Malabar Matthi Curry

It is never stirred: the pot is swirled, because stirring breaks the fish.

Fish. Not vegetarian — contains fish.

Ingredients

• 8 sardines, cleaned
• 20 shallots, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, sliced
• a 4 cm piece of ginger, sliced
• 4 green chillies, slit
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 teaspoons ground red chilli
• 4 pieces kudampuli, Malabar tamarind rind
• 20 curry leaves
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, for the fenugreek
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 500 ml water

Method

1. IT IS NEVER STIRRED: THE POT IS SWIRLED, BECAUSE STIRRING BREAKS THE FISH. Its article gives the instruction and the reason in the same breath -- the pot is covered and left to cook, and RATHER THAN STIRRING IT, WHICH WOULD BREAK THE FISH, the cook SWIRLS OR SHAKES THE POT to move the gravy around. That single habit is the difference between a fish curry and a pan of fish pieces in gravy, and it starts earlier than most people think: the sardines go in ONE AT A TIME, into liquid that is already boiling, and from that moment nothing touches them.
2. IT IS ONE POT AND EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE FISH GOES IN COLD. Its article's order: shallots, garlic, ginger, green chillies, turmeric, chilli, salt, curry leaves, coconut oil and the kudampuli all mixed together WITH WATER and brought to the boil. Nothing is fried first.
3. KUDAMPULI IS THE SOURING AGENT AND ITS ARTICLE SAYS IT IS THE CHARACTER. The dried rind of Garcinia gummi-gutta, Malabar tamarind. Ordinary tamarind gives a different and flatter sourness; this one is smoky and resinous.
4. THE RIND IS RINSED AND SOAKED BRIEFLY FIRST. It is often stored salted. Ten minutes in warm water and a rinse.
5. THE GRAVY IS REDUCED ONLY AFTER THE FISH IS COOKED. Its article is specific about the order: once the fish is done the LID COMES OFF and the gravy is reduced until it thickens. Reducing first and adding fish later overcooks it.
6. THE FENUGREEK IS BROWNED SEPARATELY AND GOES IN LAST. Its article says fenugreek seeds BROWNED IN A LITTLE COCONUT OIL are stirred in at the end. A teaspoon, and it is the smell of the finished dish.
7. A CLAY POT IS NOT AN AFFECTATION AND ITS ARTICLE CITES SOMEBODY ON IT. Writing in the Journal of Ethnic Foods, Ann Rose Davis records that the curry is made in a meen chatti, a clay pot on a stone stove, and that cooks hold the pot itself to improve the flavour. A heavy-based pan is the substitute and it is a substitute.
8. IT IS BETTER THE NEXT DAY AND ITS ARTICLE SAYS SO PLAINLY. It keeps without refrigeration, can be made a day or two ahead at room temperature needing only reheating each morning, and cooks hold that the flavour improves overnight.
9. ANY FIRM FISH WILL DO AND ITS ARTICLE NAMES THEM. Sardines are the usual, with mackerel, kingfish or pomfret as alternatives, and okra or onions among the vegetables. Served with rice or tapioca.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under India · All recipes