Black Sea Bass Vatti Pattichatu

Fun fact about Sea Bass - Black sea bass are protogynous hermaphrodites meaning they change sex - they first function as females and then as males.Social interaction plays a role in the sexual transformation; the removal of large male fish from a local population may induce one or more of the largest remaining females to change sex and assume the male role.

Image courtsey - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Black_sea_bass.jpg
These fish are no beauty contest winners; but they make up for the looks in the taste department - they are soft textured with light meat and a delicate sweet flavor.This is a Kuttanadan  preparation that tastes best with Fresh mild flavoured fish .Coconut milk is generally not added.It tastes good even without adding the coconut milk.


















Ingredients:

1. Fish - clean,skin and cut into medium pieces(I used 2 whole medium sized black Sea bass),
2. Kudam puli/cocum soaked in water - to taste
3. shallots - 5 sliced
4. Ginger - 1 inch piece chopped
5. Garlic - 10 cloves (leave half of them whole and crush the other half)
6. Dry red chilly - 5 broken in two and seeds removed
7. Green chilies slit in the middle - 5
8. Curry leaves - 2 springs
9. Methi/fenugreek seeds - 1/4'th tsp
10. turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
11. thick Coconut Milk - 1/2 cup
12. Coconut oil - 1 tsp. 
13. Salt - to taste

Method:
Heat oil in a pan - add the methi seeds and when it splutters add in the crushed shallots, ginger,garlic and dry red chilly and the Green chillies and turmeric powder.
Sauté for 5 minutes .
Pour in the Cocum water and add more water as needed to cover fish pieces and bring this to a boil .
Add salt and taste for the balance of salt,spice and sourness.
Add the fish pieces into the boiling curry and cook until the gravy is reduced - there should be some gravy but not too watery.
Add in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer .After you turn off the flame add in the curry leaves and swirl the pan around to get everything combined. Cover and keep for 30 minutes for flavors to blend.