Nadan Mathi Curry: Sardines Curry - Traditional Sardines Curry

In Kerala, each dish are made differently in each cities, example fish curries will not be same in kottyam as how they make in Trivandrum, always Trivandrum recipes are entirely different from other cities in kerala. Same for fish varieties also, not all the fishes are made in the same way as it has own taste when cooked. One among those is Sardines (Mathi) fishes,as they taste so good and there is a particular way to cook it, and not like the other fish variety curries. Mathi fishes are small and have lot of tiny fish bones in it however; it tastes so good and unique. It’s good to make a fry or a curry.

Unless the normal Kerala fish curry, this curry adds onion as an ingredient and rest most of the ingredients remains as same. Before making clean and cut the fish pieces as how I did and make some 2 or 3 cuts in the middle of it for the curry to get into the fish pieces and one most important factor is cooking the curry in the meen chatti( mud vessel) to give the best taste, but if you don’t have one, then go for a normal steel vessel.This is one of a signature traditional fish curry and the process is very simple as one. Always I prefer to have this curry after kept overnight after it’s prepared. Its rich with the flavor and definitely your guests will ask you for the recipe :)
 

Ingredients:

• Sardines/Mathi- 6 Pieces(Cut into lengthy size)
• Tamarind(preferably kudampulli or the normal)- small lemon size
• Curry Leaves- a small bunch
• Mustard Seeds- 1 Tspn
• Coconut Oil- 2 Tspn
• Salt- To Taste

To Ground as Paste:

• Small onions- 4 Nos
• Chili Powder- 1 Tspn
• Kashmiri chili powder- 1 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder- ¼ Tspn
• Fenugreek seeds- ¼ Tspn
• Ginger- a small piece
• Garlic- 3 Pods.

Method:

• Add all the ingredients under “to ground as paste” to the blender and ground to fine paste.
• In the clay pot or a steel vessel, mix the grounded paste,fish pieces,tamarind, salt and curry leaves(half bunch) with little water and keep it in medium flame. Cook covered for about 10 minutes).
• Now, cook uncovered for 10 more minutes.
• In a separate pan, add oil, mustard and curry leaves and when it breaks up add this to the boiling uncovered curry.
• Cook until the desired gravy is reached and serve the next day for best taste.

Tips:

"Adjust the chili powder as per your spice level.

Since it doesn’t have any coconut, the curry will not get spoiled if kept overnight.

If you need more gravy you can add little more water while mixing the ingredients, however I like mathi curry to be full dried, and that’s why I kept the curry in the stove until all the gravy is dried up."