Jan 8, 2015

Kerala Fish Fry (Meen Varuthath)/ Pan Fried Fish



Keralites can always be proud of there fish curries and fries, just like Hyderabadis can be proud of their mutton and beef and Madrasis for their vegetarian food . Simple, easy and delicious. I have not enjoyed having fish in any other states as much as in Kerala.






When Ammi buys fish, she cleans the fish and she divides into 3- a part of it goes for the next day as fish curry, a part it goes marinated into the freezer(this is for emergency) and the final part for fish fry for the very next meal. Fish fry tastes the best when its fresh. My biggest question for Ammi about fish fry was how to get the masala(a blend of spices) stick to the fish. She asked me to add a little plain flour or cornflour to the masala and see the difference. My aunt makes beautiful fish fry too. She told me once if you are frying fish in a big quantity add one egg yolk to the masala. But since its only my husband and I at home we don't fry lot of fish. So we stick to the 'flour plan' more than the 'egg plan'.



Ingredients:

500g King Fish (3-4 thick fillets)
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Salt
Garlic 3 cloves
Ginger 1/4 inch
Ground pepper 1.5 heaped tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder 3 heaped tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Plain flour 1 tsp
A spring curry leaves
Oil of your choice(Coconut oil is the best)


Method:



Clean the fish with water, pat it dry and apply lemon juice on the fish fillet, If you dont like the skin of the fish you can ask your fish fella to remove the skin for you.

Grind ginger, garlic and salt( I used coarse salt).  I did this job with a mortar and pestle.






Add chili powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder and plain flour. Mix well. 



Marinate the fish for at least 30 mins. If you are marinating for a longer time, keep the fish in the fridge. I used my fingers since the masala was thick. No tool is as good as your hands, you see.
After the marination time is done, heat oil in a pan for shallow frying. Put a sprig of curry leaves for the oil to be infused with a nice flavor. Push the curry curry leaves away from the center of the pan. We don't want the curry leaves to stick to the fish. We only want the flavor. Carefully keep a fillet of fish on the pan. Can you hear the sizzle? I love that sizzling sound in a kitchen!




Fry the fish on each side for 3 minutes on medium heat on each side. I like my fish to the dark and super fried so I put the heat on high.

Serve with sliced onions and a lemon wedge. The lemon juice on the fish just makes the fish taste so fresh.



Writing about you know I am thinking, would it have made a difference if I had added a teaspoon of fish masala powder to the masala I made??

Happy Cooking!



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