Karimeen or Pearl Spot is very famous among fish eaters in Kerala. It has soft muscle but heavy scales. Removing the scales of karimeen is really an art. Once it is removed it is ready to cook. Some people call it is pappas instead of mappas and either way it is the same. It is one of my daughter’s favorite since it is cooked in coconut milk. Our regular varieties out pearl spot is karimeen pollichathu, karimeen mappas, karimeen fry, etc., Try this, it will definitely an experience for your taste buds.

Ingredients:

* Karimeen – 2 no’s (about 450 gms)
* Ginger – 1” piece, coarsely pounded and chopped
* Garlic – 10 flakes, coarsely crushed
* Green chilly 6-8 no’s
* Tomato – 2 no’s, medium fully ripen, finely chopped
* Small onion – 10 no’s, finely chopped
* Coconut scraped – 1/2 rind
* Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
* Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
* Fennel seeds – 1 tsp, powdered
* Coconut oil/ any other cooking oil – 1 tsp
* Salt to taste
* Finely chopped coriander leaves

Preparation:

* Clean this fish and keep aside
* Extract coconut milk – first milk is with 1/2 cup water and 2nd milk with 1 cup, keep aside
* Heat oil in a earthen ware or a nonstick pan, fry ginger garlic paste with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder until the raw smell disappears
* Add finely chopped onion, green chilly broken and curry leaves, saute till the oil separates
* Stir in finely chopped tomato and saute with a pinch of salt
* Add second extract of coconut milk with pinch of salt and remaining turmeric powder and bring to boil
* Arrange the fish in the gravy,add fennel powder and cook without covering on high flame
* Once fish is done, simmer and add first extract of coconut milk, let the first bubble to come
* Remove from stove, garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves
* Serve it plain white rice.


Tags: Karimeen mappas ,karimeen fry, fish curry, sardins curry, chicken curry, vegetable recipies, non-veg recipies,