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Kerala Fish Curry Recipe

April 16, 2018 by Suguna Vinodh 41 Comments

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Kerala style fish curry made with Kodampuli – Malabar Tamarind and Sardines (Mathi Meen). Spicy fish curry made with coconut milk. Recipe with step by step pictures.
I have a long time friend called Linish who is an ultimate foodie. Seafood is his favorite and his eternal love is with Sardines (Mathi Meen). His sense of humor and timing cant be beat. Every time we make Sardines at home, I think about him while cooking. He has had that kind of influence on me. He is into the film industry and the struggle there is so real. On top of all this, I just love the way how he manages to keep his cool. His timeline is filled with jokes on everyday life as it happens. He just makes me laugh instantly almost every single day with his jokes and memes. Here is a sample of Sardine memes!
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This Mathi Meen Curry is made with Kodampuli – Malabar Tamarind. Kodambuli – Malabar Tamarind is a dried fruit used in curries as a souring agent. Kodampuli is soaked in water briefly and added to curries. It gives the curries a sweet sourness and its slightly smoky.
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Here is how to make the curry
Heat coconut oil in a pan (preferably an earthen pot) and add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves and fenugreek seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle.
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Crush the ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle. Add it to the pan along with chopped Indian shallots (Indian small onions) and slit green chillies. Add in the salt. Adding the salt now will help prevent the ginger and garlic from sticking to the pan.
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Saute till the onions are soft and starting to brown.
Kerala-fish-curry-kerala-meen-curry-4

In the mean time, make a paste of turmeric powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder. Add few tablespoons of water and make a thick paste. If you want a fiery looking red curry, use Kashmiri red chilli powder.
Kerala-fish-curry-kerala-meen-curry-3

Add the paste to the curry and saute well for 3-4 minutes until the masala paste is completely cooked. Streaks of oil will start appearing from the mixture. Its a sign that the masalas are cooked.
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Once the paste is well cooked, add in half a cup of water.
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Soak the Kodampuli in a cup of water for 5 minutes.
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Add in the soaked kodampuli along with the water used. Do not squeeze or puree the kodampuli like you would do to tamarind. Just add the soaked kodampuli to the pan.
Kerala-fish-curry-kerala-meen-curry-6

Close the pan with a lid and let it simmer for five minutes. Add in a cup of second pressed coconut milk.
Here is the recipe for making coconut milk at home.
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Also add in the fish to the pan. I have used Mathi Meen – Sardines today.
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Close the pan with a lid and let the curry simmer for 6 minutes. Sardines cook very fast.
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Remove the curry from heat and allow the curry to rest for at-least a couple of hours so the flavors mature. It tastes better the next day.
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Serve with rice.
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Kerala Fish Curry Recipe


★★★★★

4.8 from 14 reviews

  • Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 45 mins
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Description

Kerala style fish curry made with Kodampuli – Malabar Tamarind and Sardines (Mathi Meen). Spicy fish curry made with coconut milk. Recipe with step by step pictures.


Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 2 sprigs curry leaves
  • 1/2 inch piece ginger
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 10 Indian small onions (shallots)
  • 2 green chillies, slit
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 teaspoon red chilli powder (use more for a spicy curry)
  • 2 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 3 pieces kodampuli, malabar tamarind
  • 1 cup coconut milk (lite milk)
  • 8–9 pieces of Sardine / Mathi Meen

Instructions

  1. Heat coconut oil in a pan (preferably an earthen pot) and add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves and fenugreek seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle.
  2. Crush the ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle. Add it to the pan along with chopped Indian shallots (Indian small onions) and slit green chillies. Add in the salt.
  3. Saute till the onions are soft and starting to brown.
  4. In the mean time, make a paste of turmeric powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder. Add few tablespoons of water and make a thick paste.
  5. Add the paste to the curry and saute well for 3-4 minutes until the masala paste is completely cooked.
  6. Once the paste is well cooked, add in half a cup of water.
  7. Soak the Kodampuli in a cup of water for 5 minutes.Add in the kodampuli along with the water used. Close the pan with a lid and let it simmer for five minutes. Add in a cup of second pressed coconut milk.
  8. Also add in the fish to the pan.
  9. Close the pan with a lid and let the curry simmer for 6 minutes. Sardines cook very fast.
  10. Remove the curry from heat and allow the curry to rest for at-least a couple of hours so the flavors mature. It tastes better the next day.
  11. Serve with rice.
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: Kerala

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Suguna Vinodh

I'm Suguna Vinodh aka Kannamma. I love south Indian food and I am passionate about baking. My Favorite things include my Wusthof knife, Coffee, Ilayaraja, Tamil and beaches. I love Jacques Pepin and Julia Child.

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Comments

  1. satish says

    September 22, 2020 at 2:10 pm

    I have tamarind concentrate, but can I add kokam instead of kodampuli to give it that taste?

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      September 23, 2020 at 2:46 am

      Kokum has a very different flavour.

      Reply
  2. Sowm says

    August 19, 2020 at 8:15 pm

    Hi
    I want to try this recipe what can I replace kodampuli with!?

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      August 19, 2020 at 8:37 pm

      You can use tamarind but kodampuli is what makes this dish special.

      Reply
  3. Cameron says

    July 11, 2020 at 5:34 pm

    Hi Kannamma,

    Amazing recipe! Tried it out last month. Turned out mouth watering. Went for it again today. Even Mom, who normally follows only her own recipes says that your recipe is a must have. Rock on!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      July 11, 2020 at 7:58 pm

      Wow! Thats so nice to hear that this recipe got mom’s approval. Glad you guys liked the fish curry.

      Reply
  4. Ananya says

    July 10, 2020 at 1:26 pm

    My grandmother was the best cook in the family, but as she’s gotten older her taste buds and memory have withered. She’s not the “teacherly” type, so she never passed on her recipes.

    So many of your recipes get me within a hair’s breadth of her old classics, and I can tinker myself the rest of the way for those specific flavors from my childhood.

    Thank you for helping me fulfill my cravings and share my cultural cuisine with my partner, who thought Indian food was all samosa and dahl. Today, he went back for seconds of this, which was my childhood favorite (although Amumma used to make it with chemeen). He’s a culinary artist himself, so it was a huge honor that he went back for more.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      July 10, 2020 at 6:45 pm

      Thanks so much Ananya. I am super happy that it brought back memories. It means a lot to me. Stay safe and happy cooking.

      Reply
  5. Carmelita Fernandes says

    May 2, 2020 at 12:03 am

    Nice recipe but how much quantity of fish is missed out here.

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      May 5, 2020 at 2:59 pm

      8–9 pieces of Sardine / Mathi Meen (see the ingredients section). Around 250 grams.

      Reply
  6. Keviv says

    May 1, 2020 at 5:01 pm

    Best recipe

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  7. Elizabeth says

    December 29, 2019 at 1:59 am

    I have a doubt about adding coconut milk. Please explain if the kottayam fish curry adds it.

    Reply
  8. Jothi Elvis says

    September 10, 2019 at 8:11 pm

    Chechi. I made the Fish curry following the recipe to a T and it came out perfect like my mom’s. (mom passed away 7 years ago and we’ve missed her cooking a lot).
    Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      September 13, 2019 at 7:22 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
    • Divya Iyer says

      December 6, 2020 at 2:08 am

      This is fab! Made fish curry for the first time ever and it was awesome!
      Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Suguna Vinodh says

        December 6, 2020 at 1:21 pm

        Thank you so much Divya.

        Reply
  9. Hithaishy says

    August 31, 2019 at 6:02 pm

    Made it today. Used Seer Fish. Came out well. Thank you

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  10. Technical News says

    March 28, 2019 at 1:46 pm

    Nice Recipe

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  11. Sangeetha says

    March 28, 2019 at 3:45 am

    Very good Recipe! Tried it and everyone loved the fish curry. I used the sardines in the tin but came out so tasty. Thanks!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  12. Irene Singh says

    February 21, 2019 at 10:10 am

    Your fish curry looks amazing, I will definatley try it out.
    Love South Indian food!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  13. Roshini says

    November 22, 2018 at 6:48 pm

    Which one is a better substitute for kodum puli. Kokum or tamarind?

    Reply
  14. Nisha says

    September 9, 2018 at 2:10 am

    Hallo kannamma
    I tried it meen Kari .me and my friend s like it to
    IAM living in in Canada and also I shared this my family friends also thanks

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  15. Kalpaga says

    July 22, 2018 at 7:49 pm

    Nice fish curry recipe but is it ok to add kodampulli water alone with curry paste or need to add the Kodampulli also with curry paste

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      July 23, 2018 at 2:00 pm

      Add in the soaked kodampuli along with the water used. Do not squeeze or puree the kodampuli like you would do to tamarind. Just add the soaked kodampuli to the pan.

      Reply
    • Nisha says

      September 9, 2018 at 2:11 am

      It’s amazing meen kari

      Reply
  16. Ridhisha says

    May 11, 2018 at 8:22 pm

    The recipe looks so delicious. I just love your posts. I have tried it in my home and everyone loved it. Thanks for sharing such tasty recipe

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      May 12, 2018 at 5:43 pm

      Thank you! Really glad that you liked it!

      Reply
    • Nisha says

      September 9, 2018 at 2:13 am

      It’s amazing tasty

      ★★★★★

      Reply
  17. Sowmya says

    April 27, 2018 at 10:44 am

    your recipes are awesome!
    Can v use normal tamarind if we don’t have kodampuli

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      May 2, 2018 at 2:07 pm

      Hi Soumya, yes you can.

      Reply
  18. Priyaa Shanmugham says

    April 27, 2018 at 4:09 am

    Hi Suguna,

    I love your recipes and have tried several of them. You are on target with the proportions and spices.
    I live in the US so tour recipes make me feel closer to home. Thank you.

    For this recipe if I don’t get kodum puli can I get the same flavor with regular tamarind? I don’t think the Indian store here has it.

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      May 2, 2018 at 2:08 pm

      Hi Priyaa. Yes you can use tamarind.

      Reply
  19. smita sun says

    April 24, 2018 at 5:52 pm

    wow…awesome tips..excellent

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      April 25, 2018 at 10:02 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  20. Shobha says

    April 18, 2018 at 12:38 am

    Have you missed adding the first pressed coconut milk ?

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      April 20, 2018 at 12:53 pm

      No shobha. I have not missed.
      If you want a rich curry, you can add the first milk at the end.

      Reply
  21. Aaron Arul kumar says

    April 17, 2018 at 6:27 pm

    Mouth is Full with your fishcurry .l Love the hot Curry the best thank you for the rept so everyone can tast to satisfly .

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      April 17, 2018 at 11:19 pm

      Thanks.

      Reply
  22. Geetha Roy says

    April 17, 2018 at 1:28 am

    I live in Kolkata. I dont know what is mathi meen. Can u give me the English or Hindi name or.will any small fish can be cooked this way? Can I cook.pomfret this way?

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Suguna Vinodh says

      April 17, 2018 at 4:16 pm

      Its Sardines. Yes you can cook pomfret or seer fish too!

      Reply
      • manimaran says

        July 26, 2018 at 7:12 pm

        verry good recipe and dish

        ★★★★★

        Reply

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HEY! NICE TO MEET YOU HERE!

I’m Suguna, a former financial analyst, now a full-time food blogger. Welcome to my space. I share recipes gathered from my friends and family here. I am passionate about South Indian food. I crazy love knives. A sharp knife is a girls best friend. Hope you like the recipes here. Happy Cooking. Read more.....

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