Vanjikaaran meen curry: A delicious fish curry with freshwater fish

Ever heard of the amazing boatman's fish curry aka vanjikaaran meen curry made of the freshwater fishes bral or catla? According to food experts, it is named so as it was the variety of fish curry that was made by boatmen while they were on the way to work. It has a rich, traditional taste that can feel like a five-star dish, at a time when many of our age-old preparations are reappearing in their augmented avatars on exotic menus. Here's how you can prepare it. It tastes best with tapioca or rice.

Ingredients
80 ml coconut oil
3 gms mustard seeds
2 gms fenugreek seeds
5 gms crushed garlic
5 gms crushed ginger
15 gms sliced shallots
20 gms coconut slices
10 gms green chillies
5 gms crushed black pepper
12 gms Kashmiri chilli powder
2 gms turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Water as required
2 pieces Kokum
250 gms fish cubes
3 gms curry leaves

Preparation
Heat coconut oil in a pan
Temper mustard seeds and fenugreek
Add ginger, garlic, curry leaves, green chilly, coconut slice, shallots and salt
Sauté until it turns transparent and add all the seasonings
Add some water and kokum and allow it to boil
Add the fish cubes and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes
Turn off the flame and enjoy with Kerala rice or tapioca