Ingredients

Fish (known to be good for gravy)-1/2 kg

Small onion-20
Garlic-15 pods
Chilly powder -1 spoon or kuzhambu milagai thool-2 spoons
Coriander powder-2 tablespoons
Tomato-1
Curry leaf- little
Tamarind-gooseberry size(double the quantity you use for sambar)

First marinate the fish with

Chilly powder-1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon
Lemon juice-1 teaspoon
Salt-1 teaspoon
Keep the fish marinated for 1 to 2 hours.

Procedure
Soak the tamarind and required salt in 3 to 4 cups of water. Keep a flat bottom kadai in
the stove. Pour 2 to 3 spoons of oil(gingelly oil if available will be the best).Season with
Fennel seeds-1 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds-1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaf-little
Addthe minced onion, garlic and tomato and sauté well for 3 minutes. Now add the
tamarind water. Add the chilly powder and coriander powder also and wait till the
mixture boils. Once it starts boiling keep the stove in sim and allow the curry to cook in
low fire for 10 to 12 minutes till the gravy has reduced to half. Now slowly add the fish
one by one in such a way that all the pieces stay aloof. Once the fish is added, you will
find the gravy becoming watery. Increase the flame a little and cook for 5 more minutes.
Always make sure that you use the gravy only 2 or 3 hours after cooking.(this time is for
the fish to get the taste of the gravy) .It is always better not to transfer the contents to
another vessel since the fishes are likely to break while transferring.
Shallot

Viki's Kitchen.
A place for authentic Indian cuisines especially Tamil food
along with some of my cheerful memories.
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Saturday, February 27, 2010
Vaaval meen kulambu
Buying fish from market can be a very pleasant experience, if
you seriously love seafood. In my hometown we prepare the
fish kuzhambu in earthenware, which yields a native flavor.
Nothing can beat a meen kulambu prepared in clay vessel.
Love to remember the way hubby and myself searched for this
earthenware vessel to make the fish curry in Madras:)

Before marriage I used to go with my Anna (elder brother) to

buy fish. Even though anna is a physician, he loves to do
grocery shopping (see, its in the genetics...hi..hi). So he would
enjoy chatting with the vendor , but never bargains (I am good
at bargaining though). He is crazy for crab and shrimp along
with all the sea food. That's what makes me love him more. He
likes my cuisines very much and always say lovely words
about it to all he know....I am not sure , if I cook that good , but
his encouragement makes me to do better:) There were days ,
when he would come home to taste my fish kulambu even at
odd hours and drive back home. Even that slightest thought
makes me feel home sick.....so, lets go to vaawal meen kulambu
now:)

I prepared this curry using pomfret fish. We can use any fish
for this recipe.

English names: silver pomfret fish / pompano fish

Tamil names: vaaval meen, vowval meen, vellai vawal meen.
others: Maanji in Tulu and Avoli in Malayalam.
Click to know about this fish.
Tips to buy good fish:
Always buy fish that looks and smells fresh.
It should be firm to touch.
The gills should be red and never pale.

Fresh pomfret fish washed and cleaned:

Fish kulambu:

Items required:
Fish - 1 lb
sesame oil - 2 tbsp
mustard seeds- 1 tsp
fenugreek seeds- 1/2 tsp
Tamarind - 1 small keylime size
Red chilly powder -1.5 tsp
coriander powder- 3 tsp
turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
tomato - 2
green chillies - 2
curry leaves- 2 sprigs.

To grind:
shredded coconut - 1/2 cup
shallot - 8
cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Method:
wash the fish and remove all the fins and scales by a knife.
Then slice it into big chunks.
Apply little turmeric powder over the fish and keep aside.

Extract juice from tamarind and add chilli powder, coriander

powder, pinch of turmeric powder, salt and mix well.Keep
aside.

Heat the sesame oil in vessel. (Fish curry prepared in earthen

vessel tastes good).Add mustard and fenugreek seeds. After the
mustard seeds crackle add the curry leaves .

Then add chopped tomato and saute till oil separates.

Add tamarind juice mixture and let it boil for 5 minutes.
Then add the finely ground coconut-onion paste.
Immediately after this starts boiling add the fish pieces.
cover the vessel and simmer the heat.

Keep the curry gets cooked in simmer heat for 15 minutes.

DO NOT stir the curry after adding the fish, otherwise you may
end up with broken pieces.
Then put off fire.Garnish with chopped green chillies and curry
leaves.

Serving suggestions:
Serve hot with rice , chapathi or Idly or dosai .
Deep fried fish, omelet ,ripe mango are good side dishes along
with meen kuzhambu and rice.
POSTED BY VIKI'S KITCHEN AT 4:10 PM
LABELS: INDIAN FISH KUZHAMBU , TAMIL NADU FISH
CURRY , TIRUCHENDUR MEEN KULAMBU , VAAVAL MEEN
KULAMBU
22 comments:

Hamaree Rasoi said...

The fish with gravy looks so yummmmmy....pomphret is my
favourite fish. Wouls definitely try preparing it very soon.

Deepa
Saturday, February 27, 2010 8:18:00 PM

Nandini said...
This kuzhambu makes me nostalgic too! I eat this every Sunday
in my school days and refreshes my memories! Yummy! I'm
drooling!
Saturday, February 27, 2010 8:41:00 PM

Sailaja Damodaran said...

Yummy with hot rice..............
Saturday, February 27, 2010 9:58:00 PM

Priya said...
Slurppp, my favourite fish, am a diehard fan of this fish
fry..delicious kuzhambu Viki!!
Sunday, February 28, 2010 3:36:00 AM

Cool Lassi(e) said...

Kuzhambhu looks awesome. Yes, I agree that fish looks and
tastes great when made in earthern-ware!
Sunday, February 28, 2010 4:01:00 AM

Ushnish Ghosh said...

Dear viki
Ha ha Nice to see that you are all praise for your SOMEONE
( like me) .
Hanging around the fish market ..all fish vendors are my
friends, they offer me tea before we get down to business...they
will pick up the right fish...
they will discount the price on their own...but I know if you
bargain hard and reduce price , you get 900 gms instead of 1
kg. They always satisfy the ego of a bargainer. My wife is a
hard bargainer...and i just look the other way when she gets
into bargain mode..ha ha
I love this southern fish curry...and have strated making
southern fish recipes.
As soon as i am back, i will make this one...book marking it
Happy holi and let all the evil forces stay away from you and
family.
Sunday, February 28, 2010 12:00:00 PM

Viki's Kitchen said...

Deepa: Pomfret is a wonderful fish and won't disappoint us
anytime:)

Nandhini:Oh, thanks dear. In my dad's home also we do it on

weekends..esp the Saturdays:)

Sailaja: Thanks for liking it dear. Yes, rice and meen

kulambu...mmm..mouthwatering combo:)

Priya: Thanks dear.

cool lassie: well said dear, fish curry in earthenware is the best
always.
Sunday, February 28, 2010 12:18:00 PM

Viki's Kitchen said...

Thanks Ushnish. My brother and hubby too says the same for
bargaining with fish vendors....yeah, we get lesser fish for
lesser price and they take care that the customer always wins:)
Happy holi.Thanks for the kind words and blessings sir.
Sunday, February 28, 2010 12:21:00 PM

Gita said...
Hi Viki, very sweet post dear...nice to read about your fond
memories :) I am drooling over that yummy kuzumbu...you
know how much I love this right :)
Sunday, February 28, 2010 2:36:00 PM
Aysha said...
Mouthwatering curry...just can't resist this!!!!
Sunday, February 28, 2010 4:04:00 PM

Gulmohar said...
I couldn't agree with you more on the earthen pot :-)..I reallly
miss one here :( This looks wonderful !
Sunday, February 28, 2010 7:58:00 PM

Shama Nagarajan said...

i love any recipe with fish..yummy pomfret curry
Monday, March 01, 2010 6:57:00 AM

Balakrishna Saraswathy said...

Looks so yummy and delicious Viki:)
Monday, March 01, 2010 7:26:00 AM

Babli said...
Wish you and your family a very Happy Holi.
Fish kulambu looks delicious and tempting.
Monday, March 01, 2010 10:06:00 AM

Ramya Vijaykumar said...

Wow the kulambu looks very tempting Viki... I love to shop for
fish unlike any other meat... For some reason I love to visit the
chinese market for those fresh ones, the fresh ones make a
great kulambu!!!
Monday, March 01, 2010 12:39:00 PM

Sashi said...
Kulambu looks tempting Viki !! I must soon try this.
Monday, March 01, 2010 8:36:00 PM

Akal's Saappadu said...

Vicky,
you're making me crazy with that vavaal meen curry !!!

you're absolutely right, fish curry in that clay pot is something

special!!! andha taste-ey thani dhaan !!!

indha meri vavaal meen kozhambu vachaa, naaney flight

pidichu unga veetukku vandiduven, unga annan senjadhula
aachariyamey illa :)

sari, indha kozhambukku side dish meen varuval, omelette sari

dhaan, but adhu yenna ripe mango?? dessert-kka? hihhih,
yedhaavadhu golden memories combination-aa?

bargain panradhula naa boojium, my husband does well, not

by talking but by charming the meen kaarchi, hihhih :):)

excellent recipe!!! enjoy it!!

have a nice day !!!

Tuesday, March 02, 2010 9:40:00 AM

Sumi said...
I love this fish compared to the much hyped vanjaram....
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 11:46:00 AM

Chetana said...
Hey Viki..new to ur cool space....n thks for stopping by my
blog.
Loved dis curry...absolutely mouth watering.
Cheers,
Chetana.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010 5:48:00 PM

Rina said...
Luv the fish gravy to the core dear..reminds of the good old
childhood days..
Thursday, March 04, 2010 8:25:00 AM

Devasena Hariharan said...

Fish makes me think of my home.. everyday we have fish for
lunch....

Gravy looks delicious........

Thursday, March 04, 2010 8:49:00 AM

Nostalgia said...
Awesome curry.. drool..drool..drool
Sunday, March 07, 2010 8:55:00 PM
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VIKI'S KITCHEN
NJ, UNITED STATES
Viki's kitchen is my attempt to bring out the authentic cuisines
of India. Dedicating this blog to my mom, who lives with me
through her thoughts and memories always.
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