Video recipe for Mathi Vattichathu or sardine curry

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time:  20 mins

Serves: 5

Ingredients

500 gms sardines ( 12-15 medium-sized)

250 to 300 gms shallots (depends on size)

6 -7 green chillies

2-inch-long ginger

2 pods of garlic

1 tbsp chilli flakes

70 ml coconut oil

3 – 4  pieces of Kudam Puli (Malabar Tamarind)

1 tsp of turmeric powder

2-3 sprigs of curry leaves

½ tsp of fenugreek

1 ½ cups of hot water

Salt for taste

Method

Step: 1

Cut and clean the sardines nicely and slit through both sides of its body.

Step: 2

Soak the tamarind (Kudam puli) in 50 ml water and keep it aside.

Step: 3

Slice the shallots lengthwise, slit the green chillies and keep them aside. Also, finely chop the ginger and slice the garlic lengthwise.

Step: 4

In an earthen pot, add the ingredients such as sliced shallots, sliced garlic, chopped ginger, turmeric powder, chilli flakes, slit green chillies, salt, curry leaves, coconut oil and Kudam Puli (tamarind). Blend them well by hand.

Step: 5

Add one cup of hot water and then bring the mix to a boil.

Step: 6

Once it starts boiling, reduce the flame to medium and add the sardines, one by one.

Step: 7

Cover and cook. Occasionally, open the lid and swirl the pot to spread out the flavours evenly.

Step: 8

Once the fish is cooked, open the lid and continue on medium flame until the gravy is thickened and reduced.

Step: 9

In the meantime, heat one tablespoon of coconut oil in a small pan, add fenugreek and stir till it becomes slightly brown. Then drop a few curry leaves to fry. After that, pour it over the fish curry.

The very traditional Mathi Vattichathu is ready to be served.

Recipe courtesy: Sobha Varghese is a homemaker based in Mumbai, India. Sobha runs a popular YouTube blog called ‘Sobha's Kitchenette’ that focuses on authentic and traditional Kerala recipes.

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