Meen Achar ~ Kerala Style Fish Pickle !

Sometimes food makes you absolutely emotional.While I was drafting this post
I received a comment from Rafeeda on my post Paal Vaazhakka.Which left me
even more emotional.Bloggers and readers like Rafeeda makes it worth an
effort.Thank you so much Rafeeda.My prayers for your grandmother as well.

Todays recipe is something very close to my heart.In more than one decade of
hostel life,I can't count the number of Pickles and pickle jars my Mother has
packed for me.It was like a ritual since my friends too demand it in a big
way.There were even a few of them who used to send gifts for her as a
gratitude of what she had send for them.Being a conventional cook that she
is,she don't like short cuts of any kinds in cooking.Among the pickles she send
me,Fish Pickle and dry mango pickle both were equally acclaimed at all the
places I went.Here I am sharing you the Fish Pickle recipe which today helps me
in many ways.This one is for you MOTHER !


Ingredients

To Marinate and fry

1 kg fish (with bone is my preference.I used red snapper here),cut into small
pieces
1 tbsp kashmiri chilly powder
1.5 tbsp pepper powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1.5 tsp mustard seeds
salt,as required
1-2 tsp vinegar to grind
oil to fry

To pickle

I cup nallenna/gingerly oil
1 tbsp yellow mustard/kadukuparippu
2 pieces of ginger,crushed (2.5 inch)
1/2 cup garlic
2 green chilly,slitted
1 1/4 cup kashmiri chilly powder
3/4 tsp fenugreek powder
1 1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 to 3/4 cup water,boiled & cooled
2 sprig curry leaves
Method

Clean,wash and pat dry the fish pieces.Prepare the marination grinding with
vinegar.Marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.Heat oil (coconut oil will be
good if you want that real authentic taste) and fry the marinated fish till
brown.Keep it aside.
In a heavy bottomed kadai,heat gingerly oil till smoky.Drop the yellow mustard
and allow it to splutter.Reduce the heat.Add crushed ginger, garlic,curry leaves
and green chillies and fry till it change color.Switch off the stove and add the
kashmiri chilly powder slowly mixing with a spoon.Switch on the flame again and
let it remain in low for 2 minutes more.Add fenugreek powder,salt and fried fish
pieces to this mix.Pour in vinegar and water (boiled and cooled).Let this simmer
for 3-4 minutes.Switch off and allow to cool.Shift to air tight jars.Enjoy !

Puli Inji !! (Ginger in tangy tamarind sauce)

Puli Inji can be best described as a sweet and sour ginger preparation.Being a
special member of delightful Kerala Sadya,Puli Inji might be the result of high
end culinary sessions of our ancestors aiming to please the digestive
department.We Keralites just love it for the special flavour it
offers.This enchanting condiment can be kept for a while if prepared with care.

Ingredients
250 gm ginger,peeled and chopped into thin,round pieces
50 gm green chillies,cut into thin round pieces
1/4-1/2 cup tamarind pulp (squeeze lemon sized tamarind in water and strain)
pinch of turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilly powder
4-5 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp jaggery (or to balance the flavour)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaf
salt
Method

Heat oil in a medium skillet and fry the chopped ginger till it's roasted well.Drain it
in a paper towel and crush it for a better flavour. Fry the chopped chillies.Keep it
separately.In another pot heat the tamarind pulp along with turmeric and chilly
powders.Mix it well and boil till it turns thick.Meanwhile heat oil in a small skillet
and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves.Pour this over the thick tamarind
mixture.Add crushed ginger and chilly to this and mix well.Cook in law heat and
add the jaggery slowly checking the flavour.This is to balance the sweet-sour
proportion.Add salt and remove from fire.Serve with rice and curries.


*Sending this Puli Inji to Condiment Mela hosted by Srivalli at Cooking 4 all
Seasons !
completely adore this tomato based curry for many reasons.This is in fact a
preparation best suitable with the fish fillets (the most handy ones for people like
me having the habit of storing fish fillets).Secondly it comes as my savior when I
am too occupied to fix an elaborate dinner.Though Nita Mehta-well,this is her
recipe-calls for freshly made tomato puree for the recipe,I must advise you to go
on with ready-made puree which can bring out the best with color and
texture.But but,plz keep in mind,you have to marinate and shallow fry the fish
before assembling with the spices..Just a bit of planning,an exotic fish curry to
offer with hot chapathis/rotis !



Ingredients

500 gm fish fillet,cut into medium pieces
Oil,as required to shallow fry the fish

Marinade

1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp jeera/cumin powder
2 tbsp lemon juice
salt,as required

For curry

200 gm ready-made tomato puree or 6 medium tomatoes blanched and
pureed
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp garlic paste
1.5 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp corinader powder
1 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp kasoori methi
1 tsp sugar (to adjust the taste)
Salt,as required for the curry
few coriander leaves,to garnish


Method

Clean and wash the fillets and marinate with the mentioned spices in particular
section for 15 minutes.Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry just to make it bit rigid so
that it won't break.Be careful not to make them crisp.In a wide pan heat oil and
roast the garlic paste till light brown.Add tomato puree to this and mix
well.Reduce the heat and add the chilli,coriander,garam masala powders and
kasoori methi to this.Increase the flame and bring it to a boil.Check the
seasoning and adjust with sugar and salt.Slowly add the fried fish pieces and let
it simmer for 5 minutes.Mix carefully and garnish with coriander leaves.Serve hot
with chapathi or roti.