Monday, March 31, 2014

Nadan Meen Curry

Back and forth, to and fro, bouncing here and there, finally, after like thinking again and again, I decided it will be a fish curry from the land of Kerala and known as Nadan Meen/Fish Curry (Meen PuttuMalabar Fish Curry, Tuna Thoran & Kerala Fish Fry). Thank god I decided. Otherwise, I would have most probably taken the easy way out by making a similar fish curry like before. Which by far would have been still be accepted in my house (Fish Head Curry, Salted Fish Bone CurryMeen Muringgaka Kulambu & Assam Fish Curry). Then again, don't we long for a change, even when its our food tucking in? Of course, if you are asking me. Moreover, I too like the cooking challenge in inventing new dishes for like automatically upgrading my food knowledge (Burmese Fish BiryaniMauritian Fish Curry & Bengali Fish Curry) and pretty much Kerala cuisine is quite a familiarly to me (Tapioca Stir FryCabbage Thoran & Beans Thoran).  Nadan Meen Curry. Canned sardine, brinjal, coconut milk, tamarind juice and the power house of made from a scratch masala paste.

Ingredients
1 can of sardines - drain off the sauce
6-8 green small brinjals - cut into two
1 medium size tomato - chop 
1 red onion - chop 
1/4 cup thick coconut milk
1 tbsp thick tamarind juice 
1/4 cup oil
Salt to taste 
Curry paste (ground/blend)
3 red fresh chillies
1/2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder 
1 tsp roasted black pepper seeds 
1 inch ginger
5 garlic
3 shallots
1 tbsp roasted coriander seeds
1/2 tbsp roasted cumin seeds
4-5 sprigs of curry leaves

Method
Sauté onion in heated oil.
Add curry paste.
Fry and stir over low heat till oil splits.
Add brinjals and tomato.
Stir, pour tamarind juice and water (as needed).
Season with salt. 
Continue to simmer till brinjals are almost tender.
Slowly drop in sardines.
Cook for another 3-4 mins.
Lastly pour in coconut milk.
Stir and just after 2-3 mins, remove from heat.

32 comments:

  1. minus sardine , love this dish, never heard of fish curry powder, I will use regular curry powder. tasty dish.

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  2. looks delicious..would love to try..
    my recent one :Mua bb cream !!!
    http://www.indianbeautyzone.com/2014/03/mua-bb-cream-reviewswatches-and-fotd.html

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  3. Hi Nava, love your Kerala sardine curry. My version is to put the sauce in as well when cooking sardine curry. Very yummy. Thanks for sharing. You have a wonderful week ahead and cheers :)

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  4. Looks delicious dear...drooling here :) Love it !!

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  5. War u can do without curries!!
    I am a typical Indian too, just cannot do without them
    I am inviting you to enter my JollyChic Easter Giveaway
    http://www.beingbeautifulandpretty.com/2014/03/jollychic-easter-giveaway.html?m=0
    Kisses,
    www.beingbeautifulandpretty.com

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  6. I will ask my better half to try this Nava.She will only use the powder coriander and cumin seed powder.The traditional 'ammi' is not available in my house anymore.Already send to museum.

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  7. the curry looks so delish..well captured.

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  8. Yummy and also a colourful curry. Brinjal goes well with fish curries. I also used to add some times brinjals in fish curry. Finger licking good curry.

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  9. Nava......really mouthwatering..........Feels like take some portion right now ......

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  10. Great looking curry and I've never seen one with eggplant before, but it works out!

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  11. Same as Linsy. Minus the sardines for me. :)

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  12. wow!this looks really delicious....I always cook sardine,will see how it is with brinjals

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  13. You make so many dishes and each looks yummy :)

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  14. Drooling here...looks so delicious...

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  15. Nava if you make such mouthwatering curries at home, you cannot blame your better half to be addicted to that. Lucky man! So much variety at the table. This curry like all others looks fabulous.

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  16. Wow - this sounds so delicious! All those spices, chilies and curry leaves with the sardines makes this a true "joy for the taste buds" indeed!

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  17. in fact nava i have never tried the curries with coconut milk; i am curries lover too :) shall give it a try for sure ; your recipe looks just great yummy

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  18. Guess what? I've never seen green brinjals, let alone such tiny ones. Do they taste like those purple ones?

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  19. a new recipe for me to try soon. looks very inviting. Never tried these combinations before. thanks for sharing

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  20. Fish & brinjal Combo is my favorite too. Good Pics and Presentation.

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  21. I was trying to find out what dish I could make of green brinjal and I am glad I came here this recipee looks so tempting and I am definitely following your blog for such amazing recipees.

    http://www.makeupreviewshall.com

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  22. I like that you dressed up a can of sardine with so many nice flavors...
    Have a great week Nava :D

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  23. looks really perfect, though we wouldn't add the green brinjals! A better combination is raw mangoes, they make such an awesome combination with fish!

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  24. I followed your blog and I am your regular reader now because I just love cooking and always keep trying new recipees.

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  25. looks very tempting..would love to try..

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  26. Thanks for the recipe dear.. will ask my mom to make it :D

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  27. This looks so delicious! I am huge seafood fan and would love to try this recipe!!!

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  28. Such a tempting curry, the green brinjals are a new ingredient to me :D
    Always learn something when I come here!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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  29. adding green brinjals in the fish curry sounds interesting...curry looks inviting...nice presentation

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  30. Hi Nava, I yet to try sardine curry. But yours definitely look appetizing... I think I need 2 plates of rice. :)) Thanks for sharing your recipe.

    Have a nice week ahead,regards.

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  31. cool recipe...the addition of brinjal makes it unique!!

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