Meen Kuzhambu - Madras Fish Curry - Tamil Nadu Meen Kuzhambu
A south indian classic, where fish is cooked in a tamrind gravy.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time40 minutesmins
Total Time45 minutesmins
Course: lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: madras, south indian, Tamilnadu
Keyword: fish curry, madras fish curry, meen kulambu, meen kuzhambu, tamil nadu meen kulambu
Servings: 4
Author: Mullai Madavan
Equipment
Deep sauce pan / kadai & Blender
Ingredients
Fish - marinade
1wholePomfret Fish cut into pieces, any type fish works
1/4tspTurmeric powder
1/4tspSalt
Ingredients - Tamarind extract
1lemon sizeTamarind
1/2cupWater
Ingredients - for masala paste
10eachShallots
3clovesGarlic
5eachCurry leaves
1tbspBlack Peppercorns
1tspCumin seeds
1/4cupWater
Ingredients for gravy
1/4cupOil
1/2tspMustard seeds
1/2tspSplit Black gram
1/4tspFenugreek seeds
1/2tspCumin seeds
4eachCurry leaves
2smallGreen chilislit open
6clovesGarliccrushed
1/2cupOnionchopped
1/2cupTomatoes
1/4tspTurmeric powder
1tspRed Chili powder
1tbspCoriander powder
1tbspKuzhambu Milagai Thool / Madras Curry Powder
2tspSalt
1/4tspJaggery or Sugar
Instructions
Prep work
Wash and rinse fish in cold water. Trim off the fins, remove gills, guts and other entrails. Head and tail can be retained, if desired!
Add turmeric and salt to the cleaned fish and marinate for few minutes.
Soak tamarind in water for few minutes to soften.
Squeeze out the pulp discarding the seeds & fibrous portion. Extract a thick pulp and set aside.
To make masala paste
Take shallots, garlic, curry leaves, black peppercorns, cumin seeds in a mixer jar .
Blend to make a thick paste using little water and set it aside.
To make base gravy
Heat oil in a deep sauce pan.
Temper with mustard seeds, split black gram, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and green chilies.
Add crushed garlic and fry for few seconds.
Saute onions adding a pinch of salt until it turns transparent.
Now add the masala paste and fry along for 10 minutes or until it turns golden brown and leaves oil to the sides.
Add tomatoes along with turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, kuzhambu milagai thool (madras curry powder) and salt.
Again fry this for next 10 minutes until the oil separates,
Add thick tamarind extract along with some water and bring it to a boil.
When the base gravy boils vigorously start adding the fish pieces one by one. ( Do not stir after adding fish, as its flesh is delicate and stirring harshly can break them and mix up in the gravy )
Either cook it open pan or cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.