Meen Puttu

Meen Puttu, aka Fish Puttu. What is Meen Puttu? Meen Puttu is basically fish simmered alongside turmeric powder and salt, thereafter shredded/flaked and stir fry with the customary or must have Indian ingredients. Of course when we refer to Indian cooking (Indian Spiced Salmon & Indian Fish Curry), chillies, spices and curry leaves are part and parcel of our cooking, and for meen puttu, we add fresh grated coconut. Pretty much that is the food cooking lingo for Meen Puttu and if you are asking me, I must admit there are other varieties to this fish dish which, do I have repeat myself is a popularity amongst us Indians? Furthermore, sura or shark (Sura Meen Kuzhambu/Shark Curry) is usually the choice, but nothing should stop you from using any other firm fish and even for the Kerala (Tuna Thoran, Malabar Fish Curry & Kerala Fish Fry) or Sri Lankan style (Sri Lankan Coconut Gravy) Meen Puttu, the ingredients are more or less similar. For my version, I opted for tenggiri/Indian mackerel which by far you shouldn't discount against for the outcome of a crumbled and a role play of the favourite Indian tastes Meen Puttu (Tandoori Salmon, Fish Head Curry, Bengali Fish Curry & Meen Kulambu).  

Ingredients 

2 pieces (about 250g) Indian mackerel/tenggiri

1 tsp turmeric/kunyit powder

1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 green chilli - sliced thinly

1 red chilli/2 birds eye chilies - sliced thinly

5 shallots - sliced thinly

1/2 inch ginger - sliced into thin stripes

1/2 tbsp lime juice

3 tbsp grated coconut

2-3 sprigs curry leaves

2 tbsp oil

Salt for taste

Method:

Simmer fish with enough water and turmeric till soft and tender.

Remove from heat, drain off the water and flake up the fish after cooling down.
Keep aside. 

Heat oil and sauté chillies, shallots and ginger.

Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds.

Stir and fry for for a minute. 

Add the rest of the ingredients.

Stir and and fry to combine all the ingredients. 

Remove from heat.