Mum's Fish Curry

I love grinding my spices whenever I want to make Indian curries. Even though I have an electric grinder,  once in a while I like to cook  the old fashioned way like my mom.  My mom grinds her spices on a flat granite stone with a cylindrical roller. Her fish curry takes a while to prepare but the results are rewarding.  She uses clay pots to cook her numerous curries. Clay pots brings out the spicy and seductive terrene flavors of the masala while  eliminating the unsavory taste from metallic cookware.  Since I do not own an Indian clay pot, I am using my stainless steel cookware to make this Fish Curry.
Fish curry tastes better after allowing it to sit for hours before eating. 

Ingredients:
1 lb of white fish like bass, mackerel ( cut into 1/2 inch slices)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp of salt

Wash fish well, pat dry and marinate fish slices with turmeric, red chili powder and salt.



Masala Paste:
2 Tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp black peppercorn
1/2 cup grated coconut 20 dried chilies (split, seeds removed and boiled in hot water)

Dry roast the coriander, cumin, fennel and the black peppercorn and grind them finely and set aside. Also grind the chili to a fine paste.

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

1 teaspoon mustard seeds
Shallots 4, slice finely
Tomato 2 small ones
Garlic cloves 10 (cut in half)
Ginger 1" minced
Curry Leaves 1 stalk
Green Chilies 3 (split into ha)
tamarind 1 Tbsp (soak in 3 to 4 Tbsp of water to get the juice)

Put some oil in a pot and crackle mustard and fenugreek seeds. Add the sliced onions, garlic, ginger, curry leaves and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add a teaspoon of salt. Add the red chili paste and cook until the fresh chili paste smell has disappeared. Add a cup of water and the tamarind juice and cook until the garlic is cooked. Add green chilies and the ground masala . Add water if sauce is thick.

Let it come to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the fish gently to the sauce and simmer the curry on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Do not overcook the fish. Adjust the sourness and the salt.


Remove from heat. Serve with rice, idli, dosa or rotis.