Fish kuzhambu @ Meen Kuzhambu

This recipe has lot of stories on how I learned after lot of trials and how we like this recipe. I never knew the originality of this recipe, we in north Tamilnadu including Chennai are used to this recipe, which is so common in every house. But the south Tamilnadu Fish kuzhambu is completely different in taste.

I learned this recipe from my sister-in-law. She is a excellent cook and few of her recipes are my husband’s favorite. Though my mom makes a similar tangy one, she never use onion or fennel seeds. Adding these both improves the taste.

 Here goes the recipe.

INGREDIENTS
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Quantity- Should be enough for 3 people
Time- preparation- 5 mins
           Cooking - 35 mins
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Oil - 2 Tbsp ( any oil) ( don’t reduce the quantity as this affects taste and color)
Vadagam- 1 tsp ( have added a picture of this for reference)
Small onion- 2 (finely chopped)
Green chilly-4
Fennel seeds/ powder- 2 tsp (whichever is available)
Tomato- 3 medium sized( cut into quarters)
Kuzhambu powder- 3 tbsp
Or
Chilly powder and coriander powder- 1.5:3 tbsp( adjust spice as required)
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Salt- 1 tsp(as required)
Tamarind pulp- size of a lemon( soaked and extracted)( should roughly be 4 cups when filtered)
Mangoes- 4-5 pieces (2/3 from a small mango) ( optional)
Fish - 1 lb/ 1/2 kg (any available fish, I have used frozen wild caught Pacific salmon)

Steps
1. Heat a pan, pour oil, when heated add vadagam. As it start to splutter add fennel seeds/powder. Immediately followed by onion, next goes chilies.



2. Toss or blend together until onion softens and start to change color. Add quartered tomatoes. Sauté but don’t over mix.

 

3. Next goes the spice powders- turmeric powder and kuzhambu milagai powder or combination of chilly and coriander powder.
    

4. Sauté lightly. Add the tamarind extract with salt as required. Mix together and check for taste as it start to boil.


5. Let it boil for 7-8 mins or until the raw smell of spice powders goes off. Cover with a lid.

6. Next add mangoes if available. When mangoes are half cooked lower the flame to low-moderate and add the fish. Cook covered for 5 mins to get them cooked.
 
7. Open the lid and allow them to cook in moderate flame. This is will the kuzhambu thicken a Little meanwhile the mangoes and fish is cooked completely.
 

8. And the yummy kuzhambu is done. Can pair with rice and fish fry as I made for today. It tastes much better the next day and pairs with idli best.

 


Notes
1. Below is the pic for Vadagam. In North Tamilnadu, this is a popular seasoning used in making Kuzhambu/ tangy spicy dishes.

 

2. Once fish is washed, marinate with turmeric powder and a little of salt to remove the raw smell which is common when using fresh fish. Mine is frozen Salmon, which I have removed the skin and have marinated with turmeric powder.