Meen Kuzhambu
Spicy fish curry with kudampuli (Malabar tamarind) unique to Kanyakumari. Kerala-influenced Tamil coastal recipe.
Ingredients
Garnish
- Coriander Leaves (optional) (garnish) — 2 tbsp (chopped)
Main
- Red Chilli Powder (Lal Mirch) — 1 tsp (ground)
- coriander powder — 1 tsp (ground)
- Tamarind — 100 g (whole)
- Garlic — 1 tsp (ground)
- onion — 2 piece (chopped)
- Turmeric Powder — 0.5 tsp (ground)
- Ginger — 1 tsp (ground)
- Tomato — 2 piece (chopped)
- fish — 100 g (chopped)
- salt (optional) (whole)
Tempering
- Mustard Seeds (Black) — 1 tsp (whole)
- Curry Leaves — 8 piece (ground)
- Coconut Oil — 2 tbsp (whole)
- Urad Dal — 1 tsp (whole)
Method
- Soak the tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes, then squeeze and strain to get a thick tamarind extract, discarding the fibrous pulp.
- Heat the coconut oil in a clay pot or heavy pan, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- Add the urad dal and fry until it turns light golden.
- Add the curry leaves and let them crackle for a few seconds.
- Add the chopped onion and saute until soft and light golden.
- Add the ginger and garlic and saute for a minute until the raw smell disappears.
- Add the chopped tomato and cook until it turns completely soft and mushy.
- Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder, and cook the masala for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the tamarind extract along with enough water to make a thin gravy, and bring it to a boil.
- Simmer for 3 minutes until the raw tamarind smell mellows and the gravy thickens slightly.
- Gently slide in the fish pieces and simmer without stirring vigorously for 8 minutes until the fish is just cooked through.
- Season with salt to taste, garnish with coriander leaves, and let the curry rest for a few minutes before serving.
Common questions
- What is மீன் குழம்பு in English?
- மீன் குழம்பு is written Meen Kuzhambu in English.
- How many calories in one plate of Meen Kuzhambu?
- 104 kcal per plate.
- How much cooking time?
- 45 min — 20 min prep, 25 min cooking.