Tuesday 4 April 2006

The Food That I'd Die For # 3

I have been coming across fish curries everywhere. Though I am not a curry girl, the only curry I love is fish curry. Fish pieces cooked in distinctively spiced and simmered sauce. Curry has a strong and pungent smell that is irresistible.

The taste of fish curry largely depends on the type of fish and the curry powder used. I never buy the curry powders that are available here in Europe. Mine are specially brought from home; not homemade though. Vegetables like lady's finger or okra, brinjal, tomatoe and raw mango are famous secondary ingredients in fish curries. They help to boost up the taste of the curry. I love fish curry with lots of garlic and tomatoes.

I hardly know names of fishes in Tamil. I have heard of a few names but have no idea of how the fish looks like. Eg. thiruka, koduva and parei meen. I would appreciate if any of you would help me with the English term. I know most of them in Malay as it is the language spoken in the wet markets in Malaysia. Mike, if u are reading this, would you let me know what ikan parang and ikan terubuk are in English and what dory fish is in Malay? Also know a few names in English though. Now, learning them in German as well. My favourite fish curries are pomfret, spanish mackerel and baby shark (sura meen) curries.

Fish Curry

What do we need:



500g fish steaks
1 large tomatoe, quartered
1 onion, sliced
10 cloves garlic, coarsely sliced
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tsp tamarind pulp
1 cup water
3/4 cup thick coconut milk
3 tbsp fish curry powder
1/2 tsp fenugreek
1/2 tsp sugar
salt to taste
oil

How do we do it:

Clean, cut and wash the fish pieces with salt. Set aside.

Mix the curry powder with some water to make a paste. Mix the tamarind pulp to the rest of the water to produce tamarind juice. Set them aside.

Heat oil in a pot. Add the fenugreek, curry leaves, sliced onion and garlics. Sauté until aromatic. Add the curry paste. In goes the tamarind juice. Place the fish pieces into the pot. Let it cook on medium heat.

When the fish is almost cooked, pour the coconut milk. Let the curry simmer on medium low heat. When the fish has cooked, add tomatoes. Season with salt and sugar.




Fish Curry with Rice and Stir-fried Mixed Vegetables

Serve fish curry with hot piping rice, rotis or bread.

24 comments:

Kitchenmate said...

Pushpa:
Looks absolutely delicious and too yummy. Can you pass on that plate please:)

Sarah said...

If I am not mistaken, Dory is a cousin of our cat fish..it is a fresh water fish and often farmed in vietnam
I thought Ikan parang is sword fish..
I can get tenggiri here and kids go all googoo gaga when I make fish curry..
Your curry looks really nice.. Missing all those kedai makan in Malaysia

Priya Bhaskaran said...

Pushpa, Your fish curry looks yummy!! Instead of the fish curry powder I grind the red chillis, coreinder seeds with garlic.Yours is little different from my version, will give a try soon:)

Revathi said...

Hi Pusiva
Great to see ur site. I lived in Germany for a while and your ingredients pictures brought back to memory of those days. Well good luck to you and your posts look gr8. Keep coming !

Anonymous said...

Even though I hate fish curry, I've seen my mum prepare it. She rubs tumeric powder on the fish too. I think to get rid of the smell..

I only eat the curry with rice & not the fish..hehehe

Vaishali said...

Hi Pushpa,
Thanks for visitng my blog regularly.
I am here to not comment about your fish preparation (I'm a vegetarian), but about a post of yours on Tapioca. I picked it up the other day at a SriLankan store because I was curious and then wondered what I should do with it. I just ended up using it in place of potato in a Konkani dish. I liked it though. It tasted somewhat like sweet potato. Now that I have found your recipe of Tapioca cake, I must go and buy it soon. Will let you know once I do. Thanks for the post.
Btw, I am adding you to my favourites on the blog roll.

jadepearl said...

Fish curry is indeed one of the food that I will die for too!!! Yummylicious!!!

Fonia said...

Hmmm... Me too, love Fish Curry but I can't cook. Thank you for the recipe! Looking at your Fish Curry, looks so good!!! Me got craving again... Die lah! :(

sailu said...

Pushpa,I cook your version of fish curry with coconut milk and its heavenly.Your pictures are so inviting..:)

Admin said...

I have tagged you...lol.. its here

Vaishali said...

Thanks for dropping by at my blog, Pushpa.

Unknown said...

Karthi: Nandri. Of course I'll pass the plate to u if I could reach u. :)

Sarah: Thanx for the info. Ikan parang is sword fish?? Direct translations only ah?
Tenggiri (mackarel) tastes great cooked anything; curry, sambal, kicap or just fried.
Talk bout food in Malaysia. Itz a never ending story.

Santhi: Thank u.

Priya: A warm welcome to my blog.
Ur version of fish curry sounds interesting. Will give it a try soon.

Revathi: Welcome to my blog Revathi. Since u've lived in Germany, do u know German? Thank u very much for the wishes.

Komala: Long time no c huh? U r rite bout ur mom using turmeric. Turmeric kills bacteria and it has lots of medicinal values too.

Vaishali: Welcome to my blog. Great to know tat I have a neighbouring blogger. Wer in Germany do u live?
Vielen Dank for adding me in ur blogroll.
Let me know how u like the tapioca cake.

JP: Many tnax.

Fonia: U can follow my recipe ma. Tell me how u like it hor.

Sailu: Thank u very much. Very glad to know tat u liked the curry.

Anthony: Thanx for the meme. Would put it up over the weekend.

FooDcrazEE said...

if only i can snap picture as delish and as good as you pushpa...

Dawn said...

The curry looks awesome n mouth watering...but whts the ingredient for the fish curry...or do we just hv to get it ..frm where u got it ?
2ndly, I never heard of adding sugar..thats for the first time...n also...adding okra n all was something new to me...!
I would like to try but wht fish curry it would be ?

Anonymous said...

hi pushpa... sedapnya... here is the name of the fish...
ikan parang - wolf herring
ikan terubuk - shad / malayan shad / river herring...

Sumi said...

Hi Pushpa, lovely fish curry
by the way I have tagged you in my blog.Visit for details

Unknown said...

Mike: Thanx for the compliments. Anyway, I find that lately ur pix too look good.

Dawn: Thank u & welcome to my blog. Well, I have already listed the ingredients of the fish curry. U can get them in any Indian or Sri Lankan shops.
About adding sugar, itz a tip from my mom. According to her, sugar boosts up the taste of the curry and it really is true.
U can cook the curry with any of ur favourite fishes. The best would be pomfret or mackerel.

Anonymous: Terima kasih, kawan. I wonder whom u r? Ur tone sounds very familiar lah. Would u mind quoting ur name as well the next time?
Thank u very much for the info. Cari kat kamus ke? hehehehe

Sumi: Thanx Sumi. Gosh!! I've got double tagging. Will do it soon. Thanx again.

Kay said...

Pushpa, I once, compiled a list of all fish names in Tamil and their corresponding english names..

Barramundi/Asian Seabass/Giant Perch is called Koduva Meen [Tamil]
Treadfin is also called Koduva Meen [Tamil]

Longfin trevally/ Malabar Trevallyis called Parai Meen [Tamil]

Stingray/Skate/ Skate Wings/Whip tail/Cowtail Sting rayis called Thirukkai/Adal thirukai [Tamil]

Hope this helps!

The fish curry looks interesting.. Will try it sometime soon.

Vaishali said...

Hi Pushpa,
I am in Düsseldorf. Yeah, nice to know that some blogger is closer to you, isn't? Most of the others are in the US. That's so far away. :(

Sury said...

I can die for this too. That's a sinfully irresistible sight for a fish lover. Am adding this to my must-try list :)

Unknown said...

Kay: Mikka nandri. Highly appreciate it.
Do let me know how u like the curry.

Vaishali: Yeah, u r rite. It is indeed a relief.

Sury: Thank u & welcome to my blog. Tell me how u like the curry.

Anonymous said...

Hi Puspha!

I just discovered your wonderful blog recently. I´m going to make your fish curry today to go with my roti. I was living in Zürich up till last year & since Sept last year, we moved to Düsseldorf. I probably have bumped into you in one of the MSA party in Zürich before. Hehehe.

Unknown said...

Hello Eli! Very nice meeting u. Welcome to the blog. Ur a m'sian!!!!
I've never attended any MSA functions. Have u attended any of the embassy's functions?
Hey therez a blogger in ur place. Check out here.

Anonymous said...

Hi Puspha

Hey, your fish curry was super yummy lah. I slurped up the sauce like drinking a bowl of soup. Just like how you like it too. Yes, I´m Msian & yes, I´ve attended a function from the embassy a few years ago. It was the most memorable event in my life as we met & shake hands with Dr. M!! I do miss Zürich & Switz a lot. Thanks for the link to Vaishali´s blog. Will check it out later. Always happy to meet another Asian living in the same area.

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