FISH KULAMBU FROM SCRATCH

Fish Kulambu RECIPE from SCRATCH

              Fish kulambu ....fish kulambu ..this one is our all time Favourite  non veg kulambu..

I learn to make fish kulambu from my mom ..in our home fish is the only non veg we cooked at regular periods . Atleast twice in a week...Begginers  stage ..I learnt to  do cleaning fish  only. Cooking belongs to my moms division...!

But years after ..I learnt cooking  this nice flavored fish kulambu from my mom.

Here is our recipe ... This recipe is fully done from scratch ...

We can easily do this kulambu by using kulambu podi ...

But I prefer ,blogging this recipe from scratch ..because ..this is the method we used  in old days ...

So,

If you want to do this fish kulambu using kulambu podi(home made),then discard  ingredients mentioned under list 1  and use  1 1/2 to 2 tbsp kulambu podi and 2 to 2 1/2 tsp chili powder (as per your spice taste ) in the place of ground paste . Also discard adding turmeric powder ..

Method is same ..but start from step 3 onwards and put some chilli powder during the stage of shallot onion sauté ..this will make kulambu looks colorful , and then add coconut tomato paste and the remaining chili powder and kulambu podi  ,salt also, close the lid  let it boil and then add fish pieces and cook at medium flame until fish is thoroughly cooked and oil separates from kulambu..

that's it..

INGREDIENTS :

List 1.

Coriander seeds. 3 tbsp and 1 tsp

Dry red chilli  12 large 

Split channa dal  1 tsp

Cumin seeds. 1/2 tsp

Pepper 10 count 

Curry leaves. 10 count

List 2.

Tomato 1 medium size

Onion 1 medium size

Grated coconut 1/2 cup ( little bit less)

List 3.

Turmeric powder 1/4tsp 

Fish 1/2 kg

(Cleaned and cut into pieces)

Tamarind juice 1/2 cup (from a lemon sized tamarind soaked in warm water and extracted)

Oil 3-4 tbsp

Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds. 1/2 tsp.

Shallot onion  sliced into pieces

Garlic. 9 pods 

Green chilies 4!( slit them lengthwise)

Method:

1. Dry roast  all the ingredients mentioned in list 1 Until light color change ,don't burn(in two batches as coriander seeds ,other items)  . Keep it aside . Now ,soak all the roasted items except coriander seeds in a half cup of water for half an hour.

2. After 30 mnts ,grind all the items into smooth paste.(coriander seeds and soaked items)

Mom told me that ,at her early ages every one do this process using grinding stone ,it is not so easy but the taste and aroma  is really a challenging for today's podi samayal .we can't get that real taste by using kulambu podi . This is the reason behind this testing .

I'm not satisfied with my blender ,I doubted that I can't get smooth paste using that blender. So I gave a try using my table top wet grinder ,no vain ,I got nice & smooth paste within 15 minutes . I add coriander seeds ,soaked items with water itself and also in between I add another 1/2 cup water . ( I cut soaked red chilies Into small pieces ,so that I won't stuck behind the stone )

3. Using blender I grind the remaining items mentioned below list2 with 1 cup water .

4. Making fish kulambu in clay pot ( மண் பாண்டம் ) is a special one . I didn't have one ,so as usual I do this in my nonstick pan.

5. Heat pan in medium flame ,pour oil add mustard seeds  and fenugreek seeds let mustard splutter ,now add,shallot onion,green chilies ,and finally garlic pods ,sauté until onion turns light brown now add the ground paste ( wet grinder) and sauté until oil separates . Then add coconut onion paste,turmeric powder and  salt to Taste .add 1 more cup of water ,close the lid and let it boil.

6. At the time of boiling add fish pieces  and cover with lid , let fish cooked in medium flame only.

Switch off after oil separates and float on top.until then keep it in low flame ( I just left it for about 30 minutes in low flame  with its lid closed ).