Kicking off the BLOGIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS with this post MANGALORE FISH CURRY/MEEN GASSI. This post is my ode to two very important people in my life and also in my Blogging journey. My Mum-In-Law or Mamma as I address her and the husband. Well dear readers Mr. S is responsible for the name of my Blog. It is he who coined My Tryst With Food And Travel.
My Mum-In-Law has been one of the biggest impetus and has been Rock Solid in her support towards my Blogging journey. When I started the Blog, I intended to only write about culinary travels. It was she who persistently kept telling me to open up my INDIAN kitchen to my readers through my Blog. Although initially reluctant, as I was unsure whether I would be able to balance both work and home front if I took this step, with her push and her support I finally relented and opened up my kitchen to the world through my Blog.
Although I loved cooking and cooked at least one dish a day and frequently experimented in my kitchen, I was not sure if I had enough time to record every step pictorially and thereafter document and reproduce in the Blog. It was Mamma's confidence and belief that I could do it that propelled me to go ahead. Not only is her contribution immense in providing me more time to concentrate on my blogging, she also is many a times the first expert to approve or disapprove the dish. Always ready with suggestions and her treasure trove of recipes, I have benefited immensely from her years of cooking experience and also the fact that she is the most celebrated cook in our family and most of the family and many of our friends think that her dishes are the tastiest and unparalleled.
The dish I am posting today is her favourite dish from the dishes that I have cooked for her till date. Getting her stamp of approval on a dish that I have cooked is a stupendous achievement for me. So you can imagine that I was definitely on cloud nine the day she declared over a meal that I had cooked MEEN GASSI with perfection and right balance of flavours. And later on when she would ask to prepare it for her, my happiness would soar high.
So dear friends here is the MEEN GASSI or MANGALORE FISH CURRY that I had savoured eons back in the Southern City of Mangalore. I seem to remember the exact flavours which had distinctly taken over my taste buds and have remained with me till date. The MEEN Gassi curry is delicious, it's fiery orange colour beguiling, the burst of perfectly blended flavours urging you to keep digging in. The fish itself is fresh, the soft white breaking apart as you break into it.
I owe it to the kind chef who generously parted with his recipe when I requested him after finishing my meal. It's my earnest request to all my readers that if you come across MEEN Gassi on the menu of any restaurant do try it and if you ever pay a visit to Mangalore, please do not leave without trying the Mangalore MEEN Gassi.
Meanwhile you can cook MEEN Gassi in your kitchen by following this recipe and I can vouch that you will keep cooking it again and again.
MANGALORE FISH CURRY/MEEN GASSI RECIPE :
AUTHOR - PIYALI
SERVES - 4
CUISINE - INDIAN /MANGALORE
TYPE - MAIN COURSE /FISH CURRY
TIME - 20 MINUTES PREPARATION + 40 MINUTES COOKING TIME
INGREDIENTS :
1) 500 Gms Fish steaks ( Any firm white fish will do )
2) 1 Large Onion thinly sliced
3) 2 Medium sized tomatoes, skinned and sliced
4) 2-3 sprigs of fresh Curry leaves
5) 2 Tsp of tamarind paste
6) 2 Tbsp of Coconut oil for cooking
7) 100 ml of Coconut milk
8) Masala Mix
9) Salt to taste
MARINATION FOR FISH:
1) 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2) Juice of 1/2 Lemon
3) Salt
FOR MASALA MIX:
1) 250 Gms fresh Grated Coconut
2) 1 Medium Onion roughly sliced
3) 10-12 pods of garlic
4) 8 Byadagi Dry Red Chillies ( You can use Kashmiri Chillies in the same amount if you are unable to find Byadagi Chillies )
5) 1 Tsp Mustard seeds
6) 2 Tsp Cumin seeds
7) 1 Tsp Fennel Seeds/Saunf
8) A generous pinch of Fenugreek seeds/Methi dana
9) 3 Tsp Coriander Powder
10) 2 Tsp of Black pepper powder
11) 2 Tsp Coconut Oil
12) Enough water to grind to a smooth paste
FOR GARNISHING :
1) A few sprigs curry leaves
2) 2 Tbsp fresh coriander leaves chopped
GET COOKING WITH ME IN EASY STEPS :
STEP 1:
LET'S PREPARE THE MASALA MIX :
In a pan heat coconut oil. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, dry red chillies and sauté till all the seeds pop and the dry red chillies changes colour. Next add the coriander powder and pepper powder. Sauté for a minute and add the garlic pods, onions and grated coconut. Fry till the onions become soft and the coconut a very light brown. Keep a watch on the flame and take care not to burn any of the spices. Remove from flame and cool to room temperature. In a grinder add the mix of spices from the pan and grind to a smooth paste, adding water as required.
STEP 2:
MARINATE THE FISH :
Clean the fish, marinate the pieces by adding salt, lemon juice and turmeric. Do not marinate the fish for more than 5 minutes. As the lemon juice will cause the fish to break while cooking.
Chop the Onions and skin the tomatoes and slice them too.
STEP 3 :
COOKING THE FISH GASSI CURRY:
You can use an earthen pot or any regular pan or wok to cook the fish. I have used a wok. Pour coconut oil in the wok and wait till it becomes hot. Add in the curry leaves and as they sizzle add in the onions. Season with salt. Sauté the onions till they become soft. Add the sliced tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes become pulpy. Next add the Masala Mix.
Now add water and let everything in the wok cook. Don't add a lot of water, just enough to cook the masala. Once the masala is cooked add the tamarind and mix well, sauté for a couple of minutes. Remove from the flame and add the coconut milk while stirring continuously. Put the wok back on the flame and mix well. Wait till the gravy starts boiling. Now add the fish. Integrate well. After adding the fish, do not stir or use your spatula vigorously in the wok, or else you will break the fish. Anyways, there nothing much to do now for you. Only stir gently occasionally and don't cook the fish covered. Once the fish is cooked through, remove from the flame.
Garnish with coriander and curry leaves and serve piping hot. This curry tastes the best with Ne'er Dosa, but even with rice, it tastes awesome.
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MANGALORE FISH CURRY/MEEN GASSI RECIPE :
AUTHOR - PIYALI
SERVES - 4
CUISINE - INDIAN /MANGALORE
TYPE - MAIN COURSE /FISH CURRY
TIME - 20 MINUTES PREPARATION + 40 MINUTES COOKING TIME
INGREDIENTS :
1) 500 Gms Fish steaks ( Any firm white fish will do )
2) 1 Large Onion thinly sliced
3) 2 Medium sized tomatoes, skinned and sliced
4) 2-3 sprigs of fresh Curry leaves
5) 2 Tsp of tamarind paste
6) 2 Tbsp of Coconut oil for cooking
7) 100 ml of Coconut milk
8) Masala Mix
9) Salt to taste
MARINATION FOR FISH:
1) 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2) Juice of 1/2 Lemon
3) Salt
FOR MASALA MIX:
1) 250 Gms fresh Grated Coconut
2) 1 Medium Onion roughly sliced
3) 10-12 pods of garlic
4) 8 Byadagi Dry Red Chillies ( You can use Kashmiri Chillies in the same amount if you are unable to find Byadagi Chillies )
5) 1 Tsp Mustard seeds
6) 2 Tsp Cumin seeds
7) 1 Tsp Fennel Seeds/Saunf
8) A generous pinch of Fenugreek seeds/Methi dana
9) 3 Tsp Coriander Powder
10) 2 Tsp of Black pepper powder
11) 2 Tsp Coconut Oil
12) Enough water to grind to a smooth paste
FOR GARNISHING :
1) A few sprigs curry leaves
2) 2 Tbsp fresh coriander leaves chopped
THIS IS WHAT YOU DO :
FOR THE MASALA MIX :
1) Heat Coconut Oil in a Pan.
2) Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds and dry red chillies. Sauté till they are fragrant and chillies change colour.
3) Add coriander powder and pepper powder and sauté for a minute.
4) Add garlic pods, onions and coconut. Sauté till the onions become soft and coconut light brown.
5) Remove, cool and grind to a smooth paste using enough water.
MARINATE THE FISH:
Using salt, turmeric and lemon juice marinate the fish steaks. Leave for 5 minutes.
COOK THE FISH CURRY:
1) Heat oil in a wok.
2) Add the curry leaves followed by the onion slices. Sauté.
3) Add tomatoes after onions have become soft. Mix and sauté.
4) when the tomatoes become pulpy add in the masala mix. Add sufficient water and let everything in the wok cook.
5) Once the masala is cooked, add tamarind, mix and remove from the flame.
6) Now add the coconut milk while stirring continuously. Put the wok back on the flame. Mix and let the gravy come to a boil.
7) Add the fish and cook till the fish is cooked through. Check for salt and add if required.
8) Garnish with coriander and curry leaves.
CHECK LIST :
1) Fish, 2) Onions, 3) Tomatoes, 4) Curry leaves, 5) Tamarind Oaste, 6) Coconut Oil, 7) Coconut Milk, 8) Masala Mix, 9) Salt
MARINATION FIR FISH:
1) Salt, 2) Turmeric, 3) Lemon Juice
FOR THE MASALA MIX:
1) Coconut, 2) Onions, 3) Garlic, 4) Dry Red Chillies, 5) Mustard Seeds, 6) Cumin Seeds, 7) Fennel Seeds, 8) Fenugreek Seeds, 9) Coriander powder, 10) Black Pepper Powder, 11) Coconut Oil, 12) Water
FOR GARNISHING:
1) Curry Leaves, 2) Coriander Leaves
NOTES :
- Use fish steaks or fillets as you may choose.
- You may substitute coconut oil with oil of choice.
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