Fish curry is delicious in Tamil cuisine, with mild tanginess and spiciness. I have shared few fish curries but this one is little different than all the others, since I have induced garlic and small / pearl onions. Pearl onions and garlic has their own taste and when combined with this curry gives a delicious taste and attractive color.

Garlic Fish Curry / Poondu Meen Kulambu had mild tanginess, spiciness and little sweetness. I have used Seer Fish / Vanjaram Meen, you can also use king fish (fish with less bones goes out well for this curry).

Health benefits of Seer Fish: Seer fish / Vanjaram Meen are very good source of Omega 3 fatty acids which helps keep arteries open and allow blood flow smoothly. Also Omega 3 has anti-inflammatory effects which helps in sinus, osteoporosis and arthritis.

How to select the best Seer Fish: The fish should have dark flesh or muscle, also the color of the fish indicates the oil content in the fish. Always go for a fat Seer fish which has less fat whereas the lean and pale fish has lots of fat.

Do check out my other Seafood recipes in this link: https://madraasi.com/main-course/non-vegetarian/seafood/.

Let us move on to the recipe…

Garlic Fish Curry / Poondu Meen Kulambu

Garlic Fish Curry / Poondu Meen Kulambu

Ingredients:

• Seer Fish / Vanjaram Meen – ½ kg
• Pearl Onions / Small Onions – 25 nos
• Garlic – 1 ½ pods (medium sized)
• Green chilies – 1 no
• Tomato – 1 ½ nos
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Red chili powder – 1 ½ tsp
• Coriander powder – 2 ½ tsp
• Cumin powder – 1 ½ tsp
• Tamarind – a lemon size
• Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
• Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp
• Coconut milk – 1 cup
• Lemon juice – 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves – for garnishing
• Curry leaves – a sprig
• Salt to taste
• Oil – 2 tbsp.

Tempered and with onions, garlic and green chilies

With tomatoes

With all spice powders

With Tamarind extract

Getting cooked

With coconut milk

Getting cooked

Oil separating on the top of the curry

Garlic Fish Curry / Poondu Meen Kulambu

Garlic Fish Curry / Poondu Meen Kulambu

Preparation:

• Clean and chop the fish into slices and marinate them with ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, 1 tsp of chili powder, 1 tsp of coriander powder, salt and ½ tsp of lemon juice for about 20 mins.
• Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic.
• Chop the tomatoes into fine pieces and slit the green chilies into two equal halves.
• Prepare Tamarind extract.
• Heat oil in a kadhai, add in the mustard and cumin seeds along with curry leaves. Wait until they crackle.
• Add in the finely chopped onion, garlic and green chilies, cook for few mins until they turn golden brown.
• Add in the tomatoes and cook for few mins until they turn mushy.
• Add all the leftover spice powders and cook for few mins, until the raw smell goes off.
• Pour in the tamarind extract, cover and let it boil.
• Pour in the coconut milk, cover and let it boil for few mins until the raw smell goes off.
• Drop the fish pieces gently in to the curry, cover and cook until the fish is 90 % cooked.
• Remove the lid, keep in low flame and cook until the curry thickens and the oil floats on the top of the curry.
• Garnish with coriander leaves, cover with lid, and remove the lid only before serving.

Serve hot with steamed rice for lunch.