Chepala Pulusu (Tamarind fish Curry)
Ingredients:
- Fish – 330g
- Oil – 10ml
- Mustard seeds – 5g
- methi seeds – 5g
- Dry chillies – 5g
- Curry leaves – 10g
- Onion – 2 medium or 200g
- Tomatoes – 2 or 150g
- Cumin powder – 1 tsp
- Ginger and garlic paste – 10g
- Turmeric powder – 1tsp
- Tamarind (dry) – 50g
- Green chillies (slit)– 1
- Water – 600 ml
- Coriander leaves (chopped) – 10 grams
- Salt – to taste
- Chilli powder – to taste
Nutritional Value:
Energy: 750 kcal
Protein: 66g
Method:
- Cut fish into 1inch thick pieces medium size.
- Chop the onions and tomatoes, keep it ready.
- Soak dry tamarind in ½ cup of warm water for a few minutes.
- Extract the tamarind water by squeezing nicely tamarind in warm water.
- Strain the tamarind water and keep it aside. Add 100 ml cup of water again to squeeze the remaining extract from the tamarind.
- Strain again and keep it aside. Use that tamarind water.
Note: If using tamarind paste (thick double concentrated, bought from the shop) just add water as per the curry requirement. - Use the tamarind as per the sourness you like.
- Heat 2 tsp of oil in a vessel and add the mustard seeds, methi seeds, dry chillies and curry leaves and let them splutter for few seconds.
- Add the chopped onions and fry on medium heat till the onions turn transparent. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for 1 minute.
- Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder and chopped tomatoes. Cook on a medium flame for 4 to 5 mins or until the tomatoes are soft.
- Add 250 ml of water, let it boil for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Add 100 ml of the tamarind extract and 250 ml of water, bring it to boil and let it boil for 5 minutes.
- Now carefully place the fish pieces in the vessel, add green chilli, and coriander leaves.
- Shake the vessel well instead of mixing it with a spoon. So that the fish pieces are not broken.
- Cook for 10 to 12 minutes by closing the lid, till the fish curry is cooked, in between rotate the vessel, and shake it slightly.
- Cook till the consistency of the curry forms and rawness of the tamarind disappears.
- Reduce the flame, add salt, cover and cook on low heat for 10 to 12 mins. Let the sauce thicken and till the oil separates.
- Adjust salt and garnish with chopped coriander leaves again.
- Serve this delicious Andhra chepala pulusu (fish curry) with plain rice or ragi sankati/ragi sangat.
