Close Window Print

Chettinad Fish Stew | South Indian Chettinad Fish Gravy | How to make Chettinad Fish Curry

| nonvegetarian

  • Prep Time 5 Mins
  • Cook Time 25 Mins
  • Servings 5

Ingredients

  • To Marinate Fish
  • 1 tbsp Mirchi Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Pepper Powder
  • Water - a little
  • Salt
  • 1/2 kilo Fish Pieces
  • For Gravy
  • 4 tbsp Oil
  • 1/2 tsp Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 10 Garlic
  • 5 Red Chillies
  • 2 Onions (finely chopped)
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric
  • 2 Sprigs Curry leaves
  • 1/4 cup Raw Coconut
  • 2 tbsp Coriander Powder
  • 2.5 tbsp Mirchi Powder
  • 3 Tomatoes (finely chopped)
  • Tamarind – Lemon sized
  • For the stew
  • 4 tbsp Oil
  • 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
  • 1/4 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
  • 6 Garlic
  • 2 Sprigs Curry Leaves
  • 2 Green Chillies Sliced
  • 10 Small Onions
  • Rock Salt
  • 300 ml Water
  • Green Coriander – Small bunch

Instructions

  1. On a plate, add some Mirchi Powder, Salt, Pepper Powder and some Water and make a paste. Coat the Fish pieces with the paste and let it rest.
  2. Heat Oil in a pan and add Pepper, Cumin Seeds, fennel Seeds, Red Chillies and Garlic and fry well. Then add the chopped Onions, Curry Leaves and Turmeric and cover and cook until Onions soften.
  3. In the Onions, add the Raw Coconut pieces, Coriander Powder, Mirchi Powder, Tomato pieces and Green Coriander and let it cook on medium flame until the Oil comes to the surface.
  4. Once the tomatoes are cooked, add to a mixie jar along with Tamarind juice and make a soft paste with it.
  5. Heat Oil in a pan and add Mustard Seeds and Fenugreek Seeds and let the Mustard Seeds splutter. Then add Fennel Seeds, Cumin, Curry Leaves, Garlic, Green Chillies and the Sambar Onions and fry until golden.
  6. Take the Tomatoes, made into a paste with the Tamarind Water and add Rock Salt, and cook on a low flame until it changes colour and the Oil separates. Then you get thick, tasty Gravy.
  7. Then add 300 ml Water and cook the Gravy on a medium flame for 15 minutes and Oil comes to the surface. Then add the Fish pieces, and Fish Eggs if you have them, cover it and cook on a low flame until Oil separates.
  8. Then add Green Coriander along with stalks, Curry Leaves along with stalks and switch off the stove and leave it untouched for an hour. Then serve the Stew with hot Rice, Chapathi, Dosa or Idly.