Fish curry with Tomatoes / Thakkali itta Meen curry

In the Northern Kerala(Malaber) region tamarind(Valan puli) or Tomatoes are used as souring agent in fish curries. The taste is very different when compared to the Kottayam fish curry which is made with Cocoum/Kudam puli .

Ingredients:

1. Fish - 8 pieces cleaned and rinsed(I used 1 whole Spanish mackeral)
2. Tomatoes - 2 medium large cut into pieces
3. Shallots - 8 chopped (Keep 2 aside for tadka)
4. Green chillies - 4 slit
5. Ginger - 1 inch piece sliced
6. Garlic - 10 cloves chopped
7. Curry leaves - 3 springs
8. Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
9. Chilly powder - 3 tbsp
10. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
11. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
12. Coconut Oil/vegetable oil - 2 tbsp
13. fenugreek seeds/methi - 1/2 tsp
14. mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a clay pot if you have one and splutter the methi seeds.
Add in the shallots ,ginger,garlic and 1 stalk of curry leaf and saute for few minutes until the shallots soften.
Add in the chilly powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder and saute for a minute.
Add in the sliced tomatoes and stir fry until the tomatoes are cooked and starts to fall apart.
Add in half of the slit green chillies and all of the fish pieces and just enough water to form a gravy and cover and cook until the fish is cooked .
Taste for salt and sourness - add vinegar if the tomatoes are not sour enough.
Add in the coconut milk and reduce the flame and cook for another 5 minutes and turn the flame off.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan and splutter the mustard seeds.Add in the sliced shallots and fry until light brown.
Add in remaining slit green chillies and curry leaves and fry for a minute.
Pour this onto the fish curry and keep covered for 15 minutes to let the flavours blend.
This curry goes well with rice or chappathi.