Fish Kuzhambhu

Ingredients

Fish pieces - 6 to 8 Nos.(Any choice of fish)
Tamarind - 1 1/2 pods
Coconut - 1/4 of a whole coconut
Red chillies - 2
Cumin - 1/4 sp
Big onion - 1/2 (or) equivalent small onions
Coriander powder - 1 sp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 sp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 sp
Salt - To taste
Tomato - 1
Seasoning:
Oil - 3 sp
Mustard - 1/4 sp
Urad dhal - 1/4 sp
Fenugreek seeds (vendhayam) - 1/4 sp
Onion - 2 sp
Curry leaves - 10 Nos.

Method

1. Grind coconut, red chillies and cumin to a fine paste along with necessary water.
2. To this, add big onion and grind to a fine paste.
3. Soak tamarind in hot water for 10 min and extract tamarind juice.
4. Cut the fish pieces and keep them aside.
5. In a pan, add the grind masala, tamarind extract, the masala powders,salt and tomato (cut into four) along with necessary water to cook the masala.
6. When the masala is half cooked, turn the stove to a low - medium heat (else fish pieces will get dissolved in the kuzhambhu) and add the fish pieces one by one.
7. When the kuzhambhu is 3/4th done, do the seasoning and add to the kuzhambhu.
8. Let this simmer for about 5 - 10 min in a low heat till the required consistency is reached.
9. Serve with white rice. Goes very well with Idli. Can also be taken with dosa occasionally.

Note

1. Fish kuzhambhu is generally prepared with more sourness & tartness compared to other kuzhambhu varieties. Hence the tamarind quantity can be increased to 2 pods (if desired).
2. Fish kuzhambhu tastes better if kept in the same pan in which it was prepared, till the time of serving.
3. Tastes excellent when eaten later than taken immediately after preparation.(i.e) tastes excellent for dinner than that for lunch.
4. Tastes extremely awesome if prepared in a sand pot.