Yet another Kerala Fish Curry
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We are back from our marathon sight seeing trip. Now I really need a vacation! It was scorching hot in San Diego and Disneyland, but that felt like North Pole after we got to Las Vegas – 115 degrees! Wow, it was unbearable, even for my parents. Who knew that coming from India, heat is ever going to be a problem!! It really felt like a furnace, we had to get up at 3:00 am to drive to Grand Canyon. In Vegas, we spent the whole time inside casinos, not that I am complaining really 
. Anyway the first breath of cool air when we got out of the flight in Seattle was like a piece of paradise. I am never ever cribbing about the Seattle weather again!
Thanks for all your lovely comments and the clever guesses for my last post. Two anonymous readers got it right. It was Beef Jerky and the recipe is from My Treasure My Pleasure. Thanks Annita for the delicious tip! So if you are the anonymous reader who got it right, come forth and claim your prize! Well, there really is no prize other than a pat on the back…
With that, I am getting into the recipe of the day. Yes, it is another fish curry recipe, courtesy of my mom. What can I say, we mallus eat a lot of fish. This is the more traditional red fish curry from Kerala, it is called mulaku charu which translates to chilli gravy . This is one spicy hot curry, and the regular version my mom makes really burns your tongue. She reduced the spice level a notch or two to adjust for our weakened taste buds.
Ingredients
- Trout Filets - 2 lb
- Red chilli powder – 2.5 tbsp
- Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
- Onions thinly sliced – 1/2 tbsp
- Ginger thinly sliced pieces – 1 tsp
- Garlic thinly sliced pieces – 1/2 tsp
- Salt – to taste
- Fish tamarind (Kudampuli) – 4-5 pieces or to taste
- Oil – 1.5 tsp
- For the seasoning
- Oil – 1 tsp
- Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
- Fenugreek seeds – 1/4 tsp
- Shallots thinly sliced – 1 tsp
- Curry leaves – a few
Method
Cut the fish filets to pieces of desired size.
Soak the fish tamarind in a cup of water and keep aside.
Heat oil in a deep pan, and fry the onions till translucent. Add ginger and garlic and saute till soft.
Mix the red chilli powder and turmeric powder with a few drops of water to make a paste. Add the spice paste to the pan and fry on low heat till the oil separates.
Add salt and the soaked fish tamarind pieces along with the water + one more cup of water and bring to a boil.
Add fish pieces and cook on medium heat till the fish is cooked. Increase the heat and reduce the gravy if needed.
Heat oil in a small frying pan and add the fenugreek seeds and fry till brown. Now add the mustard seeds and when the mustard seeds start to splutter, add the shallots and curry leaves and fry till brown. Pour this over the prepared fish curry.
Serve with rice.
This curry tastes best the next day.
More like this..
Category: India - Kerala, Mains, Recipes, Seafood
You know what? The weather in (parts of) India is very nice right now! Actually, given how hot cities in the US now-a-days get (global warming?), I actually dread the heat when travelling TO the US (Houston, etc.) during summer months. Good to have you back in the blogworld again!
Sig, I am craving Fish Curry and there you have it, looks delicious.
I know the desert heat is not to be taken lightly. I am sure Seattle feels like paradise now.
115 deg, wow, that is brutal! but then, i’m sure u did not have to convince urself too hard to remain within the confines of the casino floor
that gravy sure is RED!
Apart from the scorching heat looks like you had a fabulous time with u’r parents!!Its always wonderful to take them around and enjoy isin’t it!!Welcome back!!
We have visited all those cities when we were in Minneapolis and got a sun burn in Vegas too,my first sun burn!:D
Sounds like great rip although it’s bad time to for sight seeing.I am back from Nashville too,we took Siestas everyday!:D
Fish curry has a great color.I am not Seafood but I could use the sauce!Good to see you Sig.Hugs.
I will never tire of fish curry recipes and pictures. Keep them coming. Did your parents like the sight seeing.
Hey Sig,good to see you back too. Love that picture
and hey, you want another vacation 
its sounding quite like India, those high temperatures!!
take care and relax with some great drinks.
hugs,
musical.
I said Beef!!!..hahha..at least I was half correct..welcome back….
srivalli
http://www.cooking4allseasons.blogspot.com/
115 degrees … it sure must be hot. fih curry has got a lovely colour.
This is the third post in 24 hours that I am seeing of fish curry, what are you all doing to me?!!! And your mom has the right idea – heat, heat and more heat. Look at the colour. I am drooling here.
Haha! We always say we need a vacation after a vacation!! Fiery fish curry btw!
That is red babay! I have a few pieces of kadampuli that I have been wanting to use…and here is the recipe!
That fish curry looks totally yumm and after my very bland dinner at a Japanese restaurant today, I am yearning some of that
Your fish curry looks Yummy!…Rgds to your mother.
Shantanu, yeah I can imagine that… I would love to be in Kerala now, it is Monsoon season there
Indo, yep normally I’d be cribbing about Seattle heat by now
but this is perfect.
Richa, lol yep… it was a blessing in disguise… My parents had fun gambling too, good genes I guess
Padmaja, yep we did have a great time….
Asha, I’ve been to Vegas countless times before, but I normally spend the nights playing and days sleeping, so never really had to venture outside before…
. And yeah I am totally sunburned too 
Gini,
that goes for most mallus I guess. Yes, they loved the sight seeing, especially seaworld and las vegas.
Musie,
thanks. Yep, I always end up needing another vacation after a vacation.
Srivalli, lol, you are right, you got half right
Prema thanks
Cyn, lol I guess it is the fish curry season
Jyothsna
Yep normally after the India trips I end up desperately needing another vacation.. but all our vacations here normally are pretty relaxing… I hate sightseeing trips 
Anita, hope you try… Kudampuli was made for this curry
Sandeepa,
lol I am starting to crave some bland food now 
kitchenfairy, thanks
I love all your curries they always look so good! It’s too bad Steven isn’t a big fan of curry because I love them!
hey sig .. how are you ? lovely fish curry. Thanks for posting your mom’s recipes. I will def try the recipes
Oh My God! This fish curry looks amazing! How did you get that lovely color? Just the red chilly powder? I will definitely try this sometime.
[...] Kerala Fish Curry [...]
it is very good site
coffee):
You have some incredible dishes on this site! I’m trying to do one world region’s cuisine per week to get down some basic techniques and flavors before I start culinary school in the fall, and between your site and Le Figaro’s website, I would be set for a year of cooking!
Would it be possible to use veal or beef to replace the trout? Or perhaps grouper?
with hot regards
smartjince
I must say this is one of the best fish gravies I have made. It turned out excellent!
Lily
[...] Kerala Fish Curry [...]
Nice recipe…by the way am from kannur..
What is Kudampuli, can it be found in Indian grocery stores here in US? Can we substitute regulare tamarind for this one?
The dish looks great Sig?
I am doing the south beach diet and would like to try this dish…
Used Kudampuli for the first time with this recipe. Nice smokey flavor on top of the taste it brings to the dish. This dish is right up there with Siv’s fish curry in taste and both are simple enough to make for amateurs like me. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for the feedback, glad you liked it!
I am soooo excited to have discovered your blog! I was absolutely craving Mom’s fish curry (and regretting the fact that I never did learn to make it from her), and gave your recipe a go… expecting it be an absolute let down. For my first attempt, I dare say it turned out better than most Mallu aunties’ cooking! Thank you, again!! Can’t wait for Lent to be over to try some of the non-veg recipes (fish does not count as “non-veg” to Syrian Catholics!) on this site. North Indian cooking, I have down pat (my brother, who is also my biggest critique, has graciously admitted that my tandoori chicken and biriyani are the best he has had in the States), but South Indian has always been tricky.
Cooking is the way I escape the stress of law school, so I promise to be a VERY regular visitor
I love fish curry and its only these days in this onam season was able to taste some good fish curry in its traditional form, in kerala most of the places we can taste this great taste but when we go abroad we used to miss it a lot.