Malabar Style Fish Masala

A tradional Northern Kerlala (Malabar) fish gravy cooked in banana leaf. Cooking in Banana leaf makes the curry more flavorful and delicious. It tastes awesome and goes well with  rice and other Roti's. Coconut oil gives a nice flavor to all fish recipes than using any other oil.

Ingredients for marinating:

1. Fish- 1/2 kg cut in to big pieces (any fish)
2. Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
3. Chilly powder- 1tsp
4. Pepper powder-1 tsp
5. Salt-to taste
6. Ginger garlic paste- 1tsp
7. Lemon juice-2 tsp
8. Coconut oil-enough for shallow frying

Other ingredients:

1. Cumin seeds- ¼ tsp
2. Fenugreek seeds- ¼ tsp
3. Onion-2 nos (thinly chopped)
4. Ginger chopped-1tbsp
5. Garlic chopped-1tbsp
6. Green chilly-1
7. Tomato-1 big (or 2 small)
8. Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
9. Chilly powder-1tsp
10. Fish masala-1tsp
11. Salt-to taste
12. Curry leaves- 2 springs
13. Thick coconut milk- 1 cup

Preparation:

• Marinate the fish pieces with ingredients under marinating for 30 minutes.
• Shallow fry it for few minutes until both sides are just golden in color. Don’t over fry; then it becomes hard.
• Drain it and keep aside.
• In the remaining coconut oil ; splutter cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds.
• Add onions and sauté until transparent.
• Add ginger, garlic and grteen chillies.
• Sauté until raw smell goes off.
•  Add all the powders (turmeric, chilly, fish masala and salt ) one by one after mixing each addition.
• Add tomato pieces ; sauté until mashed well.
• Add curry leaves and thick coconut milk.
• When it starts boiling switch off the flame.
• Arrage a pot with banana leaf (make sure that the pot is fully covered with the leaf so that no curry goes out)
• Arrange the fish pieces on it and pour the prepared above gravy over it. (The fish pieces must be immersed in the gravy)
• Cook for about 10 minutes or until thickens; switch off the flame.
• Let the curry rest for about 30 minutes.
• Serve warm by heating it again for a minute.