghee Rice..You may be doubtful whether the Ghee rice made in a pressure cooker is going to be tasty or not.It's perfect I must say.Just see for once and you will only prepare this way.

Ingredients

1 cup *Kaima Rice/Basmati Rice (the one you see here is Basmati)

2 tbsp ghee

1 pice of cinnamon (1 inch)

1 cardamom

3 cloves

pinch of fennel seeds

handful of sliced onion

1.5 cup water

salt

Method 

Wash and strain rice in a colander.Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and roast the cinnamon,cloves,cardamom and fennel seeds.Throw the sliced onion and fry till light brown.Now add the rice and mix well.Roast it for 2 minutes or till water evaporates and rice is soft.Add water and salt.Close the cooker with the lid.Cook till one whistle.Switch off the stove and just leave it there till the pressure goes out completely.Open and mix well with a spoon.Serve hot with chicken/meat/vegetable curries,pappadams,raita and pickle.

*Kaima Rice or Jeerakasala rice is a short grained rice we use to make Ghee Rice and Biriyani in Kerala.It's having a special flavour which is missing in any other rice.

Note:You can use it as a base for an easy Biriyani.Prepare a masala with meat or vegetable and layer in an oven proof dish and bake.I will post one of that soon.

Tharippola !! (Semolina Cake from Malabar)

Here is another delicacy from Malabar.Tharippola is a simple snack using semolina and eggs.The advantage is,we can prepare it fast,with the simple ingredients available at home.Check it out..

Ingredients

100 gm semolina

2 eggs

50 gm sugar

1 tbsp ghee

1/4 tsp vanilla essence or cardamom powder

cashews/raisins to garnish

Method

Beat the eggs with sugar till thick and creamy.Roast the semolina for 2-3 minutes.Don't make it brown.Now slowly add semolina to the beaten egg and mix well.Add vanilla essence or cardamom powder.

Now grease a small cake tin or an oven proof bowl with ghee.Pour in the semolina-egg mixture and garnish with cashews/raisins.Bake it till light brown (If you are using 100 % power,it may take 3-4 minutes.depends on your oven type).

You can prepare this on stove using a tight fitting vessel.Cook it in slow flame for 7-8 minutes.

*Recipe Source-Ummi Abdulla

Sending Tharippola to Priya & Aipi's Bookmarked Recipes Event happening every tuesday..

Kozhi Varattiyathu !! (Kerala Chicken Roast)

Ingredients

1 medium size chicken (1-1.2 kg),cleaned and cut into 8-9 pieces
2 large onions,sliced
2 inch piece ginger, crushed
2 tsp garlic paste
3 medium tomatoes,chopped
small bunch of coriander leaves
1/4 cup curd
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 heaped tsp chilly powder
3 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
3 tbsp oil (preferably coconut oil)
salt
1/4 cup water

Method

Heat oil in heavy bottomed skillet and fry onion till transparent.Add ginger & garlic paste to this and sauté till the raw smell disappears.Now add turmeric,chilly and coriander powders.Mix well and put chicken pieces.Add salt and fry till the oil clears from sides.Add tomatoes,curd and coriander leaves and fry for 3 more minutes.Add 1/4 cup water and bring to a boil.Close with a lid and simmer till the gravy dries up.Sprinkle the garam masala powder and mix well.Serve with rice/chapathi/roti/puttu.

Athisaya Pathiri !! (layered pancake with a rich stuffing)

To repeat what I have written here earlier,Malabar,the northern tip of Kerala is a food haven.It's a food lover's paradise.The rich and varied Muslim flavours mark the speciality of Malabar cuisine.They have unique  Biriyanis,Pathiris (pancakes),polas (cakes),pathils (pie) and so on ,which,we the other parts of Kerala could only dream of once ! Ever since Ummi Abdulla cookery books  specialising in Malabar cookery made their presence in the market,Malabar food is so much an excitement for any cook to embark upon.I feel immensely proud whenever I make these foods,since one needs lot of patience and care to prepare them.Believe me,I haven't tasted anything so delicious in my whole culinary experience.Such a brilliant cooking pattern they have,to say.Being very rich and fatty,it's better to have them once in a while I may suggest.

Here is one such special layered pancake bake called Athisaya pathiri.If you translate it word by word,Athisaya means something which make us amaze or surprise and pathiri is a pancake.In fact this pancake,or the layers of such pancakes stuffed with a meat filling is sure to flabbergast you in all ways.Just prepare & see...

 Ingredients

To cook the meat

 250gm minced mutton/chicken
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
salt
water if needed

For Stuffing 

2 big onions,chopped
4 green chillies,chopped
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
small bunch of coriander leaves,chopped
1 tsp garam masala powder
2 tbsp raisins
2 tbsp chopped cashews
3 tbsp ghee/oil
salt

For Pancake

150 gm Maida/flour
2 eggs
1 cup milk/coconut milk
2 tbsp ghee/oil
Salt

For Egg Mixture 

4 eggs
2 green chillies
salt

Method

Cook the meat with coriander powder,turmeric powder and salt till it is tender and the water is absorbed.Heat 1 tbsp ghee and sauté onion and chillies.Fry till the onion is transparent.Add the ginger and garlic paste.Roast till the raw smell disappears.Add the cooked minced meat and cook till dry.Add the coriander leaves,garam masala powder,cashewnuts and raisins (keep some for garnishing).Keep aside.

Egg mixture 

Beat the Eggs well .Grind the green chllies and salt.Now add both and mix well to prepare the egg-green chilly mixture.

Pancakes 

Make a thin batter with the flour,eggs,milk and salt.If the milk is not sufficient,then you may add little water.Heat a frying pan and pour in 2 tbsp of the batter (or the size you want to prepare in the baking dish) and turn the pan in a circular way to form a thin pancake.Apply a little ghee and when it is cooked turn over.When the other side is also cooked,remove.Finish all the batter the same way.Keep aside.

Layering

Grease a heavy bottomed small vessel or a cake tin (in which the pancake fits) with 3 tbsp ghee.Take a pancake and dip it well in the egg mixture.Put it in the vessel and place a layer of minced meat mixture over it.Cover this layer with another pancake dipped in egg mixture and proceed thus till all the pancakes have been used.On the top layer pour the remaining egg and garnish with cashewnuts and raisins.sprinkle 1 tbsp ghee.Place the vessel on a slow fire if you are into stove top method. Cover the same with a heavy tight-fitting lid.Place some coals on top and keep for about 20 mts till it is cooked and golden brown on top.You can bake in an oven too.Bake it in a pre-heated oven for about 15 mts (180 degree).Remove to a plate and serve.

*Recipe Source-Malabar Muslim Cookery (Ummi Abdulla).

Thakkali Vattichathu ! (Tomato Masala)

Ingredients

3 medium sized tomatoes,sliced
1 onion chopped
1 green chilly chopped
1 tsp chilly powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 sprig curry leaves
1 tbsp oil
salt

To grind into coarse paste

3/4 cup grated coconut
3 cloves of garlic
1 tsp  fennel seeds
1/2 cup water

Method

Heat oil in a medium skillet and splutter mustard seeds.Add the chopped onion and green chilly and fry till the onions turn light brown.Add the sliced tomatoes,chilly and turmeric powders.Fry till the raw smell disappears.Tomatoes are to release water.Add salt.When the tomatoes are cooked,add the ground coconut along with water and bring to a boil.Add curry leaves and simmer till the curry thickens and oil clears on top.Serve with rice/chapathi.

*Recipe Source-Ummi Abdulla

Restaurant Style Egg curry !!

This delectable egg curry arrested my eyes while going through Pazham Pappadam Payasam.I bookmarked it then and there,tested in my kitchen and the verdict is  Awesome !! If you compare my poor click with that of  pazham pappadam payasam,I will certainly be the looser ! Since I used Kashmiri chilly powder,the colour is remarkably different here.Apart from that,I made a simple alteration too.Instead of her secret ingredient of one egg,I preferred using 2 egg whites.Do try this.It's a finger licking curry !

Ingredients

4 hard boiled eggs,shelled and cut into halves
2 egg whites,beaten
2 medium onions,sliced
1 tomato,sliced
1 green chilly slitted lengthwise
1 small piece of ginger (1 inch) ,crushed
3 garlics, sliced
1 tsp Kashmiri chilly powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp crushed pepper
1/2 cup thick coconut milk
1/2 cup water
Oil
salt
Curry leaves

Method

Heat oil in a medium skillet and fry sliced onion with curry leaves till brown.Add the crushed ginger and garlic and sauté till the raw smell disappears.To this,add the chilly,turmeric and coriander powders .Roast till the raw smell vanishes.Put the tomato slices and sauté well for another three minutes.Pour in the coconut milk,water, crushed pepper & salt.Bring it to a boil and place the halved eggs .Now rotate the skillet holding both sides and cook in medium heat for 3 minutes or the curry thickens bit.Finally add the beaten egg whites and carefully mix it to the curry.Cook for one more minute and switch off the stove.Shift the curry to a serving bowl.Serve with appam/parotta/roti.

Rava Kozhukkatta !! (Steamed Semolina Balls)

Ingredients

1 cup roasted rava/semolina
pinch of salt
water as required

For the filling

1/2 cup grated coconut
1/4 cup grated jaggery
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
pinch of cumin seeds

Method

Make a soft dough with semolina,slowly adding water and salt.Prepare the filling by mixing all the ingredients in the particular section and mix well.Now divide the dough into eight balls of equal size.Press each ball of dough in the palm of your hand.Fill in spoonful of coconut mixture and seal it from four sides .Repeat this with all eight balls.Shift the balls to a steamer and steam in medium heat for 20 minutes.

Chemmeen Thoran !! (Prawns in crushed coconut)

Ingredients

300 gms prawns,shelled & de veined
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 dry chilly
2 sprig curry leaves
2 tsp chopped ginger
1 cup sliced shallots
1 green chilly slitted
3 tsp coconut oil
1/4 cup water
salt

To crush

1/2 cup grated coconut
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilly powder
1 green chilly
4 shallots

Method

Crush the grated coconut with the other ingredients and keep.Heat oil in a medium skillet and splutter mustard seeds,dry chilly and curry leaves.Add chopped ginger to this and fry till the raw smell disappears.To this,add the sliced shallots and sauté.Add the green chilly and roast the onion mixture till it turn brown .Add prawns and sauté for two minutes.Now add the crushed coconut mixture and roast well till the raw smell vanishes.Wash the grinder with 1/4 cup water and add this to the prawns.Add salt and cook closed till the water evaporates and prawns get cooked well.It may take 5-7 minutes.Now open the lid and make it dry.

Chembappam (ചേമ്പപ്പം) !! (A cute & simple evening snack from Kerala)

Here I am with a some what lost taste of mine.It was in my memories always.Believe me,as a kid I was a total admirer of this snack.But somehow as I grow up and we shifted from the place where we lived,I missed it somewhere.During 'silly sessions' with my lill' daughter now,I always share such simple sort of happiness,delight and thrill I had about anything as a kid to her.She can catch it often since she is a kid too.And coming to this recipe,we were having the usual stories of my childhood and suddenly the term 'chembappam' came to me.Ha,then I started recollecting a lost taste for days now.To cut short,finally I am here with the simple recipe after having several cute sessions in my kitchen.

Ingredients

1 cup rice flour (smooth like that for Idiyappam & appam)
1 egg
1 pinch baking soda
1/4 cup medium thick coconut milk or water (coconut milk will enhance the taste)
4 tsp sugar (can add more if you want)
Oil (coconut oil will be the best)

Method

Take the rice powder and mix well with the egg.Now slowly add the coconut milk or water till it become a thick,dropping consistancy.Add sugar & baking soda and mix once more.Heat coconut oil in a skillet and drop small portions of batter .Use your hand.That's the best option.Cook in medium heat .Turn them over and cook when one side is brown.Shift to paper towels when done.

Manga Charu !! (A Simple raw Mango Curry from Malabar)

This is a simple Mango curry I have adapted from Ummi Abdulla,the pioneer of Malabar Muslim Cooking.For those who are not familiar with Malabar,this is the northern tip of Kerala,where we have the most flamboyant,skilled & rich cookery style in the region ! With immense Biriyanis and pathiris,Malabar always amaze a food lover with innumerable mouth watering recipes.Ummi Abdulla was the first one to come up with a book on Malabar Muslim Cookery,at a time people were almost blind about the particular cooking methods.I am blessed with some of her works and so here is one vegetable curry to begin.For those who know about Malabar cooking,they may laugh at what I am starting with.But with all these mango season going around,I was so tempted to try this one.It's a quick fix and super yummy !!

Ingredients

2 Raw mangoes,diced with skin,into medium sized pieces
1 cup grated coconut
1 tsp chilly powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3 cloves of garlic
2 tsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 sprig curry leaves
1 cup water (approx)
salt

Method

Grind the coconut adding garlic and enough water to a fine paste.Heat oil in a medium skillet and splutter mustard seeds.Reduce the flame and add chilly,turmeric powders. Sauté well till the raw smell disappears,without burning them.Add diced mangoes,salt and water to cook the mangoes.Cover and cook till the mango pieces are soft.Add the ground coconut with a little water to the cooked mango.Add curry leaves.Simmer and remove from fire.Serve with rice.

*Sending this to Priya & Aipi's Bookmarked Recipes Event happening every Tuesday !!

Vattayappam !! (Steamed Rice Cake from Kerala)

Ingredients

1 heaped cup of raw rice

1/2 cup cooked rice

1/2 cup grated coconut

1/2 cup water-approx (depends according to your rice)

pinch of salt

1/4 tsp instant yeast

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

5-6 tbsp sugar

cashews to garnish

Method

Wash and soak the rice in water for 6 hours.Now grind the rice adding grated coconut and cooked rice.Add the water little by little and grind to a smooth paste.The batter should have the consistency of Idly batter (not too thick or thin).Just before finishing the grinding,add the yeast and salt and just pulse it all together.Now pour the batter into a vessel having tight lid.Cover and set aside to rise in a warm place.It may take 7-8 hours.If you keep this inside the oven with light on,the temperature will be correct.After 9 hours batter will be double .Mix with a spoon and check sugar and salt.Add  the cardamom powder.If you want more sugar,you may add it now. Now, grease a plate or bowl.Pour the batter into this and level.Arrange the cashews over the top and steam it in medium flame for 25 minutes.

Kappa Vevichathu !! (Mashed Tapioca)

For most of us Keralites who live out of the state,Kappa or Tapioca is synonyms of  a perfect homely food.Most of the hotels and even small tea shops serve kappa and meen curry (fish curry) at our place.For the farmer community of Kerala,kappa is a staple food.From the many recipes we have,this one is the most popular and served usually with hot fish curry !

Ingredients

2 medium sized tapioca,peeled and cut into pieces

Salt 

Water as required

For the coconut paste

1/2 cup grated coconut

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

8 small green chillies(kanthari mulaku) or 2 big ones

Handful of shallots

3 cloves of garlic

handful of curry leaves

Method

Boil enough water to cook tapioca and add salt.Put the tapioca pieces and cook in medium heat.When it's cooked well remove from heat and strain excess water.Meanwhile prepare the coconut paste by coarsly grinding everything in a grinder/food processor.Now mash the tapoica coarsely with a masher .Add this coconut mixture to this and mix well.Check salt and serve with hot fish curry !!

Kerala Masala Powder/Garam Masala (Kerala style) for regular use !

 You know why I have written 'for regular use' there ? We use the home made masala consists of fennel,cardamom,clove and cinnamon for the regular curries and all in Kerala.Some add black pepper as well.Whatever,this is just about the regular use.If you are making a Biryani for example,the masala changes completely with more spices like maze,nutmeg or kaala jeera.There the flavour might be totally unique.So,this is a simple masala powder which you may use to bring a subtle change in flavour or to enhance some tastes.Here is what I use.

Nothing much to write here.Dry roast 3 tbsp fennel seeds,6 cinnamon sticks of almost 2 inches,8 cardamoms and 11 cloves and grind it to a fine powder using the small jar of the grinder.Keep in airtight containers and use.

Below is the picture of what I used,to clear your doubts,if you have any !!

Mathi Paalu curry ! (Sardines in coconut milk and spices )

Ingredients

10-12 medium whole sardines,cleaned in salt water
2 tsp chopped ginger
4 cloves,chopped
2 green chillies,chopped
1/4 cup shallots sliced
1 tomato, sliced
2 tsp pepper powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp fenugreek powder
4 tsp coconut oil
1 cup medium thick coconut milk
2 tsp lime juice
2 sprig curry leaves
salt

Method

Heat coconut oil in a curry pot (preferably clay pot)and roast the ginger,garlic and green chillies.Then add sliced shallots and roast till light brown.Add tomato slices and sauté for 2-3 minutes.Add pepper powder and roast well till raw smell goes.You may add little water to avoid burning.Add turmeric and fenugreek powders and mix well.Add salt.When the mixture boils,arrange the cleaned sardines on the top.Pour half of the coconut milk and cook closed till the gravy turn real tight.You may shake the pot in between to avoid burning.Just hold both the sides and shake well.Finally,when the coconut milk really thickens,pour the remaining coconut milk and bring to a boil.Switch off the stove and drop curry leaves.Pour the lime juice.Keep it closed for half an hour at least.Serve with Rice/tapioca

*Recipe Source-Taste of Kerala.

Chakkayappam !! (Puréed Jack fruit,Rice & Jaggery snack )

Here is another fantastic recipe from Lakshmi Nair ! It's significant that we are not using jack fruit preserve here as we use in chakka ada.Made from fresh sweet jack fruits,it's quiet easy to make,yet a fabulous snack to cherish!! Obviously I have made few changes as per my needs.

Ingredients

2.5 cups ground,sweet jack fruit (Since mine was not so ripened,I have cooked it in 1/2 cup water and puréed)
2.5 cups roasted rice flour
1 cup grated jaggery (medium sweet.If you want,can add more)
1/2 cup grated coconut
1/2 cup chopped coconut
1 tsp cardamom powder
Banana Leaves-as required (you may use aluminium foil/parchment paper as well)

Method

In a bowl,mix puréed jack fruit,rice flour,jaggery,coconut and cardamom powder.Mix well with hand to make a loose dough.Now take banana leaves one by one and drop handful of dough into it.Fold it so that it will be a thin appam (You may not flatten the dough since it's a loose dough.Folding will do).Now shift this to a steamer and close the lid.Steam it for 20-25 minutes in medium heat.

*Sending this to Celebrate Sweets-Sweets with Rice  event guest hosted by Priya of Priya's Easy N' Tasty Recipes,event by Nivedita

And Priya & Aipi's Bookmarked Recipes Event happening every tuesday !

Easy Mango Pudding !!

Ingredients

2 ripe,sweet mangoes,peeled and chopped
2 tsp ghee
3/4 cup milk
2-3 tsp sugar
1/2 cup condensed milk/milkmaid
cashews,raisins to garnish

Method

Heat ghee in a medium skillet and sauté the mango pieces.Continue this for 3-4 minutes.Pour the milk and cook the mangoes adding sugar in between.Mix well and when the mixture gets thick,add the milkmaid . Sauté well and shift to a bowl.Garnish with cashews and raisins.

* sending this simple sweet relish to  Healing Foods-Mango event hosted by Reva of Kaarasaaram,an event bySiri.

Meen Vevichathu !! (Kottayam Style Fish Curry)

Ingredients

500 gm fish,preferably boneless,diced (seer fish is best)
2 tsp chopped ginger
2 tsp chopped garlic
7-8 shallots sliced
4 tsp chilly powder/kashmiri chilly
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
1/2 tsp fenugreek powder
3 coccum pieces soaked in 1/4 cup water
3 sprig curry leaves
3/4-1 cup water
1 tsp mustard seeds
4-5 tsp coconut oil

Method

Heat oil in a Manchatty (clay pot) or curry pot and splutter mustard seeds.Add the chopped ginger and garlic.Saute and add the sliced shallots.Saute till shallots turn light brown.Reduce the flame and add the powders.Mix well and add 2-3 tbsp of water so that the powder won't burn.This part is important.Saute till the raw smell disappears and everything is roasted well.Add salt and coccum along with the water used to soak.Now add the water and bring to a boil.When it boils,add the fish pieces and slow simmer till the fish is cooked and the gravy thickens.Put the curry leaves and keep this for a while.Serve with Kappa/Mashed Tapioca or rice.

*This curry tastes better with days and can be used for days if re-heated.