I usually do this recipe with hacked thun fish available in tins. But we can also use normal fresh thun fish. Cook the fish in steam and hack it before use.
Ingredients:
- Thun fish-(boiled and hacked)-150 gm
- Onion(large)- 1
- Garlic powder- 1/2 teaspoon (or add ginger garlic paste -1 tablespoon)
- Ginger powder- 1/2 teaspoon (or ginger garlic paste)
- turmeric powder-1/4 teaspoon
- chilli powder- 1/2 teaspoon
- coriander powder- 1/2 teaspoon
- Garam masala powder- 1/2 teaspoon
- salt
For seasoning:
- Oil- 1 table spoon
- Mustard -1 teaspoon
- Urad dhal- 1teaspoon
- Curry leaves
Method:- Cook the thun fish in steam and hack it into very small pieces. Keep it aside.
- Add oil in the tava.
- Once oil is heated add all the seasoning items.
- Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Fry it till golden brown.
- Add ginger garlic powder/paste , turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder.
- Once the onions are well cooked, add the cooked hacked fish to the tava and mix it well.
- Finally add garam masala powder and cook it in sim flame under closed lid for 5 mins.(sprinkle some water and salt, if needed)
- The thun fish curry should be dry.
- Serve it hot with any type of main dish like rice, chappathi, dosa, etc.
- Option: Add few drops of lime juice before serving.
Here is another tasty kolambu in chettinadu style with prawns.
Ingredients: - Big Prawns- 10 pieces
- Curd - 1/4 cup
- Onion -2
- Tomato- 2 small size
- Grated coconut- 3 tablespoon
- Tamarind- a size of a small lemon
- Turmeric powder-1/4 teaspoon
- Chilli powder- 3/4 teaspoon
- Coriander powder-1/2 teaspoon
- Ginger - 1 inch
- Garlic -5 or 6
- Cumin seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
- Oil - 3 tablespoon
- For seasoning- Mustard, fennel, curry leaves
- Salt
Method: - Soak the tamarind in warm water for 15 minutes and extract juice out of it.
- Clean the prawns in curd and then in water.
- Make the paste of ginger and garlic seperately.
- Make another paste of coconut, half onion and cumin seeds seperately.
- Heat oil in pan and add all the seasoning items one by one.
- When the mustard starts spluttering, add ginger garlic paste.
- Then add onions and fry till it becomes transparent brown.
- Add the cut tomatoes and some turmeric powder.
- After the tomatoes are cooked, add the prawns with little salt.
- Allow it to cook in closed lid.
- When the prawns are half cooked add the chilli powder, coriander powder, coconut onion paste with little water and cook it in closed lid.
- Add water little by little when needed and check for the salt.
- When the prawns are cooked well, add the tamarind juice and allow it to boil for 3 minutes.
- Serve it with hot plain rice, jeera rice or idli, dosa.
Here is one of the simple prawn curry with potatoes in chettinadu style again.
Ingredients:
- Prawns- 10 big pieces
- Potato-2
- Garlic-4 or 5
- Big Onion-2
- Tomato-1
- Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
- Chilli powder-1 teaspoon
- Coriander powder- 3/4 teaspoon
- For seasoning:Fennel, curry leaves
- Oil- 2 tablespoon
- Salt.
Method:
- Clean the prawns and allow it to dry seperately.
- Cut potatoes into large squares and mix it with chilli powder, coriander powder and salt.
- Heat oil in pan and add fennel and curry leaves.
- When it starts to splutter add the garlic paste, cut onions and then the tomatoes.
- When the tomatoes are cooked add the prawns with turmeric powder.
- After 2 minutes of frying, add the potatoes and fry it .
- Add enough salt, close the lid and allow it to cook.
- Stir with a spoon and sprinkle some water if needed in intervals.
- Brinjals can also be added if needed.
- Suits well with all kind of rices as sidedish.
Here is another variety of non veg recipe with prawns in chettinadu style.
Ingredients:
- Prawns-125 grams(approx 10 big pieces)
- Large Onion-1
- Tomato-1
- Garlic-5,6
- Turmeric powder-1/4 teaspoon
- Oil-2 tablespoon
- Salt
- For seasoning: Mustard, Urad dal, Cumin seeds, Curry leaves
To grind:- Fennel(sombu)-1 teaspoon
- Khuskhus(poppy seeds/ kasakasa)-1/2 teaspoon
- Pepper-1 teaspoon
- Red chilli-2 or 3
- Grated coconut-3 tablespoon
Method:
- Grind the above said items without adding much water.
- Heat oil in pan and add the seasoning items.
- When it starts to splutter, add the onions and garlic.
- When it is half cooked in oil, add the turmeric powder and then the tomatoes.
- After the tomatoes are cooked well add the cleaned prawns.
- Fry the prawns for few minutes and allow it to cook in the closed lid with very little water.
- When the prawns are half cooked add the masala paste and required amount of salt.
- Now add approximately 1/4 cup of water and cook it with the lid closed.
- Add water little by little till the prawns are well cooked.
- Allow the gravy to cook till it reduces into a thick masala.
- Serve it with all types of rices , idlis or dosas.
I got this recipe from my aunt who is a specialist in karaikudi chettinadu samaiyal.
Ingredients:
- Sea Fish - 4 pieces (400gms)
- Onion - 2(large size chopped)
- Tomato - 2(chopped)
- Garlic - 4/5
- Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
- Red chilli powder - 1/4 teaspoon
- Coriander powder - 1/4 teaspoon
- Coriander seeds (dhaniya) - 1 tablespoon
- Red chilli - 3
- Coconut(grated) - 1 tablespoon
- Tamarind - lemon size
- Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Salt
For seasoning:
Mustard,Urad dhal,Fenugreek,cumin seeds
To grind:
Fry red chillies and coriander seeds in little oil and add 1 onion, 1 tomato,and grated coconut.
Grind it into a paste.
Method:- Soak tamarind in hot water and make juice by squeezing it.
- Heat oil and add mustard. When it crackles, add fenugreek, urad dal,and cumin seeds.
- Add the remaining chopped onion. When the onion turns transparent, add garlic and tomato pieces
- Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, and coriander powder.
- Add the paste with little water and salt. Allow it to boil.
- When the oil comes out in the sides,add the fish and allow it cook again with closed lid.
- Finally when the fish is cooked, add tamarind juice and allow it boil for 3 minutes.
- Garnish with coriander leaves after removing from flame.
- Tastes good with plain rice, jeera rice, idli and dosa.
