Tangy Drumstick Fish Curry

Fish curry made with drumstick or tapioca is a specialty of southern India especially Kerala and south Tamil Nadu. This dish is prepared at home or would be available in country side small hotels. It would be tangy with lot of tomatoes and drumstick essence. Try this for a change. This dish tastes delicious the second day. In this recipe I have used only drumstick. You can use either of these or both. If you are using tapioca use fresh ones and cut the pieces large approx like the fish pieces shown here. Else it would melt.

Ingredients:

1. Few fish pieces of your choice (all ingredients are according the no of fish pieces shown in the picture)
2. Drumstick – 1 Cut in about a finger length
3. Tomato – 2 finely chopped
4. Green chili – 2 slit
5. Curry Leaves – few
6. Oil – 2 tbl spn
7. Mustard Seed – ½ tbl spn
8. Jeera (Cumin seeds) – ½ tbl spn
9. Fenu Greek Seeds (Methi) – ¼ tb spn
10. Tamarind small lemon size (soak in luke warm or normal water with half cup water)
11. Turmeric powder – ½ tb spn
12. Red chili powder – 2 tbl spn or as needed
13. Coriander powder  - 3 tbl spn
14. Cumin powder – ½ tb spn
15. Coconut milk powder - 2 tb spn. Mixed in half cup Luke warm water OR fresh coconut milk
16. Salt as per taste

Preparation:

1. Clean fish and marinate with salt and little turmeric powder as shown in picture
2. Keep tamarind juice and coconut milk ready. Alternatively you can simply use fresh coconut milk too.
3. Mix all masala powder in some water and keep ready.
4. Heat oil in a vessel add mustard, jeera and fenu greek seeds. When it begin to splutter add curry leaves followed by green chili, tomato,  drumstick and salt.
5. Saute well for few minutes until tomatoes are cooked well and oil begins to separate.
6. Add in the masala mix, and stir till the raw smell goes away and oil appears on top.
7. Now add tamarind juice, drop in the fish pieces after about 2 minutes.
8. Reduce the flame, cover and cook for 5 minutes then add the already prepared coconut milk. Add more water if needed.
9. Stir lightly, as fish tend to break. After a while check the gravy for salt and spice. Add if needed.
10. Cover and cook until fish is cooked well and gravy reaches the required thickness.