
Ingredients
- 8 dry red chilies
- 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 2 large tomatoes (cut into cubes)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 3 to 4 tablespoons coconut powder
- Coriander (chopped, to taste)
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon paanch phoran seeds
- 10 to 12 curry leaves
- 1 large onion (ground to a paste)
- 2 cups water (hot)
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- Walnut-sized ball of tamarind (soaked in 1/2 cup of hot water)
- 2 pounds/1 kilogram fish (cut into 1-inch thick slices)
- Salt (to taste)
- Coriander (chopped, to taste)
Preparation
- Heat a heavy-bottomed pan on a medium flame and roast the dry red chilies, mustard, and cumin seeds until they begin to release their aroma. Cool and grind to a fine powder.
- Grind the toasted spice powder, tomatoes, turmeric, garam masala, and coconut into a smooth paste. Set aside. Squeeze the soaked tamarind well to remove all the pulp.
- Heat the oil in a wide heavy-bottomed pan and add the paanch phoran and curry leaves. When they stop spluttering, add the onion paste and fry until light brown.
- Put the ginger and garlic pastes and fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the tomato and spice paste and fry until the oil begins to separate from the masala.
- Put 2 cups of hot water and the tamarind pulp to the masala and mix well.
- Bring the gravy to a boil and then simmer.
- Gently add the fish to the gravy and cook until done.
- Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with plain boiled rice.