Meen Varutharachathu (Fish with Roasted Coconut)
I had this dish first when we had gone to our friend Remya’s house. I liked this dish a lot but was little lazy to make the same because of the steps involved. Finally I made it yesterday and as expected it tasted absolutely delicious. Thanks Remya for serving me this dish so that I have another entry into my recipe list.
Meen Varutharachathu Recipe
Ingredients:
- Fish – ½ kg (cut to medium pieces)
- Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
- Fenugreek seeds (uluva) – 1/4 tsp
- Curry leaves – 10
- Onion – 1 big
- Ginger garlic paste – 4 tsp
- Tomato – 1
- Chilli powder – 1 tsp
- coriander powder – 3 tsp
- Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
- Water – 2 cup
- Salt – 1 tsp
To roast and grind:
- Coconut grated – 1 cup
- Whole black pepper – 1 tsp
- Dry red chilli – 5
- Fennel seeds (perumjeerakam) – ½ tsp
- Small onion – 5
To Marinate:
- Chilli powder – 3 tsp
- Ginger garlic paste – 3 tsp
- Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
- Lemon juice – 2 tsp
- Salt
(Note: 1 Cup = 250 ml, Vary the amount of chilli as per your spice level)
Method: (With Step-by-Step pics)
Add all the ingredients to marinate and mix well. Add little water to it and make it to a paste. Add cut fish pieces to it and keep it in the fridge for ½ hr. Heat oil in a pan and gently fry the marinated fish pieces. Keep it aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add coconut, dry red chilli, whole black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, small onion, fennel seeds. Roast till the coconut turns golden brown. Remove from fire and let it cool. Grind the same into good paste by adding little water. Keep it aside.
Heat oil in a pan and crackle mustard seeds. Add fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and sliced onions. When onion turns golden brown, add ginger and garlic. Cook for 2-3 mins.
Add sliced tomato and cook till it turns soft. Add chilli powder and coriander powder, turmeric powder and cook for 2-3 mins. Add the masala paste prepared and mix well.
Add 2 cups of water and wait till the water starts boiling well. Add fried fish and cook on low flame for 5-8 mins. Swirl the pan in between. Remove from the fire. Add 2 tbsp of oil on the top and keep pan closed for 5 min. Serve hot.
Tips:
- Prepare this dish in meen chatti (earthen ware). It will taste better.
- If you feel you want more sour/tangy taste for the gravy, add 1 piece of cocum (kudampuli)
- Fish – ½ kg (cut to medium pieces)
- Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
- Fenugreek seeds (uluva) – ¼ tsp
- Curry leaves – 10
- Onion – 1 big
- Ginger garlic paste – 4 tsp
- Tomato - 1
- Chilli powder – 1 tsp
- coriander powder – 3 tsp
- Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
- Water – 2 cup
- Salt – 1 tsp
- To roast and grind:
- Coconut grated – 1 cup
- Whole black pepper – 1 tsp
- Dry red chilli – 5
- Fennel seeds (perumjeerakam) – ½ tsp
- Small onion – 5
- To Marinate:
- Chilli powder – 3 tsp
- Ginger garlic paste – 3 tsp
- Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
- Lemon juice – 2 tsp
- Salt
- Add all the ingredients to marinate and mix well. Add little water to it and make it to a paste.
- Add cut fish pieces to it and keep it in the fridge for ½ hr.
- Heat oil in a pan and add coconut, dry red chilli, whole black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, small onion, fennel seeds.
- Roast till the coconut turns golden brown. Remove from fire and let it cool.
- Grind the same into good paste by adding little water. Keep it aside.
- Heat oil in a pan and gently fry the marinated fish pieces. Keep it aside.
- Heat oil in a pan and crackle mustard seeds.
- Add fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and sliced onions.
- When onion turns golden brown, add ginger and garlic. Cook for 2-3 mins.
- Add sliced tomato and cook till it turns soft.
- Add chilli powder and coriander powder, turmeric powder and cook for 2-3 mins.
- Add the masala paste prepared and mix well.
- Add 2 cups of water and wait till the water starts boiling well.
- Add it to fried fish and cook on low flame for 5-8 mins. Swirl the pan in between. Remove from the fire.
- Add 2 tbsp of oil on the top and keep pan closed for 5 min. Serve hot.
Vimmy, your recipes are amazing, I have made many of your chicken and fish dishes so far and they always turn out just perfect. Today I will make this dish for the first time but am sure it will be delicious again. Thank you!
Hi Eekta,
Happy to know that you are finding my space useful and thanks a lot for your lovely feedback.
Cheers
Vimmy 🙂
yummy
Thanks Asenath!!!!