Saturday, June 6, 2009

Netholi Manga Vattichathu ( Meen Peera)






























Ingredients -
1. For marinating
a. Netholi ( Smelt) or any small fish - 1 lb, cleaned well
b. Raw Mango – ½ medium sized, peeled and cut into small slices
c. Green chillies – 3 nos slit lengthwise
d. For grating -
i. Grated coconut – ¾ cup
ii. Coriander powder – 1 tsp
iii. Chilly powder – 1 tsp ( adjust according to taste)
iv. Salt – According to taste
v. Fennel seeds – ½ tsp
vi. Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
vii. Water – ¾ cup
2. Seasoning -
a. Small shallot – 1 thinly sliced
b. Curry leaves – 1 spring
c. Fenugreek seeds – ¼ tsp
d. Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
e. Dried red chillies -2, broken to 2-3 pieces each
f. Oil – 2 tsp

Preparation –
1. Grate together the ingredients under ‘For granting’ in the Set 1(For marinating) of ingredients to a coarse paste in the mixer. Don’t grate to a very smooth paste, should be a little coarse.
2. Mix the grated coconut paste with the netholi, raw mango and green chillies and let this marinate for about 20-30 minutes.
3. In a pan, heat 2 tsp of oil and put mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. When the mustard seeds start bursting, add the shallot. When shallot turns golden brown, add dried red chillies and curry leaves and sauté on medium heat for about 2 more minutes. Take care not to burn the curry leaves.
4. Add the marinated fish ( fish marinated with the raw mangoes and grated coconut paste as mentioned in steps 1 and 2) to this and cook on low flame.
5. Add more water if required. Adjust salt according to taste.
6. Keep cooking on medium flame till this is semi dry and mango and fish pieces are well cooked.
7. Switch off the flame. You can add some more spring of curry leaves at this point ( optional). Netholi Manga Vattichathu is ready. This can be served with rice or kappa.