Recipe for fish curry (AKA Chepala Pulusu in Telugu). Credit goes to my Athayya (mother-in-law). Lakshmi and I learnt a lot of new dishes during her brief visit to Chicago.
Ingredients
- Cat Fish : 3Lbs
- Onions : 3 (large)
- Thai Chill : 6
- Tamarind : 10 gms (or use 2 table spoon of tamarind paste) : 6i
- Ginger Garlic Paste : 3 table spoons
- (sambar) Chili Powder : 3 table spoons
- Curry Leaves : 5
- Cumin Seeds : 1 tea spoon
- Mustard Seeds : 2 tea spoons
- Turmeric : 1 tea spoon
Preparation
- Skin the cat fish, cut out the fins and tail.
- Cut the fish into medium size pieces and wash with turmeric and salt (this takes out the fishy smell).
- Pour 5 table spoons of oil in a broad pan and let it heat for ~2 minutes.
- Add mustard and cumin seeds and let them sizzle for ~30 seconds (this is known as thalimpu in Telugu).
- Add curry leaves and let them sizzle for ~20 seconds.
- Add the chillies and onions and fry them.
- Add 1 table spoon of salt to soften the onions.
- Add turmeric powder.
- When onions start to brown, add the tamarind water.
- Add the chili powder and let the contents simmer for a few minutes.
- Lay the fish pieces on the mixture evenly (after this point, don’t move the fish pieces since they can fall apart).
- Cover the pan with a lid and let the contents boil for 15 minutes.
- Serve hot with white rice and enjoy :).
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