Fish Moilly or Fish Stew

I got this recipe from Madhur Jaffrey's 'Flavors of India'. I like the various cuisines and the way she has covered it in this book.

I bought fish yesterday and had plans of trying out some new recipes from this book, but my luck that for every recipe I saw, there was some ingredient which I din't have in my pantry and fridge.( Well, they are no extra-ordinary ingredients, but its just that I haven't done my grocery shopping). So, finally I came across this fish stew and looked at the list of ingredients it needed. I was happy to know that it was a simple and basic recipe which just needed like few basic things. But I had never made or eaten a fish stew before. Being a Konkani, our fish curries always have the bright red color. And this was one recipe which din't use any red chilies or powder. And the color also would be very dull then. Anyways, I went ahead and made it, and am glad I did :). Like they say,'Looks are deceptive', this stew is too. The green chilies themselves gave the stew so much spice, and together with the ginger and curry leaves, it was just superb.

The recipe says the curry leaves are optional, but I strongly suggest you add them, coz the flavor with and without them is completely different.

Ingredients

Fresh/frozen Tilapia pieces - 1 1/2 lb
Red onion, large - 1, finely sliced
Fresh hot green chillies - 8, finely sliced
Ginger, peeled and finely grated - 1 inch piece
Curry leaves - Recipe says 30 and is optional. I used about 15.
Coconut Milk - recipe says 1 cup. I used 3/4 cup, the canned one.
Lime juice -2 tbsp
Haldi powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil(preferably Coconut Oil )- 4 tbsp

Method

- Clean the fish pieces. Rub 1/4 tsp of haldi powder and some salt on the pieces and set aside.
- In a wide pan, preferably non-stick, heat oil. Add the onions, ginger and green chillies and stir once or twice.
- Add the curry leaves (if using) and stir for about 5 mins until the onion is soft.
- Then, add the remaining haldi powder and about 3/4 cup water. Mix well and bring to a boil.
- Then, add the fish pieces gently and spoon over the sauce over the fish.
- Add salt, turn the heat to low, and cook covered for 3-4 minutes. Shake the pan gently to avoid sticking.
- Add the coconut milk. Mix gently, without breaking the fish and adjust salt if needed.
- Cover and simmer for another 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan once in a while.
- Then, add the lime juice, shake pan gently and remove from the heat.
- Serve hot with rice.

P.S: The book says that in Kerala, this is always served with rice.




This goes as an entry for RCI-Kerala, hosted by Jyothsna of Curry Bazaar

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