Fish Names in English, Tamil and Malayalam

Many of my readers were enquring me about the fish names,especially if you are traveling out of India its difficult to identify the fishes which are familiar with, So thought to share this to you all and i hope this will help.But again,thanks to my Bf.. as this work is done by him :)
  

English	Tamil	Malayalam
Anchovies	Nithili	Netholi
Barracuda	Cheela/Seela/ Vanjiram	Sheelavu
Black King Fish	Kadal Veraal,Nei Meen	Neimeen
Black Pomfret	Karu Vaaval	Karutha Avoli
Bluefin trevally	Neela thuduppu choorai	Vatta
Cat Fish	Kelluthi, Keliru	Kaari
Cod	Panna,Kalava	Mullan, Sarghan, Chemmun, Pana Mahi Mahi
Conger Eel	Vilangu	Pambu Meen, Malanjil, Malungulu
Crab	Nandu	Nandu
Cuttle	Kanavai	Kanava
False trevally/White Fish	Neer Suthumbu, Guthippu	Parava, Kuthuppu, Kadu
Herring (Five Spot)	Koimeen or Nunalai	Kannan Mathi
Gar Fish or Pipefish	Mural	Kolaan
Giant Sea Perch	Koduvai	Chemali Narimeen, Nudde Men, Koduva
Great Barracuda	Ooli, Cheela	Neduva, Cheela, Thiruthakkadian
Indian Anchovy	Poruva, Poorava	Kozhuva
Indian Goat Fish/Yellow striped goat fish	Kendal,Sen Navarai,Sennagarai	Manakkam
Indian Threadfin	Kaala, Rani Meen	Kaala
Jinga Prawn	Kal Eral	Konju, Chameen
King Fish / Wahoo / King Mackarel	Cheela/Seela/ Vanjiram	Aiykoora
Lady Fish	Kilangan, Kelangan	Poozhan, Poovan
Lobster	Singi Eral	Konjan
Long Face emperor bream	VelaiMeen	Velameen
Mackerel	Ayilai/Asalai, kaanangeuthi	Aiyla
Milk Fish	Paal Kendai	PooMeen
Mullet	Chiryakandai, Madavai, Velisa, Manalai	Mullet, Kanambu
Murrel	Chaer-veraal	Korava, Vattudi
Oyster,Clam	Kallikkai,Chippi	Kakka, Miriuga, Muni
Parrot Fish	Kizhi Meen, Pachai Elimeen	Pacha Pheesam, Kizhi Meen, Keli Meen
Paste Shrimp	Channa Kooni
Pearl Spot/ Green Chromide	Palinja, Seththai Kendai	Kari Meen
Pomfret	Vaaval	Avoli
Pony fish,Tooth pony	Kaaral podi/kaarai	Thali Mulen, Karal
Red Mullet	Madavai	Kanambu, Mallan
Red Snapper	Seppili	Pahari, Chemballi
Reba	Coala Kendai	Rohu
Round Sardine	Keerimeen	Kallakeedam
Salmon	Kala meen	Kora / Kaala
Sardines	Chaalai or Mathi Chaalai	Mathi/Chaala
Sea Bream	Velai Meen	Kurali, Vilmeen
Seer Fish / Queen Fish	Cheela/Seela/ Vanjiram	Ney Meen
Shark	Sura	Sraavu, Choraku
Shrimp	Iraal	Konju
Silver Pomfret	Vella Vaaval	Akoli, Avoli
Silver Carp	Velli Kendai, Kannadi Kendai	Rohu, Rohitham
Silver Moony	Parrandan Moolen, Purrandee	Aakoli
Saw Fish (Skates, Small toothed saw fish)	Uluvai, Vezha,Vela	Vakusravu
Small Headed Ribbon Fish	Saavalai	Vala, Thalayan
Snake Head	Viral Meen	Korava, Varaal
Sole Fish	Naaku Meen, Virahi	Nangu
Squid	Kanavai, Oosi Kanavai	Kanava
Starry Emperor bream	Velai Meen, Kulli Kozhi Meen	Valiya Vilmeen
Surgeon Fish	Kozhimeen	Paalla, Kurichil
Sword Fish	Thalapaththu or Myil Meen	Vaala meen
Threadfin bream	Sankara Meen	Killi Meen
Tilapia	Jilapi,Thilapi	Thilopia/Kerala Karimeen
Tuna	Choorai	Choora
Ray Fish, Whip Tail Sting Ray	Thirukkai,Therachi	Kottiva, Therandi
White Fin Wolf Herring	Karu Vaalai	Mulluvala, Vala

Chakka Varatti Payasam

Kerala is the first and best place where you can taste different types of payasam. This is my first payasam in my blog, will share more shortly. This is also made out of chakka varatti.So if you prepare the chakka varatti you can prepare this payasam very easily. So, here it is.

 

Ingredients:

• Chakka Varatti-4-5 Tspn
• Coconut Thin Milk-1 Cup
• Coconut thick Milk- ½ Cup
• Cashews-few
• Raisins-few
• Sabudana-half Cup
• Cardamom crushed-few
• Ghee-2 Tspn
• Coconut pieces sliced- few

Method:

• Soak the sabudana in water for an hour and keep aside.
• Soak the chakka varatti in the thin coconut milk for about 10 mins.
• In a broad pan, add the soaked chakka Varatti and stir for few seconds.
• Add the soaked sabudana and stir for few minutes.
• Add the thin coconut milk and stir continuously until it becomes thick.
• Bring the stove to low heat and add the thick coconut milk and stir continuously until it thickens.
• In a separate pan, add ghee and fry the cashews, raisins and the coconut pieces for few seconds and pour this into the payasam.
• Garnish with crushed cardamom and serve.

 

Tips:

"Adjust the flame according to the consistency of the payasam.

If you cannot get sabudana you can skip it.

Coconut milk used should be extracted from the coconut and do not use the coconut powder water."

Elai Appam

Elai appam is a recipe made out of chakka varatti. This is very easy to make and made out of banana leaves that’s why it’s called so. Before started doing this the vital part is you need to do set the banana leaves flexible as it may not get folded and it may get tear at the sides of the leaves so to avoid Keep a leaf at a time on the gas flame for few seconds, flipping and turning the leaf so that the leaf is slightly wilted. This step helps in making the parcel easy. Care should be taken as showing directly to the flame may burn the leaves. Doing this, the leaves will turn dark and flexible.

 

Ingredients:

• Chakka Varati/Jack fruit jam- 4-5 Tspn
• Coconut shredded- half Cup
• Rice flour-half Cup
• All purpose flour/Maida-Half Cup
• Salt- ¼ Tspn

Method:

• Mix the chakka varati and the coconut and keep aside(this is the filling used)
• Cut the wilted banana leaves (as stated above) to big square shape and keep aside.
• Make dough of rice flour, salt and Maida adding little water and keep aside.
• In the wilted leaves, spread the ghee and gently press the dough and make a circle.
• In center of the circle keep a scoop of the filling and press gently for a small circle.
• Fold the leaves like a parcel.
• Keep the parceled leaves into the idly cooker and bake it for about 20 minutes.

 

Tips:

"The dough should be loose so that it spreads easily into the leaves.

Care should be taken while folding the leaves, so it’s better to pack loosely and transfer immediately into the cooker.

While making the dough touch wet your palms with water often so that it wont stick into your hands."

Chakka Varatti / Jack Fruit Jam

There is none to be born who hates Jackfruit!!! At my Achan’s hometown we use to get lot of jackfruits especially in the month of jan-feb followed by May and June. It drops often from the trees and can be collected from our doorsteps too. They taste heavenly and now are the Jackfruit season in my place, so thought of sharing some of the unique recipe made out of jack fruit.
 

The taste of a jackfruit is incredible that too if it made as a jam just think!! Omg here come the most traditional and the tasty dish of Kerala-Chakka Varatti. Jack fruits are rich in taste and it is used in making different dishes in Kerala. The surprising fact of using jackfruit in kerala is even the seeds of jack fruit is also edible and can be used in making curries as well, which I’ll be sharing it very shortly to you all. The making of chakka varatti is not tedious until you make it with proper measures of jaggery. We use to make this varatti in a uruli. It’s a traditional vessel used in Kerala to make most of the payisam. If you don’t have you can use the large broad vessel as I used as I don’t have an uruli here with me :(

 

This jam can be stored in a air tight container for about 2-3 months in a refrigerator and it can be used in making several dishes like Chakka Varatti payisam, elai appam, unniappam and lot of dishes which I’ll be sharing with you soon. You can have this with bread as like a jam also.

 

Ingredients:

• Jack Fruit Pieces- 2 Kgs
• Jaggery-1 Kg
• Ghee- 5 Tspn
• Dried Ginger powder/Chukku-1 Tspn(Optional)
• Cardomom Powder- 1 Tspn
• Water- Less than a ¼ Cup

Method:

• Grind the jack fruit pieces coarsely (Not as a smooth paste) in a blender and keep aside.
• In a Uruli or a broad pan, pour ghee and add the jack fruit pieces and stir continuously for about 5 minutes until it becomes soft.
• Now, add the jaggery powder and stir continuously until the color of the jack fruit turns dark brown i.e. from yellow to dark brown usually it will take about 10-15 minutes for that. Below is the picture which is taken in the middle of making it.

• At one point it becomes very hard and now you can add the dried ginger powder and the cardamom powder and switch off the flame. The way to find the correct texture is pour a scoop of the jam and drop it down and should not fall down easily from the spoon.

• Let it set cool for some time so that it will becomes tighter and then you could store it in refrigerator in a air tight container as said.

Chocolate Cheese Cupcake

Imagine a chocolate cake with cheese in the center!! Mouthwatering is it!! Yes it is and I was also so excited to make it as well. So, here comes moist and springy chocolate cheese cupcake for you to enjoy. This was my treat for my BF for my 1st Anniversary too :). Cupcakes for easy to make but it care should be taken to prepare it. This cupcake has two fillings with cheese and chocolate. Be careful when you are making cheese filling as it should be very thick else when it bakes all the cheese will flow down from your cupcake pans, which is a important factor in the making. Also, this is a unique recipe as I used oil to make this it may be canola or vegetable oil.

 

This tastes great when you refrigerate and have. You can store these for 3-4 days as well. And also do not bake it for long time as it will turn hard. This is spongy and moist with delicious chocolate flavor which comes from cocoa powder and not a melted chocolate and the interesting part is you don’t need a electric mixer for making this if you don’t have any and you can just use a ladle to mix the batter. Use the paper liners in the cups but it’s purely optional.

Ingredients:

Cheese Filling:

• Cream cheese- 225 Grams
• White sugar-1/3 cup
• Vanilla extract- ½ Tspn
• Egg-1

Chocolate Batter:

• All purpose flour-1 ½ cup
• Cocoa powder -1/3 Cup
• Sugar-1 Cup
• Oil-1/3 Cup
• Vinegar-1 Tspn
• Vanilla extract-1 Tspn
• Baking soda-½ Tspn
• Salt-1/4 Tspn
• Water-1 Cup

Temperature and Time Duration:

• Temp:350 degrees F (180 degrees C)
• Time:25 Minutes

 
Method:

 

• Cream Cheese Filling:
  Beat the cream cheese until it becomes creamy and add the sugar, vanilla extract, egg and beat again until it becomes smoother and keep it aside. But as I mentioned already make sure the mixture is hard (Step1, 2, 3)
• Chocolate Batter:
  In a bowl sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt so that it combines well and remove all the impurities and keep aside (Step 4,Step 5)
  
  In another bowl mix the water, vinegar, vanilla extract and oil and keep aside (Step 6)
  
  Now mix the dry flour ingredient with the oil ingredient and stir well until it becomes smooth. Divide the batter among the muffin cups in the pan. Then spoon a cream cheese filling into the center of each chocolate batter in the cup pan as shown in the picture (Step 7,8,9,10)
• Set into the oven for the time mentioned and the cream cheese filling has set nicely in the mid of the batter a toothpick inserted into the chocolate part of the cupcake will come out clean. Remove from oven and keep it on a wire rack to cool.

Mochakottai Kuzhambu / Lima Bean Curry

Lima Beans are high in protein and helps for bone strength. I was not knowing the name Mochakottai before my marriage as my Amma never prepared at home as it is not cooked by most keralites. I came to know about this only after my marriage and when it’s cooked with good taste this is loved by even kids and those who doesn’t like lima beans also like this recipe as its cooked with masala and tamarind. Lima beans are also cooked along with dry fishes which also gives good taste for non vegetarians too, which I’ll be posting sometime. This recipe is a curry which is served for hot steamed rice.

Ingredients:

• Lima Beans (Mochakottai)- ½ Cup
• Coconut- ¼ Cup
• Tamarind Pulp- Half Cup
• Small Onion-half Cup
• Garlic pieces-3-4 Nos
• Turmeric Powder-half Tspn
• Chili powder-1 Tspn
• Coriander Powder-1 Tspn
• Sambar Powder-1 Tspn
• Tomato- 1 (To Saute)
• Tomato-Half(To Grind)
• Cumin Seeds-1 Tspn
• Mustard seeds-1 Tspn
• Curry Leaves- Few
• Fenugreek Seeds-1 Tspn
• Gingelly oil- To Saute
• Salt- To Taste.

Method:

• Wash and bake the lima bean and keep aside.
• Grind coconut with cumin seeds to fine paste and keep aside.
• In a pan, pour little oil and saute few tomatoes and onion and grind that to a fine paste and keep aside.
• In a pan, pour little oil add mustard, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves after the mustard bursts add the sliced onion and tomatoes and saute until the onion become translucent.
• Add the cooked lima bean into this and saute again for few minutes.
• Add the tomato, onion paste along with turmeric, chili and coriander powder and saute until the masala smell goes off completely.
• Add the tamarind pulp and let that boils well and the curry starts thickening.
• Add the coconut paste into this and mix well with salt and let it boil again for few minutes.

Tips:

"If you are using the frozen lima bean no need to bake it separately.

If you are using sambar powder then you can reduce the amount of chili and coriander powder accordingly."

Mambazha Pulisheri

Here comes another Traditional cuisine of kerala. It’s a fantastic curry served in most Onam Sadya. The first time when I prepared this for my BF I wasn’t sure he may like it as he normally doesn’t like curries with sweet taste but this is exceptional for him, he just loved it and nowadays he asks me often to prepare mambazha pulishery. A unique recipe made out from ripe mangoes. This comprises both the sweet and spicy taste as we are using ripe mangoes and also the grounded coconut along with yogurt. This goes well when served with hot steamed white rice. People who love to have different types of food would definitely like this. Some people use to add the mango seeds into the curry as well, where in I prepared by just grinding the mangoes.

Ingredients:

• Ripe Mango- 1
• Turmeric Powder-half Tspn
• Chili powder- 1 Tspn
• Yogurt- Half Cup
• Coconut oil- 1 Tspn
• Salt- To Taste

For Seasoning:

• Mustard Seeds-1 Tspn
• Dry Red Chilies -2 Nos
• Fenugreek Seeds- 1 Tspn

To Grind:

• Coconut- Half Cup
• Cumin Seeds- 1 Tspn
• Garlic Pieces- 3 Nos

 

Method:

• Grind the mango to a fine paste and keep aside.
• Grind all the items under To Grind and keep aside.
• In a vessel, beat the curd well and mix the coconut paste into this and set aside.
• In stove keep the pan, add the mango paste after it becomes little hot, add the curd mixed with coconut paste, turmeric, chili powder and salt into this and let it boil for few minutes and switch off the stove. Let it set cool.
• In a separate pan, add little oil and add all the items under For Seasoning list. Now add all these into the mango curry.

Tips:

"Do not boil the curry for long time, as the curd may get spoiled.

If the mango is not very sweet, add some sugar into that.

Adding coconut oil is optional; you can add other oil as well."

Blueberry Shortbread

The inspiration of making a blueberry shortbread came out after having it many at times at Starbucks.. :-) And tried making it and fortunately it tasted exactly how it was sold. So, here comes my blueberry shortbread to treat you too. Blueberries taste heaven when it bakes along with our cakes. They are rich in fiber and potassium, and so it’s very healthy as well. As you see in the pictures, they smudge in cakes as because of the baking time; however you can reduce it by tossing the blueberries with some all purpose flour as shown below.

Or, the simple tip for you is to get smaller blueberries as it may not smudge too much. This shortbread is rich in taste and moist. Wonderful when served with coffee. You can store for a week too. You can also replace with dry grape fruit or raisin in case if you find hard to get blueberries

Ingredients:

• All purpose flour or Maida- 200 grams
• Fresh blueberries- 1 Cup
• Baking powder 1 Tspn
• Baking Soda- a Pinch
• Vanilla Essence- 1 Tspn
• Lemon zest (as mentioned in earlier post)- 1 Tspn
• Butter- 3/4 cup
• Sugar-3/4 cup
• Milk- 1/2 cup
• Eggs- 2 Nos
• Salt – a pinch

To Glaze

• Sugar – 3 Tspn
• Lemon Juice- 2 Tspn

Temperature and Time Duration:

• Temp:350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Time:60-65 Minutes.

Method:

• In a mixing bowl, mix well with the whisker the flour, baking powder, baking soda salt, and lemon zest and keep aside as shown below.

• In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter as shown(Step 1)
• Add sugar to this and beat again until it becomes fluffy(Step 2)
• Add one egg and beat and again add egg and repeat, beat well after each addition of eggs Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed along with vanilla essence. (Step 3)
• Add the mixed flour in two additions into this. Beat now with half of the flour until it becomes pluffy(Step 4)
• Add milk into two additions, the first set of milk should be added at this stage (Step 5) and beat again and scrap down the sides so that it will mix well
• Add the tossed blueberries and just mix with a ladle- Step 6(Do not beat in this Step)
• Transfer it into the cake pan and flatten it so that it bakes evenly.
• Bake it for the time said; check if toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer it to wire rack.

Glazing:

In a bowl, mix the ingredients mentioned under “To Glaze” and microwave or just heat it for about 20 seconds just to thicken the lemon juice.

• Now, Make small holes by pricking the cake by using a tooth pick in all the sides of the cake as seen in pic (Step 8) ,this is to grab the lemon juice inside it.
• Glaze the cake with the lemon juice with pastry brush as seen in Step 8

Let the cake stands in wire rack until it gets cool, after it gets into normal temperature, you can slice it and store it. But remember it cannot come in correct bread shapes as I said, it’s a moist cake, however if you set cool and cut it may come out with good shape.

Kichadi

Many of the recipes are called as “Kichadi” in Karnataka, Tamilnadu.But the one I gave here is the kerala Kichadi which is a cuisine served during the “Onam Sadhya” which I have already mentioned about it in Aviyal post. Like Aviyal in Sadhya,kichadi is also the main cuisine served in the vaza yilla(Plantain leaf). This is made out of white pumpkin(Velarika) pieces cut into square shapes. This is easy to make and taste good.

 

Ingredients:

• White Pumpkin- ¼ Kg
• Shredded coconut-1/4 Cup
• Green chilies- 3 nos
• Mustard- 1 Tspn
• Cumin Seeds- 1 Tspn
• Small onion-1
• Thick Curd- 2 Tspn

Method:

• First grind coconut,cumin seeds and small onion to a fine paste, add mustard to this and grind again just for 2 seconds(just a swirl will do) and keep aside.
• In a pan,pour oil,add curry leaves and when it splutters add the white pumpkin pieces and the green chilies(Cut into lengthy shape) and stir for a minute and add water into this and cook with lid covered to bake it.
• After 10 minutes, when you see the pumpkin pieces are cooked well, remove the excess water from it or cook uncovered so that the water themselves will dry up.
• Add the grounded coconut paste into this and stir well to mix well along with salt.
• Switch off the stove and let it cool, once it becomes cool add the thick curd into this and mix again well and serve with rice.

"Add the curd only after it becomes cool else the taste will differ.

You can skip adding the onion while grinding as its purely optional."

Pazham Pori / Ethakka Appam / Banana Fritters

It’s a Stamp of all kerala snacks. I don’t think not much words are needed to explain this snack more!! Where ever you go in any tea shops in kerala you can find this served with hot tea. This is a snack which my Amma makes for me ever since from my child hood. Most of the non-keralites also may know about this snack as it is quite famous in other states too. For a perfect result, you need use with bananas with max sweet and also with the coconut oil. It’s purely simple and taste heavenly. Here you go with the making method. 



Ingredients:

• Ethapazham / Nenthram pazham / Ripe plaintain – 1 Nos
• Baking Soda-a pinch
• Maida/All purpose flour-5 Tspn
• Rice Flour-2 Tspn
• Sugar-2 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder-1/4 Tspn
• Coconut Oil- To Deep Fry

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients with little water and make loose dough.
• Dip the banana into this dough and drop into the hot oil.
• Flip both the sides until the color changes and transfer to paper towel to remove the excess oil.

Tips:

"Adding rice flour is optional but you can add it if you need it more crispy

You can fry it in normal oil also, but it comes out well when cooked with coconut oil"