Fisherman’s Crab Curry/ Crab cooked in Coconut Milk/ Kerala Njandu Curry

This is a beautiful, delicious coastal style Crab curry, called as “Fisherman’s Crab Curry”.

True to its seaside orientation, Kerala cuisine is almost primarily made up of seafood, particularly fish and prawn dishes. The people here in Kerala and borderline of Kanyakumari eat seafood multiple times a day pairing it with the coconut which is available in abundance.

This traditional crab curry recipe is made with coconut paste and gets a bit of kick too from the chillies added.

Why this recipe works:

The ingredients used here show a mix of both coconut paste and coconut milk. Its sweet punch is set off deliciously by the spicy crab meat.

To lighten the dish, reduce the thickness of gravy by adding coconut milk. Try serving this curry with plain boiled rice and plenty of gravy.

This crab curry is so good I’ve been making it ever since. Try and let me know how it turned out for you!!

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Author: Nathiya Adiseshan

Preparation Time: 15 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Serves: 3

INGREDIENTS

For the coconut-spice paste

• 250 gms Crab, cleaned and body cut into halves or quarters
• 1 cup Coconut, grated
• 5 Kashmiri Chillies
• 5 garlic cloves
• an inch Ginger
• 8-10 Black peppercorns
• 1 tsp Coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
• Tamarind, marble sized

Other ingredients

• 1 cup Onions, finely chopped
• 1 Tomato, diced
• 2 Green chillies, slit
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tbsp Fennel powder (optional)
• 3 tbsp Coconut oil
• 2 tbsp Coriander leaves, finely chopped
• Sprig of Curry leaves

PREPARATION

1. Grind the ingredients (mentioned in coconut-paste listed above) into a smooth paste with little water. Keep it aside.
   

   
2. Heat coconut oil in a deep bottomed pan, add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Then add fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.
   

   

   
3. Add in onions and green chillies and fry it till it turns soft and translucent.
   

   
4. Add in the tomatoes and turmeric powder and fry for a minute.
   

   

   
5. Now add the wet masala paste along with a cup of water and bring it to a boil on medium high heat.
   

   
6. Add the crab. Make sure to turn over the crabs half way so that they are well coated with the gravy.
   

   
7. Add extra coconut milk if you prefer it more creamy, or up to ½ cup of water to dilute the gravy. Add salt to taste.
   

   
8. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the crabs turn pink and are cooked through.
9. Garnish with coriander leaves.
10. Spoon curry over rice and serve hot.

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Special Note:

• Cut the crab bodies into halves or quarters with a cleaver. Crush gently the crab legs for the flavours to soak into the curry.
• I have used blue swimmer crabs for this curry, but any sort of crab (Dungeness and snow crab) will work.
• If you’re using dessicated coconut, add warm water while grinding to prevent curdling of fats.

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Did you make this recipe? If yes, do let me know how it turned out in the comments below. Do share a picture on instagram with hashtag #CookedFromHungrystomach and tag us @h.u.n.g.r.y.s.t.o.m.a.c.h

MEEN VEVICHATHU/ Kottayam Style Fish Curry/ Meen Mulakittathu

Kottayam fish curry or Meen vevichathu can be prepared in many ways. Here you can try a traditional fish curry recipe which even the amateurs can cook at home easily.

This dish is also called as toddy shop fish curry.

It can be prepared with or without coconut. Usually, Kerala fish curry (meen curry) is traditionally prepared in earthenware pot for better taste.

A great combination with boiled tapioca rather than rice!!!!

So let’s get back to the recipe…

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Author: Nathiya Adiseshan

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Serves: 3

Ingredients

• 1/2 kg Fish (Seer fish, Tuna, Sardines, Mackerel)
• 1 tbsp Ginger, crushed
• 1 tbsp Garlic, crushed
• 8 Shallots /chinna vengayam, sliced
• 2 tbsp Redchilli powder
• 1 tbsp Coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• Mustard seeds
• Fenugreek seeds
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 Gambooge (Cocum/Kudampuli)
• salt as required
• Curry leaves

Instructions

1. Wash and soak the Gambooge (Cocum/Kudampuli) in a glass of lukewarm water for 5 minutes.
2. Make a paste of coriander, redchilli and turmeric powder with little oil/water and keep aside.
3. In an earthen clay pot or a pan heat coconut oil.
4. When oil gets hot, add mustard and fenugreek seeds, saute it slightly and wait till it turns slightly dark.
5. Add the chopped shallots and curry leaves, saute them till it gets slightly fried.
6. Reduce the flame and add the masala paste.
7. Fry it well until the raw smell goes out.Add enough salt.
8. Add water in which cocum was soaked. Taste the mixture and add soaked cocum pieces as required. Keep it in low flame.
9. Wait until it boils in low flame. Once it starts boiling add the fish pieces. Do not stir. Just swirl the pan so that the fish coats with the masala.
10. Cover with a lid and bring it to boil in medium flame. Usually it takes around 10-15 minutes. Swirl the pan inbetween.
11. Cook it till the gravy is consistent.
12. Switch off and garnish with curry leaves. Let the curry remains in the cooking pan for a few hours, allowing all the spices to steep into the fish.

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Special Note:

• Don’t stir once fish is cooked.
• Remember to spoon the kudampuli pieces out after few hours.
• If it has to be kept for another day, don’t add coriander powder. It tends to spoil the dish.

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Did you make this recipe? If yes, do let me know how it turned out in the comments below. Do share a picture on instagram with hashtag #CookedFromHungrystomach and tag us @h.u.n.g.r.y.s.t.o.m.a.c.h

Kanava Kuzhambu/ Squid in a Roasted Coconut Sauce/ Nadan Koonthal Curry

Tender pieces of squid with a spicy coconut sauce makes it an enduringly popular dish. 

This curry, as prepared with a paste of coconut gives a familiar aroma as the coconut based curry is more of a comfort dish to all Malayalis and Nagercoilians ofcourse.

Squid is quite easily available here in Japan and I cook it quite often at my place. 

Coming to the recipe, it’s easy, too, as the squid curry is all prepared, so the whole thing takes no longer than 30 minutes from start to finish. You can substitute few ingredients like Coconut oil with any other vegetable oil and Shallot with Onion, but the former is more of a tastier one to me.

Pairing with steamed rice, Squid Curry is something which works perfectly on a lethargic weekend afternoons.

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Author: Nathiya Adiseshan

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 25 mins

Serves: 3

Ingredients

For the Squid

• 250 gm, Squid
• 2, Green Chillies, chopped
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 inch, Ginger, crushed
• Salt

For the Paste

• 1 cup, Coconut, (grated)
• 1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
• 1 Cardamom
• 1 inch Cinnamon
• 2 Cloves5 Shallots/ chinna vengayam/ Pearl Onions
• 1 tbsp Redchilli powder
• 2 tbsp Coriander powder
• 1/2 tbsp Pepper powder

For Tempering

• Coconut Oil
• Mustard seeds
• Fenugreek seeds
• Redchillies
• Curry leaves

Instructions

1. Pull out the little tentacles, cut the body section into ½ inch (1 cm) rings and wash them under cold running water.
2. In a solid frying pan, add the grated coconut, shallots, fenugreek seeds, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon, shaking the pan now and then, until they darken slightly and become aromatic.
3. Add in the chilli powder, coriander powder and pepper powder, toss and allow it to cool. And grind to a smooth paste.
4. In a pan, add the squid along with chillies, crushed ginger, turmeric powder, salt and little water, cooking very slowly as it comes up to heat. It will only take about 2-3 minutes to cook.
5. When it is really hot and bubbling, add the ground masala and boil until the raw smell fades out.
6. Next, heat the oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, fenugreek, curryleaves and redchillies. Give a quick stir.
7. Then add the seasoning to the curry, serve it straight away.
8. This is particularly good when served with rice and fish fry.

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Special Note:

• Coconut oil can be replaced with any other vegetable oil.
• Adding cinnamon in excess gives a strong taste. So add accordingly.
• Instead of dry roasting the ingredients, it can be also be roasted in a tbsp of coconut oil for a richer curry.

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Did you make this recipe? If yes, do let me know how it turned out in the comments below. Do share a picture on instagram with hashtag #CookedFromHungrystomach and tag us @hungry__stomach

Home Style Fish Curry/ South Indian Fish Curry/ Meen Kuzhambu

Having easy access to the southern coastline, fish makes a prominent feature in my hometown. You can savour a lip-smacking range of fish preparations with the available varieties that make mealtime an extremely satisfying affair.

An easy everyday fish curry with shallots and coconut.

The best part is many recipes here have Coconut as the key ingredient. It adds an excellent taste and flavor to the dishes. Traditionally it’s cooked in an earthen pot, where the fish is cooked in spicy gravy of shallots, tomatoes, and spices sautéed in coconut oil.

This flavorful Home Style Fish Curry has Indian inspired flavours and is quick enough for a satisfying meal. This delicately-flavored dish can be served with the white rice or even idli, dosas.

I have one more fish curry recipe, Kanyakumari Style Varutharacha Fish Curryhttp://hungry-stomach.com/ in my blog which is really tasty too.

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Author: Nathiya Adiseshan

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 40 mins
Serves : 3-4

For the paste

• 1 cup shallots, chopped
• 1/4 cup Coconut, grated

For the curry

• 500 grams Tuna (Kingfish or any variety)
• 3 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 1/2 inch Ginger, chopped
• 5 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 medium Tomato (chopped or ground to a paste)
• 3 tablespoon Chilli powder
• 2 tablespoon Coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1/2 cup Aubergine/Brinjal, chopped
• 1 Tamarind (marble sized Ball)
• 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
• Handful Curry Leaves
• Salt
• Oil

 COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut fish into big chunks, marinate with a pinch of salt and keep aside.
2. Slice shallots into thin wedges, then fry in 2 tablespoon oil until just turning golden. Add in grated coconut and fry for 2-3 more minutes.
   

   Add sliced shallots in oil

   

   Add in grated coconut and fry for 2-3 more minutes.
3. Grind the ingredients till smooth with a tablespoon or two of water. Keep aside.

   

   Grind to a fine paste with water

4. Heat oil in a large pan or kadai and add mustard seeds. Once the seeds start spluttering, add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.

   

   add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves and allow to splutter.

5. Add chopped ginger and garlic and continue to cook for a further minute or until you can really smell them.

   

   Add chopped ginger and garlic

6. Add chopped shallots and fry until they begins to brown very slightly.

   

   Add chopped shallots and fry until they begins to brown very slightly.

7. Then add tomatoes and stir over the heat for further minute.

   

   add tomatoes and stir over the heat for further minute.

8. Add in the ground paste and stir-fry for few minutes.

   

   Add in the ground paste and stir-fry for few minutes.

9. Add 1 1/2 tablespoon of Coriander powder, 2 tablespoon of Chilli powder, 1/4  teaspoon of Turmeric powder and salt, mix well. Saute for 10 minutes on low flame.

   

   Add in spice powders

10. Toss in aubergine/brinjal into the mixture, and give a stir so that the masala gets coated well. Fry for two minutes.

    

    Toss in aubergine/brinjal and stir so that the masala gets coated well.

11. Pour in the tamarind paste and 1 1/2 cups of water.

    

    Pour in the tamarind paste and 1 1/2 cups of water.

12. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
13. Simmer and cook until oil begins to appear on top of the gravy.
14. Once the curry is simmering, tuck the fish in here and there, and continue to cook until the fish is cooked and the curry has thickened a little.
15. Turn off heat and allow it to rest for about an hour.
16. Serve South Indian fish curry with plain boiled rice.
    

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Special note:

• Feel free to use seer fish, tilapia, or even prawns.
• Aubergine/Brinjal can be replaced with drumstick, plantain too. You can even omit adding veggies.
  

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If you like this recipe, Do not forget to rate us at the end of the post. 

Did you make this recipe? If yes, do let me know how it turned out in the comments below. Do share a picture on instagram with hashtag #CookedFromHungrystomach and tag us @hungry__stomach

Prawns Masala/ Chemmeen Mulakittathu

This is comfort food to me, well!!!

People, being grown up in the coastal regions are big fish eaters. Seafood, whether it is prawns or fish or squid, has always been special to me,  because it was made very often during my younger days at home.

Chemmeen/Prawns is regular in my kitchen but for the past few days I have been cutting the corners of all my prawn recipes. Not that I I would not venture hour-long cutting and chopping, but my hero is allergic to seafoods 😦  I do a fair share of cooking nowadays. Some days are like that…

This is what I made today, that brought the broadest smiles, not just on me, but on him. “Prawns Masala/ Chemmeen Mulakittathu” with the authentic kerala flavours oozing through. Although the list of ingredients and process may seem a bit overwhelming, when you actually go into making it, you will realize that it actually is the simplest one ever! This recipe can be made with equal success in fish too.

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Author: Nathiya Adiseshan

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 25 mins
Serves : 3 to 4

Masala Paste:

• 1 cup Coconut, dessicated/grated
• 1 medium Onion, roughly chopped
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 4 Red chillies
• 3 tablespoon Coriander seeds/ dhaniya
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 tablespoon Oil

Gravy:

• 500 grams Prawns, deveined
• 1 medium Tomato, chopped
• 1 Brinjal, chopped
• Tamarind, Goose-berry sized or to taste
• 3 tablespoon Coconut Oil
• Salt

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Here we go….!!!!

1. Clean and devein the prawns. Soak the tamarind in 1/4 cup warm water for 15 minutes and extract its juice.

   

   

   Clean and devein the prawns
2. Heat oil in a pan at medium heat. Fry dried red chillies, coriander seeds, curry leaves and onion. Add in grated coconut and fry till light brown. Switch off the flame.
   

   
3. Let it cool. Add in a pinch of turmeric powder. Transfer into a blender and pulse, adding water bit by bit, to get a very fine paste.

   

   Add in a pinch of turmeric powder.  Transfer to a blender and grind to a fine paste.

4. Cook the tomatoes and brinjal in a claypot/meenchatti adding salt and little water. Cover and cook until tomato gets mashed up.

   

   Cook the tomatoes and brinjal with little salt and water.

5. Add the ground roasted coconut masala and tamarind extract. Mix well.
   

   Add the ground roasted coconut masala

   

   Pour in tamarind extract
6. Simmer till the gravy thickens on a low flame. Season with salt.

   

   Simmer till the gravy thickens

7. Add in the prawns. Do not stir any more, rotate the pan to mix the prawns and the masala well. Simmer for 3-5 minutes. (Check in between, the prawns gets done quickly)

   

   Add in prawns gently.

8. Switch off.
9. Set aside for 15 minutes. Serve with rice or tapioca.
   

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Special Note:

• The prawns gets done quickly (within 3 minutes), so check in-between, else you will end up in rubbery prawns.
• I have used Jumbo/King Prawns, you can use regular prawns too.
• Pour a tbsp of coconut oil over the curry before serving. 

Kanyakumari Style Varutharacha Fish Curry | Varutharacha Meen Curry | Fish in Roasted Coconut Gravy

Varutharacha Fish Curry – “Ribbon fish cooked in coconut paste which gives the curry a wonderful flavor so that the spiceness is balanced out”

When the love for food is simple and simple is good..

As kanyakumari lies on the coastal borders of India, seafood have always been predominant source for the ardent food lovers. Fish curry recipes are very common and is usually made from a variety of fish like Seer fish, Ribbon fish, Tuna, Sardines, Pomfret and many other as well to create wonderful delicacies.

Today’s recipe, Varutharacha fish curry is my Mom’s signature recipe.. Amma makes this more often, may be like, atleast once in a week.. But the taste varies each time with the fish she makes it… Varutharacha fish curry is a tamarind based curry simmered with coconut/shallots paste. The addition of coconut and shallots gives a nice aroma and light sense to it. The curry is so simple to make as it is made in one pot. Today, I have used Ribbon Fish (Belt fish / hair tail, also called as vaalai meen/ வாளை மீன்) for the curry.

This goes perfectly with steamed rice accompanied with thoran and kerala aviyal to make the meal more special.

Author: Nathiya Adiseshan

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 45 to 50 mins
Serves : 2 to 3

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Ingredients

• 2 Ribbon Fish (வாளை மீன்), cleaned and cut
• 1 cup Tamarind Extract
• 2 sprig Curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds (Vendhayam/Methi)
• 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds (Kadugu)
• 2 Shallots, finely chopped
• Salt, to taste
• Oil

To grind

• 1 cup Coconut, grated
• 3 Shallots, peeled
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 2 garlic pods
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeeragam)
• 1 teapoon Black pepper (Nalla mizhagu, kuru mizhagu)
• 2 tablespoon RedChilli powder
• 1 tablespoon Coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder

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How to make Fish Curry Recipe

1. To begin making the Varutharacha fish curry recipe, wash the fish and season it with salt and turmeric powder and keep aside for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a heavy bottomed pan (preferably manchatti), heat two tablespoons of oil on medium flame. Add cumin seeds and let it crackle.
3. Add in grated coconut, shallots, garlic, curry leaves, black pepper and saute until the coconut turns golden brown.
4. Add in turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder and mix well.
5. Allow it to cool. Grind it to a smooth paste.
6. In the same pan, add in tamarind extract, ground coconut paste and a sprig of curry leaves and bring it to boil.
7. Place the marinated fish pieces gently on the curry.
8. Add appropriate amount of salt and give the curry a good stir.
9. Cover the pan with lid leaving some gap on the sides to avoid the gravy spilling all over.
10. Cook till oil floats on top.
11. In a tadka pan, heat oil and crackle the mustard seeds, curry leaves and shallots. Pour this over the curry.
12. Switch off the flame.
13. Serve the Kanyakumari Style Varutharacha fish curry along with steamed rice, kerala aviyal and thoran to enjoy your sunday lunch with comfort food.

Special note:

• Coconut oil, Curry leaves and shallots are the key ingredients for the rustic flavour of the dish.
• Allow the curry to cook in a low to medium flame, if not you will end up with a looser runny curry.
• This curry tastes best with Tuna, Sardines too. Give a try.