A few years back I read a book called CATWALK CUISINE. This was a very intriguing cookbook which had the top INDIAN models and supermodels talk about their favourite dishes and divulge the recipes. The book kept me fascinated and glued for a long time and I learnt that most models are fascinated about food because mostly they are not allowed to indulge. Now this book had most of the supermodels, ex-Miss India's talk about their most loved dishes. I remember being fixated to one particular model and loving her food. Her name is Joey Matthew. The book said "Joey's cooking is legendary in fashion circles, and her food is quite stylish". INDIAN Fashion Guru Prasad Bidapa the co-author of the book recalls times when Joey would fix a meal for friends and colleagues after a long day of rehearsals for fashion shows with so much passion and a huge smile.
A little about Joey Matthew. Joey was born to Malyali parents and raised in Europe and the Middle East. From being a lawyer, to a famous ramp model for many illustrious designers and finally answered her calling, her immense love for food, her journey so far has been quite beguiling. She loves to cook for her friends just as INDIAN celebrity makeup artist Ambika Pillai a close friend of Joey unabashedly claims that she is a regular at Joey's house to sample her delicious and very stylishly dished out food. Ambika Pillai says" I usually call her on my way from work and when I reach her place, there is always something fancy and fascinating like Grilled Haloumi served with fresh oranges and tangy vinaigrette, Mediterranean tagine with home-made bread, prawn cocktail and chocolate tofu tart etc. waiting on the table. There is always delectable food and not the regular sandwich with a cup of coffee fixed in a hurry for a hungry friend" . Doesn't that all sound so wonderful.
Well that's not all I followed every episode of the TV cookery show that Joey Matthew hosted called "Love Bites" because it was so sleek with loads of oomph in it . I felt my fashion quotient with respect to food increased when I watched her cook and dish out these elegant looking platters.
Then once out of the blue I bumped into Joey Matthew at a mall in Dubai. A brief chat later I was delighted to find out that my favourite dish from her repertoire was even a favourite with her. She was the true blue Malyali at heart and I was basking every single day of my life in the friendship of my friends from Kerala. Both of us sharing an immense love for food from the lush South Indian state of Kerala.
Well that was it. I was cooking her recipes for long and had to share this with my friends here. This recipe is my favourite because of its simplicity and rustic touch. I love the fact that this a zero oil dish. And also I love the idea of cooking this curry in an earthen pot to infuse earthy flavours to this dish. I Always use fish as fresh as possible and when everything is mixed together, the fresh ingredients, the aromatics is like a therapy for me every time. This honest dish where each flavour distinctly holds its ground is a matter of pure joy when savoured with piping hot rice. That is all you need with this dish to give you a very comforting feeling. And trust me friends although not a single drop of oil is used in the making of the dish , when all the lovely ingredients come together in a beautiful marriage you will never realise, if not told that this is a zero oil curry.
So let's get cooking right away. I followed JOEY MATTHEW'S RECIPE just as it is.
Reference:
ZERO OIL COCONUT FISH CURRY RECIPE :
SERVES : 4
CUISINE : INDIAN/KERALA
TYPE : MAIN COURSE / FISH CURRY
TIME : 10 MINUTES PREPARATION + 30 MINUTES COOKING TIME
INGREDIENTS :
1) 1/2 Kg fresh fish ( Any firm white fish will do )
2) 250 Ml of Tamarind juice
3) 1 Big Onion thinly sliced
4) 3 Tbsp of freshly ground coconut
5) 2 Green Chillies
6) 2 Medium sized Tomatoes
7) 1 Tsp Turmeric powder
8) 2 Tsp Red Chilli powder
9) A few sprigs of curry leaves
10) 2 tsp of finely chopped ginger
11) Salt to taste
12) Water
COOK WITH ME IN EASY STEPS :
STEP 1:
Cut the fish into medium sized cubes. For the tamarind juice, use a lemon sized ready made tamarind pulp and add water to it. Slice the onions thinly, slit the green chillies, chop the tomatoes and chop the ginger finely. Grate the coconut finely after adding a generous pinch of turmeric to it.
In a large bowl put in all the fish pieces. Add in the entire amount of tamarind water to the fish pieces and leave them to soak in all the goodness of the tangy tamarind juice for at least a couple of minutes. You may increase the quantity of the tamarind juice if you love the tang more.
STEP 2 :
Take the earthen pot or man-chetti (as they call the earthen pot traditionally used to cook fish in Kerala). Transfer all the fish pieces along with tamarind juice into the clay pot. Add in the sliced onions and the chopped tomatoes. Next goes in the coconut paste and the slit green chillies.
Now with your all important fingers give the fish pieces a lovely massage with all the coconut paste and nicely mix all the ingredients in the clay pot. Since this is a fish curry we now add enough water into the clay pot so as to cover all the fish pieces completely. Next add in the aromatics turmeric, red chilli powder and season with salt.
Finally add in the chopped ginger and curry leaves.
STEP 3:
Place the clay pot on the flame and bring it to a rolling boil. then simmer for a few minutes till all the ingredients in your pot come together in a colourful marriage.
Remove from flame and serve with hot steamed rice your super delicious Zero Oil Coconut Fish Curry.
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ZERO OIL COCONUT FISH CURRY RECIPE :
INGREDIENTS :
1) 1/2 Kg fresh fish ( Any firm white fish will do )
2) 250 Ml of Tamarind juice
3) 1 Big Onion thinly sliced
4) 3 Tbsp of freshly ground coconut
5) 2 Green Chillies
6) 2 Medium sized Tomatoes
7) 1 Tsp Turmeric powder
8) 2 Tsp Red Chilli powder
9) A few sprigs of curry leaves
10) 2 tsp of finely chopped ginger
11) Salt to taste
12) Water
COOK WITH ME IN EASY STEPS :
STEP 1:
Cut the fish into medium sized cubes. For the tamarind juice, use a lemon sized ready made tamarind pulp and add water to it. Slice the onions thinly, slit the green chillies, chop the tomatoes and chop the ginger finely. Grate the coconut finely after adding a generous pinch of turmeric to it.
In a large bowl put in all the fish pieces. Add in the entire amount of tamarind water to the fish pieces and leave them to soak in all the goodness of the tangy tamarind juice for at least a couple of minutes. You may increase the quantity of the tamarind juice if you love the tang more.
STEP 2 :
Take the earthen pot or man-chetti (as they call the earthen pot traditionally used to cook fish in Kerala). Transfer all the fish pieces along with tamarind juice into the clay pot. Add in the sliced onions and the chopped tomatoes. Next goes in the coconut paste and the slit green chillies.
Now with your all important fingers give the fish pieces a lovely massage with all the coconut paste and nicely mix all the ingredients in the clay pot. Since this is a fish curry we now add enough water into the clay pot so as to cover all the fish pieces completely. Next add in the aromatics turmeric, red chilli powder and season with salt.
Finally add in the chopped ginger and curry leaves.
STEP 3:
Place the clay pot on the flame and bring it to a rolling boil. then simmer for a few minutes till all the ingredients in your pot come together in a colourful marriage.
Remove from flame and serve with hot steamed rice your super delicious Zero Oil Coconut Fish Curry.
CHECK LIST:
1) Fish, 2) Tamarind Juice, 3) Onion, 4) Tomatoes, 5) Coconut, 6) Green Chillies,
7) Turmeric Powder, 8) Red Chilli Powder, 9) Curry Leaves, 10) Ginger, 11) Salt
NOTES:
- If you do not have an earthen pot then you can cook in any ordinary pot.
- You may use whole tamarind, soak it and squeeze every bit of juice out of it in place of tamarind pulp.
- Once you place the pot with the fish and all over the flame, do not stir often and be very careful not to break the fish.
- Not a single drop of oil is used. The oil you see in the pictures is from the natural fish oil of the fish used.
- Increase or decrease red chilli powder or green chillies depending upon the taste preferred by your family.
- Do not cover and cook at any point of time.
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