NADAN FISH FRY WITH COCONUT MILK

    Fish Fry is a simple recipe, a simple marinade with Salt, Red Chilli Powder and Turmeric is more than enough to bring out the taste and flavour of a Fish Fry.  When a few other ingredients follow the toll, it takes the recipe into another level. Ginger Garlic Paste, Pepper/Fennel/Cumin Powder, some add tangy ingredients like Lemon Juice/Tamarind, can spice it up with Kandhari/Bird's Eye chillies.  The versions and variations a Fish Fry can be made is innumerable, and it even changes with regions from which it originates and takes twists and turns to suit a cook's whims and fancies.

    Recently, I was watching a Malayalam Movie "Maduram" and the actor in the Movie, Mr.Joju George cooks a fish fry in it.  He says he added a bit of coconut milk while marinating the fish.  The dialogue instantly caught my attention and the very next day I got into action.  And absolutely the taste of the Fish Fry was astounding, just the addition of Coconut Milk had elevated the taste and flavour of this Fish Fry.  So, a Fish Fry inspired from the Movie, "Maduram" through the words of Actor Joju George.  Some dialogues coming from some actors really make the dish sound interesting and tasty. 

    This Nadan Fish Fry with Coconut Milk is a simple Fish Fry recipe prepared in a typical Kerala style with local spices and undoubtedly fried in Coconut Oil.  This gives an authentic touch to this Fish Fry.  Fish Slices are marinated in freshly ground spice paste with a drizzle of Lemon Juice, Coconut Oil & Coconut Milk.  The finishing touch of this Fish Fry is undoubtedly the Coconut Milk, which elevates the taste and flavour of this Nadan Fish Fry.

    This Nadan Fish Fry is a spicy, tasty and flavour filled dish with a mild note of tanginess laced with coconut milk. This Nadan Fish Fry is comparatively spicy, which makes it a perfect combo along with heady Toddy. Simply serve this Nadan Kerala Style Fish Fry as an appetizer or as a side dish.



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Cuisine - Kerala
Course - Appetizer/Side Dish
Spice Level - Medium-High
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 2-3
Author - SM


Preparation Time - 10 - 15 Minutes
Marination - 30 Minutes - 1 Hour
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes


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HOW TO COOK NADAN FISH FRY WITH COCONUT MILK

NADAN FISH FRY WITH COCONUT MILK

INGREDIENTS:

To Marinate the Fish:

Fish - 6-8 Slices
Lime Juice - from 1/2 a Lime
Coconut oil - 1 Teaspoon
Thick Coconut Milk - 1/4 Cup
Salt - To Taste

 

To Grind:

Shallots - 8-10 No's.
Ginger - 1" Piece - 2 No's.
Garlic - 5-6 Cloves
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Red Chilli Powder - 11/2 Teaspoon
Peppercorns - 1Teaspoon
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves - a few sprigs

 

For Shallow Frying :

Coconut oil - 5-6 Tablespoons.
Curry Leaves - a few Sprigs

METHOD:

For Nadan Fish Fry: 

• Clean, wash and Cut Fish into slices.
• Clean and wash the Fish and allow it to drain in a Colander.
• If using a full fish, draw 3-4 incisions with a sharp knife all over the fish.
• Grind all the ingredients mentioned under "To Grind" into a fine paste.  Sprinkle some water while grinding if necessary.
• Marinate the Fish Slices with the with above ground paste along with Coconut Oil, Thick Coconut Milk, Salt & Lemon Juice.
• Leave this aside for about 30 minutes - 1 hour.
• Heat Coconut oil in a pan, line it up with a few sprigs of Curry Leaves.
• Then place a few marinated Fish Slices and shallow fry the Fish slices.
• Fry the fish slices on a medium-low flame for a few minutes.
• Gently flip the fish and fry the other side for a few more minutes, or until it is fried on both sides.
• The Fish should turn crispy and into golden brown.
• Remove from oil and drain it.
• Serve Nadan Fish Fry with Coconut Milk, hot garnished with Onion Rings and a drizzle of Lime Juice.
• Can serve Kallu shappu style Fish Fry as an Appetizer.
• Nadan Fish Fry goes well with Steamed Rice or along with Vegetarian or Non-Vegetarian Curries, it can also be served as a side dish along with Rice Dishes, Biriyanis & Pulaos.
• This Spicy Fish Fry goes hand in hand with a glass of Thengin Kallu(Toddy).
•  Can serve this tasty Fish Fry in a Kerala Style Fish Curry Meals for a Lunch too.

 

NADAN FISH FRY WITH COCONUT MILK

NOTES:

• Any type of fish-small/big variety can be used for this recipe.
• I have prepared the dish with Halibut Fish Slices., even medium-sized whole fish can be used for the purpose.
• Adjust the amount of spices as per your taste and the size of the fish.
• Can marinate the fish overnight and leave it in the refrigerator. 
• Using Coconut Oil gives the authentic taste to the dish. Can use any other cooking oil too.
• Adding Coconut Milk is purely optional, but it gives an added taste and note of flavour to this  Nadan Fish Fry.
  
• Can Deep Fry or shallow Fry the fish as per your preference.
• I usually shallow fry the fish.
• Curry Leaves gives an incredible flavour to the roast.
  

 

Crispy Unakka Manthal Fry|Dried Sole Fish Fry – Crunchy & Spicy!

Unakka Manthal Varuthathu – Dried Sole Fish Fry

    Few dishes bring as much nostalgia to my plate as Unakka Manthal Varuthathu—a crispy, flavour-packed Dried Sole Fish Fry. More than just a dish, this is a journey down memory lane. Every trip to Palakkad is incomplete without bringing back a pack of Unakka Nangu or Unakka Manthal, making it an inseparable part of my travel memories.

A Nostalgic Bite

    My love for dried fish goes back further than I can remember. It has been one of my absolute favourites since childhood. Holidays at my mother’s home meant a visit to the Kongad Chanda—a bustling shandy market in Kongad, open only on Mondays. My grandfather would carry a big vatti (basket) to the market and return with loads of groceries, fresh vegetables, and, without fail, two special items—A pack of dried fish wrapped in newspaper, securely tied with jute rope.  A few Ari Murukku, tied like a garland, ready to be devoured.

    The moment he returned, we kids were treated to crunchy Murukkus, while my grandmother got busy frying Unakka Nangu. A crispy piece of Unakka Manthal with steaming rice? Heaven!

KERALA STYLE FISH CURRY MEALS

    Yet another set of recipes for a simple SUNDAY LUNCH MENU.  As special as it is - a Weekend, a day of rest... turns out to be a day of work for women folk.  A good rest & a relaxed mode asks for good food, & the women folk has to get busy planning the meal, cooking & cleaning.  Kudos to all Working Women out there... I am always at awe with their effortless multitasking between work & home.  

POMFRET FRY - GOAN STYLE

    Goa a small state in the Western Coastal region in the Arabian Sea is one place tourist flock for the beauty, culture, entertainment and all the more for food.  The bright sunshine, clean, sand spread beaches, cool coconut trees and a wonderful cuisine add highlights to this beautiful place.   Goa has a long history and reminiscent memories of culture, architect and food left from Portuguese settlement. As said visit Goa for 'Good Mood and Good Food'.
     Goan Cuisine is unique to itself with a wide array of Seafood, Coconuts, Jaggery, Beef, Pork, Spices, Vinegar and their own speciality the FENNY (Goan special country liquor usually prepared from Cashew Apples).  Though some food is similar to Kerala Cuisine from parts of Cochin (which was also a Portuguese Settlement), the spices used in Goan Cuisine gives a twist to the flavour. Like any other cuisine and culture, Goan cuisine also has taken its twist and turn of adaptation with the use of local produce and adapting to the nature of prevailing neighbourhood cuisine culture.
      If there is one seafood favourite all around the world then, it would surely be this Pomfret Fry. And when it is prepared in Goan style, the taste of the fish is enhanced with tropical spices like pepper, fenugreek and fennel giving it an overwhelming flavour and an extra note of aroma.
     But absolutely it means only to people who love fish and seafood. My son used to run behind the fishmonger when he was a kid, asking him to stop so that I can buy fish for him.  But suddenly things changed, and he totally started to avoid eating them.  Even the smell of fish makes him run out of the place. Even now he never comes to the wet market or to the seafood section in the market.
     But for an exception, he wouldn't mind eating seafood like prawns and crabs and Steamed Seabass/Pomfret or Ikan Bakar Pari (Grilled Sting Ray).  But I have never been successful in insisting him to eat fish in any other way.  Even my daughter gets sceptical eating fish at times, literally only at times.  On other occasions and for certain recipes and fishes she loves them.  So I usually make sure to buy their favourite fishes and prepare the way both of them likes.
     Pomfret Fry is one of my daughter's favourite dish and all the more she likes them prepared as Meen Pollichathu in Kerala Style, since our visit to Kallu Shap (Toddy Shop) near Cochin. This Goan style fish fry is a simple marinade prepared with basic spices with a slight note of tanginess from tamarind.  Marinated Fish can be deep-fried or shallow fried to your preference.  Serve it along with Rice, Fish Curry or Simple dhal or veggie curry. 


Cuisine - Goa (India)
Course - Side Dish/Appetizer
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 2
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 15 - 20 Minutes
Marination Time - 30 Minutes to 1 Hour
Cooking Time - 10 - 15 Minutes.

INGREDIENTS :

 

METHOD :

• Clean the fish and draw 3-4 incisions with a sharp knife all over the fish.
• Dry Roast the Fenugreek Seeds and Fennel Seeds on a very low flame until the spices splutter and turn aromatic.
• Cool and grind the roasted spices into a fine powder. 
• Mix all the ingredients mentioned under 'To Marinate', adding Tamarind Juice into a paste.
• Marinate the fish with the Spice Paste and keep it aside for 30 minutes - 1 hour.
• Heat oil in a pan and fry the fish on medium low flame for about 3 minutes.
• Gently flip the fish and fry the other side for about 3 minutes or until it is fried on both the sides.
• Remove from oil and drain it on a paper towel.
• Serve hot Garnished with Onions and Coriander Leaves and with a drizzle of Lemon Juice over it.
• Goes well with steamed White Rice accompanied with Dhal, Curries, Non-Veg Curries/Gravies.

NOTES:

• Any type of fish- small/big variety can be used for this recipe.
• I have prepared the dish with white Pomfret, even fish pieces can be used for the purpose.
• Adjust spices as per your taste and fish’s size.
• Can marinate the fish overnight and leave it in the refrigerator. 
• Adding Semolina/Rice Flour is purely optional, I haven't used it in this recipe.
• If, leaving it in the refrigerator add Semolina/Rice flour just before frying the fish.
• Can Deep Fry or shallow Fry the fish to your preference.
• I usually shallow fry the fish.

 

FISH 65

    Fish 65 is an easy Fish fry recipe prepared with Fish Chunks. Preferably I cook this recipe with Shark alias Sura/Sravu Fish.  Though you can prepare a wide range of recipes with Shark Fish, this Fish 65 recipe prepared with this variety does total justification, whatsoever.   And if you are a Seafood lover then this fried Fish recipe is for you.  Though it looks red and fiery, they are not as spicy as they look.

     Fish 65 is a spicy, deep-fried fish chunks which is a recipe adapted from Chicken 65 which is believed to have originated from Chennai, India, most specifically introduced in 1965 at the Buhari Hotel a famous restaurant in Chennai.  It serves as an entrée(starter) or even as a quick snack. It can be prepared using boneless Fish Chunks and is usually served with Sliced Onions and Lemon wedges. Any soft chunky variety of fish suits well for this recipe.  Vegetarian variants like "Paneer 65" or "Gobi(Cauliflower) 65" are also prevalent.  Kerala has its own style of Beef 65 too, made with pre-cooked Beef pieces.

       The flavour of this Fish 65 recipe can be attributed to Red Chilly Powder but rest of the ingredients for the recipe can vary.  Some recipes call for adding Garam Masala, add fried Curry Leaves etc., to add an extra note to this dish.  To be honest, Fish 65 teases you brain, and makes it difficult to identify whether the dish is made with Chicken or Fish.  So is the texture and flavour of well-marinated and perfectly cooked Fish 65.

 

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Cuisine - South Indian
Course - Appetizer / Starter
Spice Level - Medium
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 3-4
Author - SM

Preparation Time : 5-10 Minutes
Marination Time : Overnight / 3-4 Hours
Cooking Time : 20 - 30 Minutes

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HOW TO COOK FISH 65

FISH 65

INGREDIENTS:

To Marinate:

Boneless Fish  - 500 Grams
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Tbspn
Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tspn
Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 Tspn
Red Food Colour - (Optional)
Corn flour- 3-4 Tbspn
Mono sodium Glutamate(Aji-no-moto) - a Pinch (Optional)
Egg- 1
Salt - To Taste
Lemon Juice - 2-3 Tspns

To Fry:

Oil

To Garnish:

Onion Slices
Lemon wedges

 

METHOD:

To Marinate:

• Clean & Cut the Fish into small cubes.
• Wash it thoroughly & allow it to drain through a colander.
• Mix all the ingredients mentioned under "To Marinate."
• Add the Fish Pieces into the Marinade and mix well.
• Leave the marinated Fish Pieces for at least 1 hour or overnight in the refrigerator.

Fish 65:

• Heat cooking Oil on a high flame.  Allow the oil to smoke-off.
• Then reduce the flame to medium and then add the marinated Fish pieces into it.
• Do not overcrowd the pan, which will reduce the temperature of the oil.
  
• Deep-fry the Fish pieces on a medium flame until they are well cooked, and the sizzling sound stops.
• Remove the  fried Fish Pieces and allow it to drain on a paper towel.
• Fish 65 serves best as an entrée(starter) or even as a quick snack.  Serve it along with thinly sliced Onions and Lemon wedges. 
• Fish 65 can be served as a side dish. 
• Steaming hot Rice, Rasam and Fish 65 is one best combination & my personal preference.

FISH 65

NOTES:

• Drain the Fish Pieces well, before marinating them.
• Can use any fish variety with thick flesh for Fish 65 Recipe.  I have used Shark fish in this recipe. 
• Adding MSG(Aji-no-moto) and Red food colour to the marinade is totally optional.
• Adjust the amount of Red Chilli Powder to your spice level.
• Kashmiri Chilli Powder is less spicy and also gives the needed fiery red colour to Fish 65.
• I have not used Food Colouring in this Fish 65 recipe.
• Do not fry the Fish Pieces for a long time, which can make the pieces hard.
  

"Karimeen Fry: A Crispy Kerala Tale - From Bamboo Traps to Festive Extravaganza!"