Perimma’s Style Fish Curry

( 85 % similar to the original taste)

     # use fish like senangin, tenggiri, ikan merah , jenahak , pari or any fleshy fish

     ## you could buy the whole fish or just a few pieces.          

Ingredients

1 medium sized fish

7-8 shallots/ 2 medium onions

3 fresh red chilies

2 tomatoes

1-2 sprigs of curry leaves

4 stalks of coriander leaves ( for garnishing)

Tamarind  ( 20 cents coin sized ball)

½ teaspoon of cumin seeds

½ teaspoon of fenugreek

1 small packet of Baba’s fish curry powder

             Or

  2 ½ tablespoons  of any fish curry powder

¼  tablespoon of chili powder

( could increase to ½ if you want the curry to be spicy)

¼ cup or 3-4 tablespoons low fat milk

1-2 cups of water

4 tablespoons of cooking oil

 Preparation

1. Wash the fish and slice it in chunks.

2. Wash all the ingredients. Mix the cumin and fenugreek when you wash them in a siever.

3. Next, Slice the onions, crush the garlic with the blade of the knife , deseed the chilies and cut 

     the tomatoes into pieces. Lay them out in a plate or the chopping board.

4. Remove the curry leaves from the stem and leave it with the other ingredients.

5. Either chop the coriander leaves or just cut them into large pieces (just hold it in a bunch and cut  it 2-3 times. )

6. Soak the tamarind in some water, wait for at least 5 minutes before you mix it well and sieve it to separate the pulp.

   Then , mix the fish curry powder and chili powder to the tamarind juice/liquid . Stir it and leave it aside.

7. Add the milk to half a cup of water and mix it well. Leave aside the left over water in case you need it later.

 Method

1. Heat the pot and add some oil.

2. Add the cumin and fenugreek seeds to the oil.

3. Saute for less than a minute then add the onions, garlic, chili and curry leaves.

4. Fry the ingredients until the onions turn a light to medium brown. Keep stirring on and off to prevent the garlic from  burning.

5. Add the tomatoes , stir once or twice . Do not stir too often cause the tomatoes might become too pulpy.

   Cook the mixture until the tomatoes become soft. ( might take around 2-3 minutes )

6. Pour in the curry powder, chili powder and tamarind mixture. Stir it well. Cover the pot and lower the flame a little. Let it cook for at least 5 minutes. Stir at least once or twice in between.

7. Add 1 cup of water and give the curry a good stir. Increase the flame slightly and bring it to a boil.

8. Lower the flame and add the fish. Cover the pot.

   * use the ladle/wooden spatula to drop in the fish slices, one by one

9. Leave the fish to cook in the curry for around 5 – 6 minutes.

10. Add the milk mixture. Stir carefully. Try not to break the fish. If you think your curry is too thick you can add more water to it. Increase the flame slightly , cover the pot and wait for the curry to boil.  Leave the curry to boil for 30 seconds .

# If the curry boils too long , the milk might leave white specks on the curry.

11. Drop the coriander leaves on the curry, cover the pot and switch off the stove.

12. Your curry is ready. Serve it with rice, chapatti or fresh bread.

* When you dish out , be careful not to break the fish.

* If the fish is not deboned , do be careful, cause some of the bones might be in the curry.

{ will post the pictures later: having some technical problems }