Fish Puli Mulaku – A Kerala fish preparation

Fish Puli Mulaku – A Kerala fish preparation

Whenever I decide to visit home, the first thing I am required to do is- give Amma a heads up (at least 2 weeks prior to my visit), because then she would decide- based on my likes what would be the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner and send a WhatsApp text message to me.  Once I confirm she will start preparing for it; as in arrange the produce- she will ensure to get the best produce from the market and frankly, every day at home is like a 5-star Thattu Kadai. One such lunch-combo has to do with Boiled Rice, Dal and this dish with some Papadum– I can never get bored of it.

Ingredients

• Fish, preferably King Fish, Mackerel or Sardines. 5-6 pieces
• Red Onion julienne using 1-medium sized Onion
• Tomato 1-medium sized, diced
• ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Chilli Powder (increase the quantity if you want it spicy)
• ¼ tsp Methi seeds
• 1 inch-sized ball of Malabar Tamarind or Kudampuli ***
• 2 sticks of curry leaves
• Coconut Oil
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp of sugar

Preparation

• Pour the coconut oil into a shallow frying pan (preferable)
• Once the oil is hot, throw in the Methi seeds and sauté for a while.
• Add the Red Onion julienne and sauté for a few mins.
• Add the tomatoes and sauté until cooked soft.
• Add turmeric powder, chilli powder (in this recipe the level of heat is 1/5) and put the tamarind pulp, let it cook for a while.
• Add the salt and the sugar.
• After 5-10 mins add the fish, along with it add the two sticks of curry leaves.
• Cook till the fish is done.

*** Place the tamarind in water and squash until you get a pulp.