Kalchatti hammour curry with idiyappam
Cooking fish curry in a kalchatti (clay pot) is a quintessential Keralite cooking method
| PREP TIME | 20 m |
|---|---|
| COOK TIME | 40m |
| SERVES | 4 |
1 tsp ghee
4 tbsp mustard seeds
2 -3 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp green chillies (chopped)
A sprig of curry leaves
2 tsp chopped ginger
4 tsp chopped garlic
1kg hammour fillet cubes of 60gm each
100gm chopped onion
100gm tamarind, soaked in water
600ml coconut milk
Salt to taste
For the spice mix
4 tsp cloves
2 ½ tbsp coriander seeds
4 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp green cardamom
10gm red chillies, whole
For the idiyappam
40gm rice flour
70ml hot water
Salt to taste
1 tbsp refined oil
1. To make the curry, in a medium-sized pot, preferably clay pot, heat the ghee and splutter the mustard and fenugreek seeds. Add the green chillies and curry leaves, followed by ginger and garlic. Fry them until the raw smell vanishes. Soak the tamarind in water.
2. To make the spice mix, blend all the ingredients with a little water in a blender. Add the mix to the curry pot with a little more water so that the spices don’t burn.
3. Sauté until the oil clears over the top and you get a nice aroma. Pour half of the coconut milk at this stage, followed by the soaked tamarind along with the water and salt. Bring it to the boil and add the fish pieces.
4. Cook on a medium heat until the gravy thickens and the fish is done. Then pour the remaining coconut milk and shake the pot with both your hands.
5. Check the consistency. Simmer until the gravy turns thick and creamy. Add the curry leaves and remove from the stove. Cover and allow to rest for 1 hour. This will enhance the curry’s flavour as the spices will incorporate well.
6. To make the idiyappam, mix the rice flour, salt and oil together in a bowl. Add the hot water and combine well to make a dough. Make small dollops and press them using an idiyappam maker to get rounds of the stringy noodles. Steam.
Recipe courtesy: Akshay Nayyar, Chef de Cuisine at Signature, Melia Dubai
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