Viral Meen Kuzhambu | Madurai Meen Kuzhambu | Manga Meen Kuzhambu | Raw Mango Fish Curry

Viral Meen Kuzhambu | Madurai Meen Kuzhambu | Manga Meen Kuzhambu | Raw Mango Fish Curry is a tangy, spicy gravy and a specialty of South Indian cuisine. It’s my childhood favourite which brings back so many memorable events. We all would stand around my grandma to see the live fish. It was fun seeing the fish jumping here and there in the backyard. My Grandma was an expert in making this curry as it was my grandpa’s favorite. She used to take extra care while preparing this fish curry.

The specialty of this fish curry lies with the “viral meen” which is known as Butter Fish |  Murrel in English. This fish is a fresh water fish and will impart special aroma and flavour to this curry. Making of viral meen kuzhambu happens to be a long project due to the cleaning process of this fish. This fish is available live in the fish markets and the fish vendors will simply cut the fish into pieces, as he does for other fishes. But there’s still more work to do! This fish has to be rubbed on a hard stone so that the coating on the fish’s skin can be removed. Otherwise it becomes gel-like. Nowadays online fish stores are  delivering cleaned murrel which makes our cooking very easy.

Basically I like fish fry rather than fish pieces in gravy but this viral meen is an exception. Try this and you’ll realize what I’m saying is 100% true.

I’ve already posted the recipe for meen kuzhambu in Chettinad Style – Manchatti Meen Kuzhambu. So, today, I’ve prepared this gravy in Madurai style.

Here we go with the recipe!

Ingredients:

• Murrel (Viral Meen) - 1/2 kg
• Shallots (small onion) - 10 Nos
• Garlic – 5 pods
• Green chillies - 2 Nos
• Tomato - 1 No.
• Raw mango – 2 pieces
• Tamarind - lemon size
• Chilli powder - 2 tsp.
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chopped coriander leaves - 1 tbs
• Salt to taste

To grind:

• Shallots – 5 Nos
• Garlic – 5 pods
• Grated coconut - 2 tbs
• Fennel – ½ tsp
• Peppercorns – ½ tsp

For seasoning:

• Gingelly oil - 2 tbs
• Mustard - 1 tsp
• Fenugreek - ½ teaspoon
• Fennel seeds – ½ tsp
• Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Wash and thoroughly clean the fish, using salt and turmeric powder.
2. Soak the tamarind in a cup of water.
3. Chop onion and tomato finely.
4. Heat oil in a manchatti (clay pot) on the stove, add mustard, fenugreek and fennel seeds  one by one. After it splutters, add the shallots, garlic, slit green chillies.
5. Add a tomato and sauté well till the tomato gets mashed.
6. Add the tamarind pulp and continue adding chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and crystalline salt.
7. Stir well and cover  with a lid. Let it boil for about 5 minutes till the raw smell of masala is gone.
8. In the mean time, fry shallots and garlic in little oil and grind with other ingredients given "for grinding" by adding little water into a fine paste.
9. When the gravy thickens, add mango pieces and allow it to cook for about 2 minutes.
10. Then add the fish pieces and cover the manchatti again till the fish pieces get cooked.
11. After the fish pieces get cooked, add the ground paste and chopped coriander. Let it boil for 5 minutes. Simmer for 2 minutes.
12. Take the manchatti off the stove and leave the kuzhambu in manchatti atleast for half an hour before serving, as it will add a unique flavor to the meen kuzhambu.

Your tasty, tangy, flavourful Viral Meen Kuzhambu in Madurai Meen Kuzhambu style is ready to enjoy with hot, steamed rice. I have served this fish curry with Viral meen fry and it tasted yummm..

Note:

• You can increase or decrease the quantity of tamarind depending on the sourness of raw mango.
• The above fish curry can be made with other fish varieties too.

Tags: Viral meen kuzhambu, Madurai Viral meen Kuzhambu recipe, Fish Curry recipe, Manga meen kuzhambu recipe, Raw mango fish curry recipe, Mammidikaya chepadu pulusu, Murrel fish curry recipe, Butter fish curry, Manga meen kuzhambu in Madurai style, Seafood recipes, Fish curry varieties, South Indian Fish Curry recipe, Tangy viran meen kuzhambu recipe.

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Chettinad Crab Masala | Chettinadu Nandu Masala | செட்டிநாடு நண்டு மசாலா | Nandu Pepper Masala

Chettinad Crab Masala | Chettinadu Nandu Masala | செட்டிநாடு நண்டு மசாலா | Nandu Pepper Masala is a peppery gravy and is very good for those suffering from cold. This spicy gravy can be served with steamed rice, idli or dosa. Ofcourse, eating a crab with its shell needs some skills and those with experience can win the show. But if you haven’t eaten crabs this way before, you need not  panic on seeing the hard shells as it will be easy to break. The yummy flesh inside is worth all the trouble. Whenever we eat  non-vegetarian dishes, we feel full for the entire day but crab dishes will increase our metabolic fire and so, we feel hungry after an hour. 

Usually crabs will be fleshier during no moon day and it is good to plan for this recipe during that period. Very interesting gravy, every crab lover should try out this recipe!

Here we go for the recipe.

Ingredients:

• Crab – ½ Kg
• Big onion (finely chopped) – 1 No.
• Tomato (finely chopped) – 2 to 3 Nos
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Salt to taste

To grind:

• Coconut – ½ cup
• Green chillies – 2 to 3 Nos
• Pepper – 1 tbsp
• Garlic – 15 pods
• Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
• Khus khus – 1 tsp

For seasoning:

• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Cinnamon – 1” stick
• Kal paasi – small piece
• Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves – few

Method:

1. Clean crab by removing the shell and wash it thoroughly in running water. Cut in halves or quarters depending on the size of the crab.
2. Grind all the ingredients given under “To grind” by adding little water, into a thick paste.
3. In a wide bottomed kadai, pour oil and season with the ingredients given “For seasoning”.
4. Add onion and fry till it becomes golden brown colour. Then add tomatoes and sauté until they get mashed well.
5. Now add the ground masala and sauté for 2 minutes, then add crab and sauté until the masala gets coated well over the crab. Add turmeric powder, salt and a cup of water. Close it with a lid and cook until done by stirring in between. It will take 15 to 20 minutes to cook.

The spicy, peppery crab masala | chettinad Crab Masala is ready to eat! Today I have prepared Nandu Masala with Koduva Meen Fry and had a great lunch today!

Note:

• The quantity of chillies added should be decided based on one’s spice level and also the spiciness of the chillies.

To view Chettinad Crab Masala recipe in Tamil, click http://ranisarusuvai.blogspot.in/2014/06/blog-post.html

Tags: Nandu masala recipe, Chettinadu style nandu masala, crab masala recipe, how to prepare crab masala in Chettinad style?, nandu pepper masala, crab pepper gravy, peppery crab masala

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Pomfret Fry | Chettinad Style Pomfret Fish Fry | Avoli Pollichathu

Pomfret Fish Fry | Vaaval Meen Fry | Avoli Pollichathu is an all time favourite for everyone at home. As Pomfret fish is versatile, we can add any masala we like and the fish fry will turn out accordingly. Normally in restaurants, I didn’t taste  any variations in fish fry masala except at GRT Grand where they prepared excellent  Pomfret fry.

In Tamil pomfret is known as “Vaaval Meen” and in Malayalam, “Avoli”. There are many varieties available in the market. I usually buy  silver pomfret or  white pomfret. Black pomfrets are also available.

Here I have used Chettinad Masala for frying the fish and I have no words to say, the fry turned out juicy with the full aroma of masala. So I wanted to share this recipe to everyone.

Ingredients:

• Pomfret fish – 500 gms
• Red chilli powder – 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
• Tamarind juice (thick) – 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice – 1 tsp
• Salt to tatse
• Oil – to shallow fry

To grind:

• Garlic – 10 pods
• Pepper  – 1 tsp
• Fennel – ½ tsp

Method:

1. Select pomfret  fish,  each of which weighs about 200 to 250 gms. Cut the tail and fins. Make a small slit at the side and carefully remove the intestine and other wastes without affecting the shape of the fish. Clean the fish using water with turmeric and curd. Make 2 to 3 slits on the both sides of the fish.
2. Grind the ingredients given under “To grind” to a smooth paste by adding few drops of water.
3. In a plate, transfer the ground paste and mix with red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, tamarind juice and lemon juice and make a thick paste.
4. Apply this masala paste on the fish concentrating on the slits . This will help the masala to get absorbed into the fish. Marinate in the refrigerator for an hour.
5. In a non stick pan, add required oil for shallow frying the fish and heat.
6. When the oil is hot, fry the fish in simmer for about 5 minutes. Then carefully flip the fish to other side and cook for 5 minutes. Repeat again with both sides.

Your hot, spicy Pomfret Fry is ready to serve. This can be served as a side dish for hot steaming rice along with "Manchatti Meen Kuzhambu"!

Note:

• Care should be taken while cutting the fish so that the shape of the fish gets retained.
• Also, while cooking, the fish has to be flipped carefully without getting broken.

Tags: Pomfret Fish Fry  recipe, Chettinad style fish fry recipe, Restaurant style pomfret fry recipe, whole pomfret fish fry, stuffed pomfret fish fry, vaaval meen fry, Avoli Porichadhu, Masala Pomfert Fry, Fried pomfret recipe, How to fry whole pomfret fish?, easy pomfret fry recipe, chettinad fish fry recipe, Pomfret fish fry in Chettinad style, Chettinad style pomfret fry recipe

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Simple Vanjaram Fish Fry (Seer Fish Fry)

Preparation time :10 minutes     

Cooking time : 10 minutes

Serves 2 

Difficulty :  Easy

           Vanjaram fish is always good for making fry than kuzhambu. There are many methods i.e masala for frying fish and each masala adds unique flavor and taste to fish fry. This is a very simple masala and made in a jiffy but it will not compromise on taste.

Ingredients:

• Vanjaram or Seer Fish             - 4 pieces (sliced)
• Red chilli powder        - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder         - 1 tsp
• Lemon juice                 - 1 tsp
• Salt as required
• Oil for shallow frying

Method:

            Wash fish thoroughly , then marinate the fish pieces with red chilli powder, Turmeric powder, lemon juice and salt for minimum 30 minutes. Then pour oil in a flat bottomed pan, after oil gets heated, place the marinated pieces  and shallow fry on both sides. Tasty fish fry is ready!

            This can be served with hot steaming rice with Manchatti Meen Kuzhambu (Fish Gravy), sambar, rasam, paruppu sadam(dhal rice),  keerai sadam etc.

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Manchatti Meen Kuzhambu/ Fish Gravy/ Fish Kuzhambu

Meen Kuzhambu is a spicy, tangy gravy prepared with fish. This recipe is given for making meen kuzhambu using Chettinad Masala and the dish is prepared using Man Chatti i.e. a dish made with clay. I have used Vanjaram fish and hence it can also be called Vanjaram Meen Kuzhambu.

Ingredients:

* Seer fish (Vanjaram) - 1/4 kg
* Shallots (small onion) - 10 no.s
* Garlic - 5 cloves
* Green chillies - 2 no.s
* Tomato - 1 no.
* Tamarind - lemon size
* Chilli powder - 2 tsp.
* Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
* Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
* Grated coconut - 2 tablespoons
* Fennel - 1 teaspoon
* Gingelly oil - 2 tablespoons
* Curry leaves - few
* Chopped coriander leaves - 1 tablespoon
* Salt to taste
For tempering:
* Mustard - 1 teaspoon
* Fenugreek - 1/2 teaspoon

Method:

Wash and thoroughly clean the fish, using salt and turmeric powder. Slice it. Soak the tamarind in a cup of water. Chop onion and tomato finely. Put a manchatti on the stove, pour oil, add mustard and fenugreek one by one. After it splutters, add the shallots, garlic, slit green chillies. Add a tomato and sauté well till the tomato gets mashed. Add the tamarind pulp and continue adding chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and crystalline salt (kalluppu). Stir well and cover the manchatti with a lid. Let it boil for about 5 minutes till the raw smell of masala is gone. Add the fish pieces and cover the manchatti again till the fish pieces get cooked. In the mean time, blend coconut and fennel to create a fine paste. After the fish pieces get cooked, add this paste and chopped coriander. Let it boil for 5 minutes. Simmer for 2 minutes.

 Take the manchatti off the stove and leave the kuzhambu in manchatti atleast for half an hour before serving, which will add a unique flavor to the meen kuzhambu.

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