Alleppy Fish curry

Ingredients:

1. Fish - 2 pounds (King fish is best for this preparation ,I have used Pomfret)
2. Shallots - 8
3. Garlic - 1 pod
4. Ginger - 1 inch piece
5. Cocum/Kudam puli - 3 pieces soaked in 1 cup water
6. Curry leaves - 3 springs
7. Kashmiri chilly powder - 3 tbsp(if using spicy chilly powder use less)
8. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
9. turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
10. Coconut oil - 5 tbsp
11. Uluva/Fenugreek/Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp

Method:

Grind together 4 shallots, half of the ginger and garlic along with the chilly, coriander and turmeric powder to a paste and keep aside.

Crush the remaining shallots, ginger and garlic and keep aside.

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and add the methi seeds.

When it splutters add the crushed shallots, ginger and garlic and saute until it is soft .

Add the paste you prepared and add an additional spoon of oil and saute until the raw smell is gone(5 minutes).

Pour in the water and cocum you used to soak it in.

Add 1 more cup of water and bring to a boil.

Add salt to taste and keep the gravy simmering.

Add in the cleaned fish pieces and simmer on medium heat until fish is cooked and the gravy has thickened .

Adjust salt and sourness now- add more cocum if it is not our enough.

Add the curry leaves and turn the flame off.

Pour in the 2 tbsp of coconut oil and keep covered for 20 minutes for the flavors to blend.

Tastes better the next day and if cooked in a manchatty/earthermware pot.