Kantari Fish Fillet in Coconut Milk

Finally, I got to recreate this fish recipe that we had as a starter from a popular Indian restaurant here in Kuwait. Of course, I had to scrounge around the net to find something similar. Since they used frozen fish fillets and it still tasted fine, I used the same too. I am sure fresh fish like king fish will taste even better. Ideally it should be kanthari chilly or bird's eye chilly, but I had only normal green Indian chillies. 

Internet says the following: Delivering an upper mid-level heat, Kanthari Chilli brings a balanced spiciness to dishes without overwhelming the palate. It offers a satisfying kick that enhances the overall flavour without overshadowing other ingredients. It ranges around 100,000 to 225,000 SHU on the Scoville scale. 

 Kantari Fish Fillet in Coconut Milk 

🧄 Ingredients:

• 500g fish fillets (any firm white fish)

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 sprig curry leaves or coriander leaves

• 4 small onion(pearl onions), chopped fine

• 1-inch ginger, chopped fine

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped fine

• 3 Kanthari chillies chopped fine - I used 2 green chillies (adjust to taste)

• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

• 1 tsp red chili flakes (or to taste)

• Salt to taste

• 1½ cups thick coconut milk (2 or more Tbsp. coconut powder for 1 cup milk)

• Few more fresh curry leaves for garnish

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👨‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Prep the Fish:

   • Rinse the fish fillets, pat dry, and set aside. No marination needed.

2. Cook the Base:

   • Heat coconut oil in a clay pot or pan.

   • First sauté the garlic for a few seconds and then the onion, ginger and green chili.

   • Sauté on medium heat until onions turn soft and translucent.

3. Add Spices:

   • Sprinkle in turmeric and chili flakes.

   • Stir gently for 30 seconds, allowing spices to bloom.

4. Add Coconut Milk:

   • Pour in the coconut milk.

   • Add salt.

   • Bring it to a gentle simmer.

   • Add the fish fillets carefully.

   • Simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, until the fish is fully cooked and flaky.

   • Check salt.

5. Finish the Curry:

   • Remove the fish fillets and let the sauce thicken. Add the curry leaves or coriander leaves towards the end.

   • Pour the sauce over the fish fillets 

   • Optional: squeeze in lime juice for a fresh tang.

6. Garnish and Serve:

   • Drizzle with a little extra coconut oil and fresh curry leaves.

   • Let sit 5 minutes before serving to deepen flavor.

Prawns and Mango curry

This is a Trishur styled curry which can be made with vegetables like green banana too. Even fish can be prepared thus and one can substitute konkum( kudampuli) for mango.

Prawns and Mango Curry

Ingredients

1- Green Mango - 1/2 cup or more as per the sourness
2- Prawns - 250 gm or more if available
3- Ginger(sliced) - 1 tblspn
4- Onion big(thinly sliced) - 2 medium
5- Small onions (thinly sliced) - 10 numbers (if you prefer this you can add more and reduce big onions)
6- Turmeric powder - 3/4 tspn
7- Coriander pdr - 3 tspn
8- Chilly powder - 2 tspn
9- Green chilly - 4 nos sliced
10 - Vinegar - 1 tspn
11- Curry leaves - a bunch
12- Salt - as required
13- Coconut milk thin - 2 cup
14- Coconut milk thick - 1/2 cup

15 - Small onions + Mustard + curry leaves for tadka

Method

Take the vessel that you are going to use to cook this curry and place ingredients 3-12. Mix it well with your hands for sometime until the onions are soft. Now add the thin coconut milk and let the mixture boil. Once it boils, add the mangoes and prawn. Once both prawns and mangoes are cooked, reduce the flame and add the thick coconut milk. Switch off the flame before it boils. Now make the tadka and add it to the hot curry.

Enjoy with rice. It is a very tasty dish. You can omit the prawns and still have a great mango curry.

Tinned Tuna Fish curry

Sometimes when I crave for fish curry, there would be no fish and that is when I use tinned tuna. The taste may slightly differ but it is still good enough..


Tinned Tuna Fish Curry


Ingredients

1- Tinned Tuna - 2 tins (165 gm)

2. Minced ginger - 1 tspn

3. Sliced Garlic - 6 cloves

4. Sliced small onions - 3 nos.

5. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tspn

6. Curry leaves - a bunch

7. Chilly powder - 2 or 3 tspn (adjust as per your taste, I add even more)

8. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tspn

9. Fenugreek powder - 1/4 tspn

10. Kudampuly (Gambooge) - 1 nos

Method

Heat a tablespoon of oil and sputter the mustard seeds. Add the sliced onion and saute until almost brown and then add ginger and garlic. Let is cook for a while until the raw smell leaves. Now add the powders along with a little water. Fry it until oil separates. Add a cup of water along with the kudumpully, curry leaves and salt. When the water boils add the tinned tuna. Don't bother if it breaks. You can remove the curry from the fire until it runs dry or with enough water.

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!






 

Baked Fish

Finally managed to bake fish satisfactorily. Was inspired after relishing baked fish at an Arabic restaurant, although another version of the same; fish pollichethe is very common in Kerala. The fish we tried at the restaurant was the Nagroor (Silver Grunt) or Karukaruppan in Malayalam . After trying other fishes, realized that the Nagroor turned out best.

Ingredients

1- Fish  - 1 KG
Split open the fish along it's spine lengthwise and spread it flat. You can leave the skin and the scales. Clean it with salt and lemon juice.

Marinade for fish

2- Black Lemon Powder, Cumin, Turmeric, Pepper powder - 1 tspn each
3- Chilly Powder - 2 tbspn
4- Coriander leaves - a bunch
5- Lemon juice - 2 lemons
6-  Olive Oil - 3 tbspn
7- Garlic and ginger - 1 tbspn each

Grind/crush the above and rub it on the fish along with crushed bay leaves. (2 nos). Leave it overnight in the fridge.

For masala

8- Onions - 2 nos. cut finely
9- Tomatoe - 1 nos cut into small pieces
10 - Giner and garlic - finely diced 1 tbspn
11- Garam Masala - 1 tspn
12- Chilly pdr - 1 tspn
13 - Coriander pdr - 1 tspn

Method

Saute the onions along with ginger and garlic. Add the powders and toss for a few seconds and then add the tomato and fry until almost dry.

Place the marinated fish on a tin foil and spread the masala. Close it and bake it for 40 - 50 minutes. Open the foil and grill it until the masala browns.

Canned Tuna Cutlets

Tuna cutlets are a favourite at home and it needs a lot of prodding and pleading from the entire house for me to finally oblige. Even though it is not that difficult, it does take some time to get it finally into plates and it takes just a few seconds to finish everything! Out here the canned Tuna has been shrinking each year. If I remember, not many years back each tin weighed around 250 gms and then reduced step by step, barely noticeable by anyone. It rested at 185 gms for sometime and recently I discovered that it has come down to 165 gms but there is no letting down of the price. During promotions one grabs 4 pieces/per pack only to find that the weight has come down! The 185 gms is also sold separately but one has to be very careful to spot the difference. I think the consumers are always being let down! Anyway, let me get down with the recipe and stop cribbing.

Tuna cutlet

Ingredients

1- White meat tuna Canned - 3 nos.
2- Potatoe large - 3
3- Diced ginger, Garlic - 2 Tbspn each
4- Diced green Chilly - 1 tbspn
5- Big onion - 300 gm
6- Garam masala -1 tsp 
7- Red chilly + pepper and coriander powder - 1 tsp each 

Method

Saute 3,4,&5 until a little brown or you can even microwave for 5 minutes on high to reduce the sauting time.

Add the powders and then the tuna. Fry it for a while and add the mashed potatoes.

Make it into desired shapes and dip in beaten egg and bread crumbs.

 It is best to make them still warm since this will ensure that the cutlets don't break while frying.

Enjoy!

Thenga Aracha Meen Curry or Fish in Coconut Sauce

Fish curry can be red or yellow but the one with the coconut has a special taste. The ingredients vary over different regions of Kerala and some use coconut milk instead of paste. I had some Avoli (Pomfret) which looked perfect for this recipe.

Fish in Coconut Sauce

Ingredients

1. Fish cut into small pieces- 8 to 10 nos
2. Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
3. Mustard seeds
4. Kudampuli/kokum pieces(soaked  in water)-2  nos
5. Curry leaves- 1 sprig
6. Oil
7. Water
8. Salt to taste

To grind

1. Grated coconut- 1 cup
2. Green chilies-3 to 4  nos(or to taste)
3. Shallots/small onions- 5 nos
4. Ginger- 1" piece
5. Garlic- 2 medium cloves
6. Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
7. Chili powder-1 tsp
8. Coriander Powder - 2 Tsp

Method

Splutter mustard and fenugreek seeds in Coconut oil. Add the curry leaves and the ground masala, kokum and enough water. Once this boils, add the fish pieces. Do check for salt. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. Switch off and enjoy with rice or chappathi. This fish curry is mild in taste but can stand alone for any meal!

Red Fish Curry

This is one curry which can tickle the palate even before it reaches your mouth. Show me one person who has experienced this curry and not felt this tickling the next time he/she encounters this curry. This curry is unique to central Kerala and every girl from this part of the world learns to cook this curry at least to taste it again. I learned it from my maternal grandmother who was an expert. Most of us have learned cooking from our grandmothers instead of our mothers since we were busy growing up and cooking was the last item in our to-do list. I did it during our yearly vacation at Trivandrum. One can cook any fish this way and if not the fish, the curry would be enough to accompany the rice. Even the fish head cooked this way tastes heavenly. Since fresh water fish is abundant around this area, the “vala” or the fresh water shark’s head is a delicacy. It is told that one would not part with this fish head even to your brother-in-law (Aliyan). Brother-in-laws were once revered, so it seems J. There are many toddy shops which cook this huge head and it was during one of our vacation that I got a chance to taste it. No, I did not go to the toddy shop. This dish was bought home along with a couple of toddy bottles. Unlike the red curry this would be blackish red more so because of the curry leaves that is used abundantly. At my paternal grandmother’s place at Mavelikara, this curry along with other items would be hung on the 3 tiered baskets in the kitchen. This was done to keep the rodents and cats away. This was before the fridge became a necessary item in all kitchens. I am sure my grandmother would have shunned such gadgets since everything was made fresh.

Also, this curry would get that special taste if it is cooked in a mud/clay pot and kept overnight.

Red Fish Curry

Ingredients

1.      Fish - 1/2 kg (Wash well and use lime juice to rid it off any odour)

2.      Shallots/Small onion - 1/4 cup

3.      Garlic - 6-7 cloves

4.      Ginger - 1 inch piece

5.      Chili powder - 2 table spoon

6.      Coriander powder – 1 tspn (optional since coriander powder will not give the curry a longer shelf life)

7.      Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

8.      Fenugreek powder  - 1/2 tspn

9.      Kudampuli/Kokum- 2 (wash and soak in 2 cups of water)

10.  Curry leaves - a handful

11.  Mustard seeds - 1 tspn

12.  Coconut Oil or any oil 

Method

Take a pan and sputter mustard seeds in 2 Tbspn of oil. Fry crushed or thinly sliced Ginger, Garlic and Small onions. You can also grind ¼ inch of ginger and a few garlic cloves along with the powders to give the curry a little thickness. Add this powder mix. Please make sure that you don’t add the powders straight into the oil but atleast mix it with a little water to avoid burning. Once oil starts leaving the mix, pour 2 cups of water along with salt, kokum and curry leaves. Let this mixture boil. When it boils well, add the fish. If the fish needs a little jostling, don’t use a spoon but swish the pot gently. This is to avoid breaking the fish. Reduce the flame and boil until the gravy thickens.

Enjoy!