Kerala Style Meen Curry/Pomfret Fish Curry With Malabar Tamarind(no coconut)

I already added Puzha Meen Curry/Fresh Water Fish Curry  which was my mom's recipe. This is some what same but with slight variations. This is my families favorite and finger licking fish curry, simply drooling :)

Ingredients:

Fish(Pomfret/Avoli)	1(1/2 kg)
Small Onion/Shallots	20
Garlic	10 cloves
Ginger	3 inch+1 inch(chopped finely)
Fenugreek seeds/Uluva	1/4 tspoon
Curry leaves	1 sprig
Kudampuli/malabar tamarind (or)tamarind	4 to 5 pieces (or)1 lemon size(soak in hot water and extract the juice)
Salt	to taste
Oil	1+1 tspoon
Chilly Powder	2 tspoon
Coriander Powder	1&1/2 tspoon
Turmeric Powder	1/4 tspoon

For Seasoning:

Oil	1 tspoon
Dry red chilly	3
Mustard	1/2 tspoon
Curry Leaves	1 sprig

Preparation:

(1) Wash and clean the fish. Chop it into medium slices.

(2) Peel the skin of shallots and chop ginger, garlic into cube shapes.

(3) Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic, ginger and saute for a minute. To this add shallots with little salt. Saute well so that the raw smell will leave. To this add fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Saute everything so that color of onion, garlic will change and it will emanates a nice flavor. Now switch off the flame and allow to cool.

(4) Once it is cooled down grind it in a mixer to a fine paste by sprinkling little water to it. Keep it aside.

(5) Heat oil in an earthen bowl. To this add 1 inch piece of ginger and saute well. Now add ground paste. To this add chilly, coriander and turmeric powder. Mix well so that the raw smell of masalas will goes off. Now pour 3/4 cup of water to it. Mix once.

 (6) Add salt and malabar tamarind (or tamarind juice). Mix and make a salt test. To this add  fish pieces. Let it boil for another 15 to 20 minutes. Fish will be now completely cooked and you will find the curry dried up.

(7) At the last minute heat oil in a pan and season with the ingredients shown under "for seasoning" heading. Pour it to the curry (you can do the seasoning before adding the ground paste too) Close the vessel with a lid for 10 minutes before serving. Yummy fish curry is now ready.

Have it with rice/kappa..

Tips:

• You can clean the fish pieces by rubbing it on a stone surface to remove the outer silver color. As i don't have that option i removed the skin which is not recommended.
• It is better to use earthenware to cook fish(i don't have).
• You can try the same with king fish/tuna/pompano,  you can use any fleshy fish.
• Using malabar tamarind/kudampuli will enhance the taste(i don't have it so i used tamarind juice :) ).
• Don't disturb the fish pieces with spoon while cooking as the pieces might break.
• Ensure fish curry doesn't get burnt at the bottom by slowly moving the vessel side by side in between cooking.
• If you find the curry completely dried up and want some gravy, you can add little water in the same vessel and heat it.
• Coconut oil will give extra flavor.