Culinary Delights of Kerala

Fish Peera is a typical Kerala dish. It can be made with small fishes (smelt or white bait) or with tuna/sardine chunks. It is very easy to prepare and delicious too. It goes well along with tomato pachadi or simply curd/yoghurt.

Ingredients:
Fish Fillets or Tuna chunk - 1 can or 2-3 fillets
Tamarind - a small round
Small onions(shallots) – 6 nos
Ginger – 1” piece
Garlic pods – 4 nos
Green chillies – 6 nos or as reqd
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Curry leaves – Plenty
Grated coconut – 1 cup or as reqd
Cococnut oil – 1 tbsp
Salt – As reqd
Mustard and Red chillies for seasoning


Prepration Time : 15 mnts

If you are using small fish , clean the fish well and keep them as whole, after removing the head and tail. If using salmon or tuna chunks keep it as small pieces. Soak the tamarind in water (and microwave for 30 seconds, so tamarind will become soft) and keep it aside. Grind coconut, ginger, garlic, green chillie in mixi and keep it aside. In a bowl add fish, Grinded mixture, salt, and turmeric powder and mix well and keep aside. In a frying pan add some oil and when hot add mustard seeds. When it splutters add Red chillies, curry leaves, and then diced shallots. When shallots is fried for a few minutes add the fish mixture to the pan and stir it. Add the tamarind water, slowly, as you dont want too much sour taste to the fish. Cover the pan and keep the flames low. Let the fish get cooked, stir occasionally. Then add a little more coconut oil and then dry out any excess water.