Kallumekaya Meen Achar

The intention was to make Kallumekaya Pickle....but ended up being a mixed seafood pickle .The weather outside was perfect, I had plenty of garlic sitting in my pantry and there was a huge 4 pound Blue fish stuck in my Freezer for a while now the excuse being it was too cold outside to fry fish on the deck.I had never had, heard about or made a mixed seafood pickle before. I was very tempted to add prawns to the mix as well but the thought of cleaning them on such a beautiful day was too much.

Measurements are just a guideline, if you like more garlic you can add more or leave it out if you prefer. Chilly powder can be adjusted to your spice level.This pickle can be had as soon as it is made , it does not have to sit for weeks like most vegetable pickles.

Ingredients:

1. Mussles/Kallumekaya - 1.5 lb(meat) cleaned washed and drained
2. Fish - 3 lb cut into small 1 inch cubes
3. Garlic - 5 pods peeled and sliced in 2 if cloves are big
4. Ginger - 3 inch piece chopped
5. Green chillies - 12 chopped
6. Curry leaves - 3 springs
7. Chilly powder - 3 heaped tsp + 1.5 tsp to marinate
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Mustard seeds - 1.5 tsp
10. Vinegar - 2 cups (use according to taste)
11. salt - to taste
12. Oil - 1 cup (as needed to fry the mussles and fish)

Method:

Marinate the fish in a mixture of 1 tsp chilly powder, a bit of turmeric powder and salt and keep aside.
Marinate the mussels in a mixture of 1/2 tsp chilly powder, a bit of turmeric powder and salt and keep aside.
Heat enough oil to fry the mussels and fish and fry them separately in batches until crisp and keep aside.
Save the oil in which you fried the fish.
Heat 1 tsp fresh oil in a large frying pan and add mustard seeds ,when it splutters pour in the oil that you used to fry the fish in.
Add the ginger,garlic and green chillies and saute until just a little soft.
lower the flame and add in chilly powder and turmeric powder and saute.
Add the fried fish and mussels and mix well.
Add 1/2 of the vinegar vinegar and 1/2 cup boiled water and bring to a simmer and then turn off the flame.
Adjust salt and vinegar according to taste.
You can really tell if the taste balances only after a day after the pickle pieces absorb the masala.