Kerala Fish Fry /Meen varuthathu

Any kind of fish can be used for this recipe .Little fish , big fish , fish with bones , fillets anything you have on hand. It is a very popular side dish that Keralites have with rice. If you cant handle the spices reduce the quantity of chilly powder.



Ingredients:

1. Fresh fish - whole or cut depending on the kind of fish you are using
2. Chilly powder
3. Turmeric powder
4. Salt
5. Vinegar - (optional)
6. Coconut oil/Vegetable oil
7. Curry leaves

Variation - you can also add garlic paste , pepper powder etc but the authentic kerala fish fry does not use any of it.

Method:
Make a semi thick paste of all the powders with salt, vinegar and a bit of water.
If using fish with bones make gashes on the fish and apply the paste.
Let it marinate for 30 minutes to couple of hours.
Shallow fry in coconut oil or vegetable oil with curry leaves.
Try to flip the fish over only 1 time each .
Adding too much oil makes the masala float into it and leaves the fish bland.So just add enough oil to shallow fry.