Barbecued Grilled Fish- Kerala Style

The thought of eating a grilled fish was lingering in our minds from the time we saw many youtube videos, in which they grill the whole fish, or wrapped in banana leaf and baked or in foil. This time we decided to cook as soon as we bought without keeping it in the freezer. Believe me it tasted heavenly!!!

The place where i came from (Kerala) is a place where fish is staple food and Kerala cuisine has a lot to offer to fish lovers. In this coastal state you will discover a variety of seafood delicacies. 

This grilled fish has all the flavors seeping through and once it gets cooked well, it's so juicy and bursting with flavors. Fish cooks very fast and it's preparation is less time consuming. We can do this using pieces of fish but I wanted to try the whole fish and here it is, in my blog. Try this out and let me know.

Ingredients:

Marination:

1. Red Snapper Fish- 1 Medium size
2. Red Chilli powder- 3 tbsp
3. Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tbsp
4. Ginger and Garlic Paste- 2 tbsp
5. Pepper Powder- 1/2 tbsp
6. Curry leaves- a bunch 
7. salt- as required
8. Lemon Juice- 1

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients except curry leaves in a large mixing bowl and keep this aside.
2. Clean and wash the fish and make slight gashes on both sides of the fish.
3. Rub this marinade well onto the fish and make sure to coat inside of the fish properly. Keep this for about 15- 20 minutes.
4. Place an aluminum foil, spray oil and spread the curry leaves and place the marinated fish on top. Place lemon pieces on top and more curry leaves (optional) and seal the fish in the foil tight. We can seal with another foil paper on top, so that the fish doesn't get burned.
5. Pre heat the barbecue grill, place the fish and close it. Grill for 10-12 minutes using tongs until beautifully charred.
6. Enjoy with a splash of lemon, and vinaigrette onions.

PS: Fish cooks very fast, so always keep an eye on it while grilling.

You can use any fish and also the grilling time can vary accordingly.

Lamb In Yogurt Gravy/ Dahi Gosht

Lamb in yogurt gravy is my mom's style of preparation which she makes within no time. In this dish the lamb is cooked slowly in a spicy onion- yogurt based gravy till it absorbs all liquid and becomes a semi- gravy.

This month's MFB challenge is a special EID dish which is prepared at home or anywhere in the world. So today I choose my most favorite, my mom's lamb dish which is a delicious, mouth-watering dish which is one among her different varieties of dishes. Before going for the morning Eid prayers, my mom would prepare breakfast, like appam or idiyappam and this amazing lamb curry, which can be prepared in a very less time. After the prayers, we all enjoy the delicious breakfast. Today I am with this perfect dish for the perfect occasion. I hope you will try this and will love it.
In this dish, I made a paste of coriander leaves and added them as you all might know that my husband doesn't like the leaves to be seen on top. Like that also it tastes good. Try this out and let me know.

Ingredients :
For Marination:

1. Lamb- 2 lb
2. Red Chilli Powder- 2 Tsp
3. Garam Masala Powder- 1 Tsp
4. Turmeric Powder- 1 Tsp
5. Ginger - Garlic Paste- 1 tbsp

For Masala:

1. Oil- 2 tbsp
2. Cloves, Cinnamon and Cardamom- 1 tbsp
3. Onions- 3 nos (chopped)
4. Tomato- 1 no (chopped)
5. Ginger- Garlic Paste- 2 tbsp
6. Curry Leaves- few
7. Red Chilli Powder- 1 tbsp
8. Coriander Powder- 1 tbsp
9. Turmeric Powder- 1 Tsp
10. Garam Masala Powder- 1 Tsp
11. Curd- 2 cups
12. Coriander Leaves- a bunch (chopped)

Method:

1. Wash the lamb pieces and marinate with the ingredients under marination. Keep this for about 30min- 2 hrs.
2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add the chopped onions, once they turn translucent add the ginger- garlic paste and tomato, stir till the raw smell disappears.
3. Add all the spice powders, mix well add the marinated lamb. Stir till everything gets well blended and cook on medium-high heat, till all the water gets evaporated.
4. Add the curd, mix well and on low heat cook on pressure till few whistles or till the meat gets cooked well. If there is liquid left out, cook on slow flame till all the liquid gets absorbed well in the gravy. Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves and enjoy steaming lamb curry along with your favorite roti/ kulcha/ naan/ ghee rice/ appam /idiyappam or anything of your choice.

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Eggs in Tamarind Gravy/ Kodiguddu Pulusu

As I grew up in Andhra Pradesh, I like all the dishes. Among all the curries which my mom makes, one of my most favorite is this egg curry, which is called as “pulusu”.

Pulusu in Telugu means sour curry. Tamarind is used to get the sourness for the gravy. To balance the sourness, we add jaggery/sugar. We can make this tamarind gravy adding different vegetables.

In this, the boiled eggs are cooked in onions and tamarind gravy, which is then tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Different varieties of egg curries are made, but this version goes well with steaming hot rice as well as roti. This can be made easily on a lazy day without much hustle.

I shallow fried the boiled eggs, before adding in the gravy as I like the crisp outer cover. You can add the boiled eggs directly without frying. Try this out and let me know.

Ingredients:

1. Eggs- 4- 5 nos
2. Onions (chopped)- 2 nos
3. Green Chillies (slit)- 2 nos
4. Red Chilli powder- 2 tbsp
5. Coriander powder- 1 tbsp
6. Turmeric Powder- 1 tsp
7. Cumin powder- 1 tsp
8. Oil- 1 tbsp
9. Mustard Seeds- 1 tsp
10. Garlic Pods- 5- 6 nos
11. Curry Leaves- few
12. Salt- as required
13. Tamarind- a lemon size ball
14. Jaggery- 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Soak the tamarind in a cup of warm water and extract the juice. Keep this aside.
2. Boil the eggs till done and discard the shell. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the hard boiled eggs for about 7- 10 minutes, stirring in between. When it is done, remove the fried eggs on a plate.
3. In the same oil splutter mustard seeds along with garlic pods and curry leaves.
4. Saute the chopped onions until translucent. Add the green chilies and all the spice powders along with salt, stir till the raw smell disappears.
5. In this add tamarind juice and 2 cups of water, bring to a boil. Add jaggery to balance the tanginess of the tamarind. Let this simmer for 5 min. Drop the shallow fried eggs in the gravy and let this cook for about 10 min. When u get the required gravy consistency switch off the stove and serve with steaming hot rice and enjoy.

Kerala Fish Curry In Coconut Milk/ Nadan Meen Thenga Paalill Patichath

Today I am going to share something from my home land, also called as “God's Own Country”.The flavors of coconut milk will take this simple fish curry to another level. A fail proof dish, which my mom makes  within minutes. A perfect and a delicious dish on a lazy day, which can be prepared by anybody, any time.

In Kerala, for a seafood lover, a meal is never complete without rice and a fish curry. During lunch or dinner time, in almost all the houses a pot of fish curry is served.

A rice based dish(puttu, appam,...) is often accompanied with a fish curry. A variety of dishes are made with fish. In this the fish pieces are simmered along with the spices and coconut milk. The curry tastes good the next day and even more tastier if made in an earthen pot. The sauce is a mixture of tangy, spicy and salty. Kokum gives sourness to the dish along with a smoky earthy flavor. Chunks of meaty fish fillet like the salmon, basa, tilapia best suits this dish.

Do try this out and let me know.

Ingredients:

1. Seer Fish- 500gms
2. Sallots( sliced)- 1 Cup
3. Grated Ginger- 1 tbsp
4. Crushed garlic- 1 tbsp
5. Slitted Green Chillies- 3 nos
6. Oil- 2 tbsp
7. Curry Leaves- few
8. Salt- as required
9. Kokum- 3- 4 pieces
10. Mustard Seeds- 1 tbsp
11. Fenugreek Seeds- 1 tsp
12. Kashmiri Chilli Powder- 3 tbsp
13. Turmeric Powder- 1 tsp
14. Coriander Powder- 1 tbsp
15. Fenugreek Powder- 1 tsp
16. Thin Coconut Milk- 2 Cups
17. Thick Coconut Milk- ½ Cup

Method:

1. Wash, drain the fish pieces and keep this aside.
2. Heat oil, splutter mustard and fenugreek seeds. Add the sliced shallots and green chillies.
3. When they turn translucent, add the ginger, garlic, curry leaves, kokum pieces and salt as required.
4. Add the kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and fenugreek powder. Stir well.
5. When the raw smell of the powders disappears, add the thin coconut milk and let it boil.
6. Add the fish slices,boil till the pieces are cooked well and the sauce has reduced. At last add the thick coconut milk and switch off the flame.
7. Serve this amazing dish along with warm rice.

Chicken 65- Restaurant style….

The holy month of Ramadan is here and many will be busy praying. By the time of sunset, it will be iftar i.e evening meal, which we have after long hours of fasting in summer. Iftar is usually enjoyed with friends and family. A variety of foods are prepared for iftar which includes fruit juices, appetizers, main meals, desserts and so on. Each region has there own special iftar dishes. During Ramadan fasting, we have to take care of our health and so we have to eat healthy.

In India, during fasting, at the time of sunset we will have some light food like pathiri, chole bature, falafel, appam so on, and after praying we will have heavy meal like rice/ chapatis. But after coming to US, because of the long hours of fasting, by the time of iftar it will be night and so we will have direct dinner. No need of spending much time in kitchen. But my daughter was not happy as she cannot eat any appetizers  or light snacks and so when she insisted, I thought of making something that we can eat along with rice or chapatis and ended up making chicken 65.

I love chicken 65 that which we get in restaurants, with lot of curry leaves on top. I tried making a restaurant style and it came out perfect. I know that a fried snack is not good during fasting, but having it in very less quantity is fine.

Ingredients:

1. Boneless Chicken- 250 gms
2. Ginger and Garlic Paste- 1 tbsp
3. Red Chilli Powder- ½ tbsp
4. Salt- as required
5. Yogurt- 2 tbsp
6. Lemon Juice- 1 tbsp
7. Turmeric Powder- 1 tsp
8. Corn Flour- 2 tbsp
9. Maida- 1 tbsp
10. Oil- deep frying

For Tempering:

1. Oil- 1 tbsp
2. Curry Leaves- few
3. Chopped Garlic- 2 tbsp
4. Chopped Ginger- 2 tbsp
5. Green Chillies- 3 nos
6. Yogurt- 2 tbsp
7. Red Chilli Powder- 1 tsp
8. Turmeric Powder- ½ tsp
9. Coriander Powder- 1 tsp

Method:

1. Mix the boneless chicken pieces along with yogurt, ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, pepper powder, lemon juice and turmeric powder, for about 1 hour.
2. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Meanwhile add corn flour and maida to the marinated chicken and mix well.
3. Fry the chicken pieces by not crowding the pan and cook on medium flame. Once the pieces turn golden brown in colour remove on kitchen towel.
4. Heat oil in another pan. Add the curry leaves, chopped garlic, chopped ginger, slitted green chillies, yogurt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. Stir well.
5. In the above toss the deep fried chicken pieces and stir on high flame till all the moisture gets absorbed and now the chicken is well coated with the yogurt mixture.
6. Remove onto serving plate and enjoy.