“South Indian Sardine Curry (Pedve Randai)” … a delicious flavorful fish curry from the southern parts of India that tastes best served with ukde sheetHa (red boiled rice)/ steaming hot rice ... this one is for all fish lovers out there who enjoy relishing South Indian Fish Curries in combo of boiled rice/ idiyappam (string hoppers)/ kappa (mashed tapioca) … veggies plz. do excuse …Yummilicious ...
** I have often come across fish curries with minute differences in southern parts of India including in GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine. Each home follows their own method of cooking as per their region or that which they learnt from their ancestors. Amchies having migrated from the banks of Saraswati river to all over India picked up recipes as and where they lived making changes as per their individual preferences.
** I always find pleasure in trying out dishes that which I feel will appeal to all in my home depending upon the ingredients they include. I often come across non. Veg dishes from southern parts of India, especially Kerala, Andhra and Tamil Nadu along with those from Maharashtra and North Kanara, which all tempt me to try them out as they are very similar to our own amchi recipes and this is one of them.
** My friend had shared a recipe with me decades back and I had prepared it with sardines then, but found something amiss in taste. While browsing through my diaries a few days back I once again found it and thought of giving another try and after studying it thoroughly for a while made a few changes in method of cooking and tempering and that’s it. In all it turned out fantastic and we enjoyed it with boiled rice.
** Here is my special and tasty recipe for “South Indian Sardine Curry (Pedve Randai)” … my style …
** Ingredients :
Sardines/ Pedvo/ Bhutai/ Tarli : 15-17 medium sized
Onion/ Piyavu/ Kanda : 1 medium sized
Green Chilly/ Tarni Mirsanga/ Hari Mirchi : 3-4
Ginger/ Adrak/ Alle’ : ½ inch
Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/ Karbevu : 8-10 fresh leaves
Coconut Oil/ Nariyal Tel/ Narlel Tela :2-3 tblsp
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste
** Masala to be Ground :
Coconut Oil/ Nariyal Tel/ Narlel Tela :2-3 tblsp
Coriander Seeds/ Dhania/ Kothimbir : 2 tblsp
Methi/ Fenugreek Seeds : ¼ tsp
Mustard Seeds/ Rai/ Sasam : ½ tsp
Cumin Seeds/ Jeera : 1 tsp
Ajwain/ Vonvo/ Carom Seeds : ¼ tsp
Black Pepper Corns/ Kali Miri/ Mire : ½ tsp
Garlic/ Losun/ Lehsun : 4-5 cloves
Ginger/ Adrak/ Alle’ : ½ inch
Onion/ Piyavu/ Kanda : 1 medium sized
Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/ Karbevu : 8-10 fresh leaves
Turmeric/ Haldi Powder : ½ tsp
Kashmiri Dry Red Chilly/ Kumte Mirsanga/ Byadgi Mirchi : 10-12
Coconut/ Nariyal/ Soyi : 1 cup freshly grated
Tamarind/ Chinchama/ Imly : small lemon sized ball/ 2 tblsp if paste
** Clean 12 to 15 sardines by scraping the scales on the skin, trimming the fins. Cut the heat portion and give a cut lengthwise on the side and clean the inside portion. Put them in water and clean well to remove all inedible portions. Apply a little bit of salt all over the pieces and keep it aside while we go ahead and prepare masala.
** In most of the places these are cleaned by the fish vendors, so it is that much more easier to clean. If it is not done so in your vicinity then do ask a friendly neighbor/ relative and learn the procedure as a keen observation is the best guidance when it comes to learning cooking, if not you can always check out any You Tube for the same.
** Peel of the outer skin of garlic and onion and then cut them to small pieces. Also, clean and cut the ginger to small pieces. Keep all these ingredients ready to be added while frying the masala to be grounded. .
** For Ground Masala : Heat coconut oil in a thick bottomed pan, when hot add coriander, methi, mustard, cumin seeds, ajwain, pepper corn and fry all together for a few minutes on medium heat, say 1-2 minutes only. Now add in the ginger, garlic, onion pieces and further fry for another 2-3 minutes only. Lastly add curry leaves, turmeric powder, kashmiri chillies and continue frying all together for another 2 minutes, taking care all the time to see that you do not burn any ingredient while frying.
** Lastly add the freshly grated coconut, mix well and fry just for one minute only. Remove and let cool a little bit. Add all friend ingredients into a mixer grinder along with tamarind and grind to a fine paste with little bit of water. The masala should be ground to a very smooth and fine paste. Remove and keep this aside ready.
** Peel off the skin of onion and slice them lengthwise finely. Cut the green chillies lengthwise and keep it aside. Cut ginger into small pieces and keep this ready aside to be added while preparing the curry along with fresh curry leaves.
** To prepare the Curry : Heat coconut oil in a wide mouthed flat stainless steel vessel. When hot add thinly lengthwise sliced onion and fry on medium heat until they turn light brown in color. Add green chillies cut lengthwise along with ginger cut to pieces and the curry leaves. Continue frying all for 1-2 minutes.
** Add ground masala, required amount of water to bring the curry to a required gravy consistency, mix well and bring to a boil on medium heat until bubbles appear on surface. Reduce the heat to minimum, add salt to taste, mix well and cook for another minute or two. Now add the cleaned sardines one by one laying out evenly in layer and further cook all on medium heat for 5- 7 minutes only.
** Notes : At this point check/ taste the gravy and if need be add in salt and a few more green chillies as per individual choice if need be. Fish curries are always supposed to be spicy, however you may increase/decrease spice level as per individual choice, especially if you have young children or old people at home.
** Do not overcook the fish curry, fish hardly takes more than 8 minutes to be cooked perfect, if overdone, it tends to break while serving. That is the very reason why the curry is first cooked thoroughly after which only the fish pieces are added and cooked just for required minutes. Cover and keep the curry aside to rest for at least 15-20 minutes for the flavours to seep into the curry well. If on settling you find the curry has thickened, then you can add hot water and mix well, the taste will not be lost.
** “South Indian Sardine Curry (Pedve Randai)” is done and ready to be served. One of the most famous combos in southern parts of India (Kerala) is kappa- fish curry (mashed tapioca with fish curry), while in Mangalore and other parts of Karnataka it is served in Konkani homes with ukde sheetHa (red boiled rice). Again, in some homes it is served with idiyappam (rice string hoppers/ shevai) and Oondi too.
** When it's fish curry in my home we usually do not prefer to have anything else included in meals, though any veggie bhaji (upkari) is a must. We enjoyed our meal today, please do try out this curry and enjoy with your family and do follow/ subscribe me on my Page/ Blog/ Instagram to be in touch with more recipes. I will be sharing plenty of them in near future till then stay blessed~ spread happiness and peace.
** For more “Fish Recipes” browse through the common link shared below ….
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