Sardine Pulimunchi | Boothai Pulimunchi
Sardines cooked in a spicy, tangy gravy
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 500 grams sardines (taarli)
- 10 dry red byadgi chillies (sookhi laal mirch)
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds (dhaniya)
- 1 tbsp cuminseeds (jeera)
- 1 tsp mustard seeds (rai / sarso)
- ½ tsp carom seeds(ajwain)
- ¼ tsp whole blackpepper (kali mirch)
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
- 1 ½ medium sized onion, sliced (pyaaz)
- 6 to 7 cloves of garlic (lehsun)
- 2 lemon sized ball of tamarind (imli)
- ½ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1 ½ tsp oil (tel)
- Few curry leaves (kadi patta)
- Salt as per taste (namak)
Instructions
- Cut and clean the fishes. Add some salt to the fish while cleaning. Change the water 4 to 5 times while cleaning the fishes. Keep the cleaned fishes aside.
- Soak the tamarind in little water and keep aside for 20 minutes.
- Heat few drops of oil in a pan and add dry red chillies.
- Roast the chillies for few minutes. Remove and keep aside.
- Now, add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds,carom seeds, black pepper and fenugreek seeds.
- Roast the spices till they turn aromatic.
- Transfer the roasted spices alongwith roasted chillies to a mixer jar.
- Add one chopped onion, garlic, soaked tamarind and turmeric powder.
- Add little water and blend to a smooth paste. Keep this masala paste aside.
- Take a clay pot and add 1 tbsp oil into it.
- Heat the pot.
- Add 1/2 onion (chopped).
- Add curry leaves and saute for few seconds.
- Now, add the masala paste.
- Add salt as per taste.
- Add little water and allow the curry to boil. Water should be added as per the desired consistency of the curry.
- When the curry starts boiling, drop the fishes into the curry.
- After adding the fishes, swirl the pot so that the fishes are coated well with the masala. Avoid using spoon/ladle to give a mix.
- If using a spoon, you will have to gently move the fish pieces in the curry.
- Cook covered for 8 to 10 minutes or until the fishes are cooked.
- Serve hot with steamed rice.