Shark fish curry / Sura meen kuzhambu

 

Hi friends, today's special shark fish curry / Sura meen kuzhambu with steamed rice is a perfect meals for wednesday lunch. My grandma makes the most delicious fish curries and she has perfected it so much that no matter how many times i make fish curry and hear from husband that it tasted great i still have this 10 % Unsatisfied part which keeps telling me...

Shark fish is great in taste and it's believed to be good breastfeeding for moms as it increases milk supply for the new born. But shark fish also increase boby temperature (heat), So one has to consume in little quanity. My mom says there are two varieties of shark fish one is paal sura (young fish), which is soft and tender and cook in 20 mins..The other variety is kombu sura (Matured fish) this variety of fish is rough and flesh is chewy and will take to cook more time. So i always choose small size shark fish..

 While making shark fish curry i always leave the skin on fish. The texture of shark fish skin is rubbery and when cooked will come out like fine sand and dirt. if you don't leaving the skin on, you can boil the shark fish cubes in water for 4 mins or untill fish is tender (like doing sura puttu), remove fish pieces from boiled water, allow to cool, remove the skin and use flesh while making curry. But in this method the shark fish taste and nutrients will be lost in boiled water which is discarded.

Another important tips is any kind of tamarind fish curry tastes great on the next day as the sourness and spiciness gets soaked in fish, so always make big batch of curry and reserve for next day too....

So i hope you give a try to this fish curry and commented about the recipe..

preparation time - 15 mins
Cooking time : 20 mins
serve - 5 to 6

 INGREDIENTS:

Fish - 3/4 kg (shark / sura)
Tamarind - 1 ball size (dipped in the water)
Turmeric powder - 1 tspn
Salt to taste
Curry leaves - one bunch
Gingelly oil  - 6 spn

FOR TEMPERING :

Mustard - 1 spn
Small onions - 5 (chopped)
Tomatoes - 1 (sliced)
Green chilli - 4 (sliced)

FOR GRINDING:

1. Red chilli - 1O 
2. Coriander seeds - 3 spn
3. Cumin seeds - 1 spn
4. Small onions / shallots - 10
5. Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup

METHOD :

• Peel the skin, wash the fish and cut into small pieces.
• Take red chilli, coriander seeds, cumin seeds in a frying pan and fry lightly and Grinded these things into fine paste.
• Now transfer it into a heavy bottom pan.. 
• In the same blender take coconut, shallots and grinding item and grind them into fine paste.
• And transfer it into the same bowl..
• In the same bowl add in salt, turmeric powder and tamarind water. And mix it keep aside
• In heat a kadai add oil mustard,chopped onion and curry leaves.
• Add the curry leaves with the stem which gives excellent flavour...
• Fry them till brown now add green chilli and tomato on it
• Now place the masala pan to the flame and bring to boil.
• Once it boil add tempering items and give a mix.
• Allow it boil now add fish fillets on it and cover it with lid..
• Cooked the fish till it became soft and tender.
• When the oil floats on the top of curryand the fish is done...Now off the stove..
• Now the wonderful shark fish curry is ready its best match with the white rice and fish fry...

PICTORIAL :

Wash and cut it into small pieces

Take masala ingredients

Fry the Chilli, coriander, cumin seeds lightly

Make it into paste

Transfer it into a thick bottom pan

In the same blender add coconut and shallots

Grind it into paste

Pour to the pan

Add salt

Some turmeric powder

Add in tamarind water

Mix well

Now it's done, keep aside

Heat a pan with oil

Add in mustard

Chopped shallots / small onion

Then a bunch of curry leaves

Allow to splutter

Add in tomatoes and chillies

Toss well in the oil

Place the pan on the stove

Allow to boil

Then add in tempering items

Give a mix

When it's boil

Add in fish

Again mix well

Done

Close it with lid 

Bring to boil

Simmer the stove for 7 mins

See the oil that flaots on the top

Now it's ready to serve

Enjoy..