Malli-Mulaku aracha meen (fish) curry

For lunch back home in Kerala, mostly we have fish curry and rice. At my in-laws place it is very compulsory to have fish curry for lunch and even dinner. So the first thing at the kitchen at my in-laws place would be reheating the left over fish curry which are always made in the earthen pots or making preparations for new fish curry. I have never seen my mom-n-law keeping the leftover fish curry in the refrigerator. The last thing that she does at night and the first thing in the morning would be reheating the curry in the chatti. I always feel that the fish curry is at its best when prepared in the earthen pots and I have managed to bring these curry chattis here in US and always prepare the fish curries in it. There is something special in it. In central Kerala where I belong to, fish curry is popularly prepared with coconut, but this one that I prepared is without coconut usually good with big fish. Today I prepared the curry with fresh monk fish which is a mild flavored fish that I tired which came out well. This curry is equally good with marlin and mahi-mahi pieces. In Kerala we mostly prepare with king fish and other bigger fish.

Cleaned fish pieces – 1 lb
Chilly powder – 1 tbsp
Coriander powder – 2 tbsp
Turmeric – ½ tsp
Fennel powder – 1 tsp
Onion – 1/4th of a big one (If you have small onions/shallots – may be 3-4)
Green chilly -2
Curry leaves
Oil – 2-3 tbsp
Kudam Puli (Gamboge) – 1-2 small pieces soaked in water
Fenugreek seeds – ½ tsp
In a small frying pan, dry roast the red chilly powder and coriander powder. Make sure it doesn’t burn. Grind the onions and the roasted powder with a little water to fine paste. Season the oil with fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Add the onion/red chill/coriander powder paste and fry for sometime till the oil separates. Add turmeric and fennel powder and the cleaned fish pieces with kudam puli, salt and some water (1 cup) and let the fish cook and oil comes on top. Tastes best with rice.