Fish curry #3

We got home today from the nearby fisherman's market with this big fish and another bagful of small mackerels. We have bought this big fish for the first time out of sheer curiosity. Here is what we prepared out of it just now - another tasty fish curry but in a most traditional way using earthern vessel. The other My Dhaba's fish curries are here - Fish curry #1; Fish curry #2. Can someone help me to find the name of the pictured fish?

Bringing the ingredients together...


Fish curry #3 - the most traditional way
Serves – 4
Preparation time – 20 minutes

Ingredients:
Fish of your choice – ½ kg, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces or as desired (we used the pictured fish at this time)
Oil – 3 tablespoons (coconut oil preferred)
Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon
Curry leaves – 3 sprigs
Ginger – 2-inch piece
Garlic – 5 cloves
Red chilli powder – 5 teaspoons (add/reduce as per your choice of spiciness)
Fenugreek powder – ½ teaspoon
Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
Kodampuli – 4 or tamarind extract (how?)– 2 tablespoons
Salt – 1-1/4 teaspoons or adjusted to taste

Method: Wash the cleaned and sliced fish in 3 or 4 changes of water. Smear the fish slices all over with a paste made of one teaspoon turmeric powder and one teaspoon salt. After five minutes, wash off the turmeric powder and powdered salt. Drain and keep it aside. Grind the ginger, garlic, chilli powder, fenugreek powder, and turmeric powder with a little water to a smooth ball of paste. You may also want to use the powder as it is without grinding it along with ginger and garlic, if you are in a hurry, but grinding it to a paste gives the sauce a smoother consistency. Keep it aside. Add kodampuli to a little boiled water and keep it aside. If you are using tamarind, prepare tamarind extract and keep it aside. Heat the earthen vessel (chatti) or a flat-bottomed pan on a moderate heat. Pour in the oil. When very hot, add mustard seeds to splutter, curry leaves, and then the ground paste. Saute the paste until consistent over low heat turning over thoroughly now and then. Add the kodampuli pulp or tamarind extract. When it starts boiling, add fish pieces and salt. Add water to cover the fish pieces. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium heat stirring it lightly in between. Stir only with the stem end of a spoon or just shake the vessel lightly. This is to prevent the fish from breaking into bits. Add more salt to taste if necessary. When the fish curry is reduced to half its quantity and gravy thickens to the desired consistency, remove the curry from heat and put it into a serving dish. You may also choose to serve it in the earthen vessel itself. Serve it hot or cool.

Fish curry made this way is delicious when eaten with white boiled rice, bread, dosais, idlies, appams, or tapioca. Cover the fish curry with a lid only after it cools. The taste of this curry improves when it is preserved and used after a day or two. Enjoy!


Traditional Indian Home Cooking Recipe: Fish curry