Chepala Pulusu(Fish cooked in tamarind gravy)

I spent most of my childhood in the coastal city of Visakhapatnam, n my husband also comes from a coastal place were fish,shrimp and crab are abundant n becomes part of most of the meals.

When i knew i was going to the USA wherever i went i took a book with me n was writing down all the best recipes from the family's i met....So after my marriage i wrote down this recipe from my husbands grandmother who is very good at cooking seafood dishes.

This dish tastes best ,when prepared the previous day n eaten the next day....this is because the fish absorbs the flavours from the tamarind juice....In some places its even cooked in a clay pot which gives it more flavour.



Ingredients:

1 lb of cat fish steaks(cant use fish fillets for this dish)
1 big onion
1 inch ginger
5 cloves garlic
1 tsp jeera
1/2 tsp methi seeds
5 dry red chilli's
3 green chillies slit
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tbsp coriander pwd
2 tbsp chilli pwd
1/2 tsp garam masala(optional)
2 lemon sized balls of tamarind soaked in 1 cup water n pulp extracted
few curry leaves
chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic crushed

Method:

Rub the fish with some salt n turmeric n keep aside.

Grind the onions,ginger n garlic togeather into a paste.

Heat 5 tbsp oil add the jeera,methi n dry red chilli n green chilli.

Next add the onion mixture n some salt.

Once it starts changeing color add turmeric.

U will notice oil oozing out,then add the coriander pwd n red chilli pwd

Mix well then add the fish pc's n let it coat well with the masala's

Mix carefully so that u dont break the fish pc's let it cook for 3 mins.

Then add the tamarind juice n mix careflly..it will come to a boil n the fish will start to cook in this stage..

So dont keep mixing it as the fish will get disintegrated cook for 10-15 min's.

Fish will cook fast, n u will notice oil floating on top.

Just before switching it off add the curry leaves n crushed garlic n garnish with cilantro.

Note: Fish pulusu needs bit more oil than the regular cooking as fish is bit stincky .This pulusu tastes good next day with hot rice