Tamil Tamarind Fish Curry with Mackerel and Shallots

What you need

• 500 g (1 lb) mackerel, cleaned and cut into 5 cm (2 in) steaks; kingfish or pomfret also work
• 2 tbsp tamarind paste, or a lime-sized ball of seedless tamarind soaked in hot water and squeezed
• 480 ml (2 cups) water
• 3 tbsp sesame oil, the untoasted South Indian kind (gingelly oil)
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 150 g (5 oz) small shallots, peeled and halved, or 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, less for a milder curry
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• steamed rice, for serving

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Rinse the mackerel steaks under cold water, pat them dry and keep them in the fridge until needed.

2. 2

   Stir the tamarind paste into the water until no lumps remain. Set the sour liquid aside.

3. 3

   Warm the sesame oil in a wide clay pot or heavy pan over medium heat.

4. 4

   Add the mustard seeds and wait until they pop, about 30 seconds. Add the fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds and curry leaves and stir for a few seconds until the fenugreek turns reddish brown; it goes bitter if it darkens further.

5. 5

   Tip in the shallots and garlic. Fry, stirring often, until the shallots are soft and starting to colour at the edges, 5-6 min.

6. 6

   Add the tomatoes and cook until they collapse into a thick pulp, 5-6 min.

7. 7

   Lower the heat, add the coriander, chilli powder and turmeric with a splash of the tamarind liquid, and stir for 1 min until the raw smell of the spices is gone.

8. 8

   Pour in the rest of the tamarind liquid, add the salt and bring to a boil.

9. 9

   Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until the gravy thickens slightly and a thin film of oil rises to the surface, 12-15 min. Taste: it should be sharply sour, hot and salty, since the fish will soften it.

10. 10

    Slide the fish into the gravy in one layer. Do not stir with a spoon from here on; swirl the pot gently instead so the pieces stay whole.

11. 11

    Simmer gently until the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes at the thickest point, 6-8 min.

12. 12

    Turn off the heat, cover and leave the curry to rest for at least 10 min so the fish absorbs the sour gravy. It tastes even better a few hours later.

13. 13

    Serve warm over steamed rice.

Imported from kannammacooks.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.