Madras Fish Curry: A South Indian Home-Style Fish Curry (Meen Kuzhmabu)

In virtually the similar manner that many Mumbaikars nonetheless cannot get themselves to mention Mumbai – opting as an alternative for Bombay, many Chennaites nonetheless grasp to Madras. They are going to inform you that Madras is an emotion and Chennai is a town. That is one reason many stuff intertwined with the id of town – particularly amongst world audiences, proceed to retain the Madras prefix. Meals is a huge a part of that id; it is why you continue to in finding Madras curry powder on grocery store cabinets in London after which there may be Madras fish curry.

Many world cooks have come to town in pursuit of this earthy recipe and feature performed their bit to popularise this iconic dish. After all, regardless of their absolute best intentions there are jarring inconsistencies, like suggesting basmati rice as an accompaniment with this highly spiced, tangy fish curry. It is virtually like suggesting Kerala matta rice as an accompaniment for Rajma (as an alternative of basmati rice). It isn’t simply world gourmands, I have observed premier eating places and cooks throughout India stumble once in a while of their interpretation of Madras fish curry. I have needed to stay a instantly face and be well mannered when requested about my comments.

(Additionally Learn: 10 Local Dishes You Must Try in Chennai)

You might be not likely to listen to the time period Madras fish curry in Chennai (I will be able to already sense the ‘Madras’ loyalists taking offence). It is meen (fish) kuzhambu right here and there are few dishes which are romanticised in pop culture (particularly in Tamil cinema) like this excellent dish this is in reality an explosion of flavours. This can be a dish that originates in Chennai’s fishing hamlets which were right here lengthy earlier than the British established trendy Madras as we comprehend it in 1639. 

I have had the chance to engage with some house cooks in Chennai whose signature dish is the quintessential Meen kuzhambu. It used to be superb to satisfy this sort of mavens at Sea Salt, a Chennai eating place that promoted sustainable fishing and put easy, native flavours beneath the highlight. Chef Harish Rao, (who used to be concerned with this undertaking), has explored a few of Chennai’s fishing communities in his seek for original recipes. He additionally believes that the time period Madras fish curry has been loosely used for nearly any fish curry from Tamil Nadu cooked with tamarind and in earthen cooking pots. 

There may be a couple of approach to make a Meen kuzhmabu in Chennai. Here is one original model: 

Meen Kuzhambu recipe
 

Elements: 
 500 gm King fish
1 lime sized ball tamarind

Marinade:
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp lime juice 

Spice Paste:
2 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp pepper corns
7  purple chillies
25 gm garlic cloves
25 gm ginger 
100 gm grated coconut

Tempering:
1/2 cup sesame oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
four sprigs curry leaves got rid of from stalks
100 gm shallots
100 gm purple tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp salt or to style
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves

Manner: 
 

• Blank and wash the fish totally with turmeric powder, chop into cubes, Soak the tamarind and extract juice after an hour.
• Drain the fish cubes, and marinate with chilli powder, salt and lime juice for an hour. 
• Warmth the oil in a kadai, and fry the cumin and coriander seeds, pepper corns and purple chillies. After they alternate color upload the garlic and ginger and fry for two mins. Upload grated coconut and take away from fire. Cool and grind right into a easy paste.
• Warmth the oil in a clay pot and mood with mustard and fennel seeds and after they splutter, upload the shallots and brown fairly. Upload the tomatoes and sauté until they’re comfortable. Combine in  the spice paste, saute; for two mins, upload the turmeric powder,  tamarind extract and salt, and let the combination simmer for 15 mins until the masala is easily mixed. Upload a cup of water if the gravy is just too thick. 
• Upload the fish items, and gently simmer for approximately 7 mins or until the fish is cooked.
• Upload coriander leaves and take away from warmth, duvet and stay in clay pot until serving time.

(Additionally Learn: Cooking With Bitter Gourd: 3 South Indian Recipes That May Help Boost Your Immunity)

^{Madras fish curry is highly spiced and tangy.}

Sundavecha Meen Curry

Recipe Courtesy:  Harish Rao – Chef and Culinary guide 

Chef Harish’s trails in North Chennai helped him unearth this distinctive recipe that he calls a fishing hamlet curry. It is a standard recipe in spaces like Kasimedu – house to one of the most town’s biggest fishing harbours, and does not use tamarind. This one’s generally made with Sankara Meen or native red snapper. It isn’t abnormal for some locals in those fishing communities to make use of bricks to take away fish scales whilst cleansing the fish. I struggled to search out the English similar for ‘Sundavecha‘ however it refers back to the strategy of lowering a gravy by means of simmering or reheating. It is why it tastes even higher an afternoon after it is cooked. 

For the paste:
 2 tablespoon sesame oil or (gingelly oil)
shallots 150 grams
1/2 cup contemporary shredded coconut

Different substances:
500 grams Mackerel 
2 tablespoon sesame oil 
1/four teaspoon mustard seeds
1/four teaspoon fenugreek seeds
2 sprigs curry leaves
2 onions, sliced
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoon purple chilli powder
three teaspoon coriander powder
three tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to style)

Manner:
 

• Warmth sesame oil in a pan and upload within the shallots and fry until fairly golden.
• Then upload the contemporary shredded coconut and fry on low flame till its golden. Grind to a easy pasting including as much as a cup of water.  Grind the combination to wonderful paste . Put aside.
• Warmth sesame oil in a pan till scorching. Upload within the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Upload within the sliced onions and curry leaves. Sauté until the onions are comfortable.
• Upload within the masala powders Turmeric, Chilli powder and Coriander Powder and sauté on low flame.
• Grind the tomatoes in a small mixer to a paste. Upload it to the pan.
• Fry till the combination is totally dry.
• Upload within the floor shallot-coconut combination. Wash the mixer with part cup of water and upload again to the pan. Upload in an extra cup of water.
• Let it simmer lined for 20 mins on low flame.
• Stir the curry a few times when simmering. After 20 mins, upload within the fish. Quilt the pan once more and cook dinner for 7-Eight mins on low flame. Take away from warmth.
• Let the curry relaxation for a minimum of one hour. The fish Curry style higher if its cooked an afternoon earlier than.
• Serve with rice.