Try out this simple recipe of spicy and flavourful Kerala style fish pickle which goes well with rice and even roti or naan.
Ingredients
450 gm fish
Pinch of turmeric powder
Salt as required
Sesame oil as required
For the masala
¼ tsp turmeric powder
50 gm dried chillies (deseeded)
1 tbsp cumin
110 gm raisins (deseeded)
2 tbsp khus khus or poppy seeds (lightly roasted)
Vinegar as required
2 bulbs garlic
6 inch piece of ginger
20 gm green chillies (chopped)
A lemon sized ball of tamarind
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp mustard seeds
Preparation
Clean the fish pieces
Marinate the fish pieces with turmeric powder and salt and fry until golden brown
Into a blender add turmeric powder, dried chillies, cumin, raisin, khus khus, and vinegar
Grind into a fine masala paste
Peel the garlic and crush half of it. Finely chop the rest of the garlic
Crush half of the ginger and finely chop the rest of it
Heat oil in an earthen vessel
Add the previously prepared masala and crushed ginger and garlic
Sauté well
Soak the tamarind in vinegar
Into the sautéed masala add the tamarind soaked vinegar, salt and sugar
All the mixture to boil
Add the finely chopped ginger and garlic, green chillies and mustard seeds
Cook for 10 minutes on low flame
When the mixture is cooked take it off the flame
Add the fried fish pieces when the masala mixture cools down
Mix everything well together.
Note: Use a wooden spoon while sautéing the mixture.
