Allergens in Chettinad Meen Kuzhambu: fish, sesame, mustard.
Ingredients
Quantities for 4.
- 600g firm steaks such as seer or kingfish, 2cm thick Fishpomfret or tilapia also work
- lime-sized ball, soaked in 400ml warm water Tamarind
- 12 small, sliced Shallot
- 1 large, chopped Tomato
- 8 cloves, lightly crushed Garlic
- 2 tsp Chilli Powder
- 2 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp, coarsely cracked Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Fenugreek Seedsseeds, not dried leaves
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
- 2 sprigs Curry Leaves
- 1/4 cup, grated Coconutground with a little water for bodyoptional
- 4 tbsp Sesame Oilgingelly oil is not optional here, it carries the sourness
- to taste Salt
- 100ml Water
Cookware
stovetop, kadhai
Checked against the ingredient list for ten allergens: milk, egg, fish, crustaceans, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, mustard, soy and gluten. Brands vary, so read the label on anything new to you.
Before you start
- Soak the tamarind in 400ml warm water for 20 minutes, then squeeze it out and strain; discard the fibres.
- Rub the fish with 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp salt and leave 15 minutes, then rinse and pat dry. This firms it and takes off any muddiness.
- Have the fish at room temperature. Cold pieces dropped into simmering tamarind break apart.
Method
- Heat the gingelly oil in a clay pot or kadhai and add the mustard seeds; wait for them to pop.
- Add the fenugreek and fennel seeds and fry 20 seconds until the fenugreek turns one shade darker.Fenugreek goes bitter fast. If it browns past pale gold, start the tempering again.
- Add the curry leaves, shallots and crushed garlic and fry 7 minutes until the shallots are soft and golden.
- Add the tomato and cook 4 minutes until pulpy.
- Lower the heat, add the chilli powder, coriander powder, remaining turmeric and cracked pepper, and fry 1 minute in the oil.Off the boil and in oil, not water. That one minute is what stops the curry tasting powdery.
- Pour in the strained tamarind water and 100ml plain water, season with salt and bring to a boil.
- Simmer uncovered 12-15 minutes until the raw sourness has cooked off and the gravy has reduced by a third.
- Grind the coconut with 50ml water and stir it in, then simmer 3 minutes.
- Slide in the fish pieces in a single layer, spoon gravy over them and simmer 6-8 minutes without stirring.Never stir once the fish is in. Tilt and swirl the pot instead.
- Take it off the heat and leave it at least 2 hours before eating; the curry sets and sweetens as it stands.
Safe temperatures: Fish is done at 63°C / 145°F, or when it turns opaque and flakes easily. Reheat leftovers to 74°C / 165°F. FoodSafety.gov
Storage
Keeps 2 days refrigerated and genuinely improves overnight. Reheat gently without stirring, just until it steams.
Nutrition Medium estimate
One serving of Chettinad Meen Kuzhambu (249 g) is about 349 calories, or 141 calories per 100 g.
High protein: 32 g a serving, 37% of the calories
| Per serving249 g | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 349 kcal | 141 kcal |
| Protein | 32.5 g | 13 g |
| Carbohydrate | 8.8 g | 4 g |
| of which sugars | 1.7 g | 1 g |
| Fibre | 3.6 g | 1 g |
| Fat | 20.9 g | 8 g |
| of which saturated | 4.3 g | 2 g |
| of which unsaturated | 15.0 g | 6 g |
Ingredients given to taste count as zero, so the real figures run a little higher. Nearest database match used for curry leaves. Estimated from raw ingredients using USDA FoodData Central.
More like this: Gluten-free Indian recipes · Dairy-free Indian recipes · Tamil Nadu recipes
Times, yields, allergens and nutrition are guidance. Use your own judgement on doneness and on storing. More in About.