Meen Pollichethe

Have been meaning to try meen pollichethe since some time but always thought it was an arduous recipe. But since I had some frozen fish fillets, thought it was the best time to experiment. These fillets come very clean and without any odor. Meen pollichethe ideally needs banana leaves but I had to be satisfied with aluminium foil. Next time I see banana leaves in the market, I am going to grab one only to try this recipe. The popular choice of fish for this recipe is Pearl Fish (Karimeen).

Ingredients

1. Fish - 1/2 kg one can either cut it into small piece or leave the fillets as thus

Lightly coat the fish with 1/2 tspn each of powdered red chilly plus black pepper and 1/4 tspn of turmeric powder along with salt and leave it in the fridge for minimum 30 minutes. Fry this lightly in coconut oil.

For the masala

2. Onion - 1 or shallots 1/2 cup (thinly sliced) I prefer shallots
3. Ginger - 1 tbspn sliced
4. Garlic - 1 tnspn sliced
5. Green chilly - 2 or 3 number sliced
6. Chilly powder - 1 tspn
7. Coriander powder - 1 tspn
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn
9. Lemon juice - 1/2 lemon
10. Curry leaves - a few
12. Tomato - 1 number cut into small piece
11. Coconut powder - 1 or 2 tbspn (or thick coconut milk 1/4 cup)

Method

Saute Ginger, garlic and green chilly in coconut oil until the raw smell leaves and add the onions. Fry it until the onion becomes soft. Add the powders and then add the tomato. Saute it until tomato becomes soft. Now add the coconut powder. It should be a semi solid masala. Spread half of the masala on the leaf or foil and place the fish above it. Cover the fish with the rest of the masala. Close it well and bake it for 20 minutes. I used my air fryer this time. (160 degrees). After I took it out I also placed it on a pan and let it sizzle for sometime while I placed a heavier pan on top.
The result was good. Had it with boiled tapioca.

I modified the recipe from here.

 

Fish Molly(Molee)

Realized that I am yet to write down the recipe of fish molly. This is my mother's recipe. I am sure another home has another version but this one is easy and is tasty too. Getting a recipe from my mother is not easy since she has not written anything down. It is all in her mind and her hand. The best way would be to see her in action but that is difficult these days since she seldom cooks and moreover her health does not permit too :(

These days when I ask her for a recipe, I would need to prompt her with the ingredients too and hence am not sure if she has left out any ingredients in this recipe. But it tastes as good as hers, so I think not.

I think Fish Molly is Fish Mappas in other places but definitely not this Mappas from BBC food :)
This one from NDTV would be more like it.

Pearl Spot (Karimeen) is the best choice for this curry but any other firm fish will do. I had some Kingfish (Neymeen) and used it this time.


Ingredients

1. Fish - 1/2 Kg (washed well with lemon juice or vinegar)

One can either put this into the gravy directly or lightly fry the fish before putting into the gravy. For frying, coat the fish with a mixture of red chilly powder, turmeric and salt. I used the fish that I had already coated for frying and it turned out fine but it is better if the fish is not coated as thickly as we do it for frying.

2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tspn crushed
3. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tspn crushed
4. Chopped Ginger - 1 tbspn
5. Sliced Garlic - 1 tbspn
6. Sliced green chillies - as much as your taste allows since this is what will give the heat
7. Curry Leaves - a bunch
8. Onions sliced diagonally - 2 nos
9. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tspn
10. Coconut milk - 2 cup(light) plus 1/2 cup(thick) adjust water accordingly if too thick
11. Vinegar - 1 tbspn

Method

Saute the onion in oil (preferably coconut oil) along with mustard, cumin and turmeric powder. Once the onion is soft, add the rest of the ingredients except coconut milk. Saute it until the raw smell goes. Add the thin coconut milk and once it boils, add the fish. Cover it until the fish is cooked. (10 minutes) Now add the thick coconut milk and vinegar, give the vessel a gentle swish ensuring you don't break the fish and switch off the flame.

Fish molly is ready!