Spicy fish kuzhambu

Have you heard the song ‘Nethu Vacha Meen Kuzhambu Enna Ilukkudamma…’. Ya, I go crazy over this meen kuzhambu. Certainly, it should be a favorite among all sea food lovers and an all time favorite.

It’s so finger licking good. And you just cannot have enough of it.  

And this is how I make it.  

Ingredients

2 fish fillets (I use salmon fish) (cut into medium rectangle pieces)

1 big onion (very thinly sliced)

1 ts mustard seed, ½ ts jeera, ¼ ts fenugreek seed

Few curry leaves

3 ts kuzhambu podi

1 ts tamarind extract

4 tbs sesame oil

To grind

Option 1

1 small onion

3 ts grated coconut

2 red chillies

1 ts jeera

¼ ts turmeric powder

Option 2

6 garlic pods

1 tbs peppercorn
3 ts grated coconut (optional)

Option 3
1 small onion
1 ts fennel seed
1 ts cumin seed
1/2 ts fenugreek seed
3/4 ts peppercorn
3 red chilli, 1 green chilli
3 ts grated coconut (optional)

Grind them to a smooth paste with very little water. (You can also dry roast the ingredients and grind them along.)

Preparation

Cut the fish fillets into medium rectangle pieces. Scrap/ remove the skin if possible. Wash them in running water and set aside.

Heat oil in a big stock pot. Once oil is hot temper it with mustard seed, jeera and fenugreek seed. After they crackle, add the thinly sliced onions and fry until they turn brownish. Reserve a little of those onions for final garnishing. Add curry leaves and allow them to splutter. Now add the kuzhambu podi, tamarind extract, enough salt and 4 cups of water. Mix everything well without any lumps. Allow the mixture to boil. Now add your choice of the ground paste. Mix well. Reduce the flame to a medium and let the mixture keep boiling. When the kuzhambu is half done, add the washed fish pieces. Mix gently. Allow the mixture to boil further. Occasionally, mix the contents gently. Be careful while mixing, lest the fish doesn't break. At a certain point, the kuzhambu will no more thicken and may give the sound of spluttering water. At that stage, oil would also have separated and your kuzhambu should be ready.  Finally garnish with some fried onions. Add more oil if needed.

Enjoy this delicious fish kuzhambu with fish fry/ any egg preparation and some papad!