Yield: 12 portions
Ingredient Amount
Coconut oil to fry
Curry leaf 30-40 leaves
Shallots, crushed 15 small
Garlic, minced 30 small cloves
Ginger, minced 1 3” piece
Green jalapenos or serrano chiles 6-8 each, depending on size - ask chef
Split in half lengthwise, seeds and veins in, stems removed.
Kokum, soaked in 2 qts. water, 8 each
reserve water from soaking kokum
Salt to taste
Chili powder, Korean chili powder 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder ½ cup
Mackerel filets 4 #
cut into 5-6 oz portions
Water to adjust consistency
Curry leaf to finish 10-15 each
Method
1. Heat oil, add curry leaf and cook until deep green. Add shallots and chilies and fry until lightly golden – stirring almost constantly.
2, Add garlic and ginger, cook gently until aromatic and then add dry spices. Continue cooking mixture until it becomes aromatic and begins to thicken and stick to the bottom of the pot. At this point, add Kokum and water to make poaching liquid in pot.
3. Add salt to taste.
4. Add more water to make a thin, slightly thickened “gravy”. Simmer gently for a few minutes. At this point, liquid may be held - off the heat - until just before ready to poach for service. Approximately 30 minutes before service, bring liquid to very low simmer before adding fish
5. Add fish pieces, flesh side down/skin side up, and simmer until just cooked – about 3-4 minutes.
Serve with a good amount of cooking liquid, vegetables, dal, and rice.
Ingredient note: Kokum is a dried fruit from South India which the native cooks refer to as “fish tamarind”, it is very tart. If unavailable, small amounts of tamarind pulp or fresh lime could be substituted to taste.