Karuvadu Vathakkal (Vaalai karuvadu vathakkal )

Ingredients

• Vaalai Karuvadu - 10 Pieces
• Tomato - 1 (crushed)
• Onion - 2 (cut into length pieces)
• Dry Red Chillies - 2
• Prawn Sambal Chilli paste - 2 tsp
• Tamarind Juice - 4 tsp
• Sugar - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - 3 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Water - 1/4 cup
• Salt - if needed

Method

• Wash the salted fish and soak in water for 10 to15 min.
• Remove the bone inside and keep aside.
• In a pan, add 1 tsp oil, half the onion, and red chillies, curry leaves and saute till nicely till the raw smell of the onion goes off.
• Remove from heat and grind in the mixer till smooth paste.
• Now in the same pan, add another 2 tsp of oil, onion, tomato and saute well.
• Add in the karuvadu/salted fish and little water and cook it.
• Add in the grind paste and sambal paste and tamarind juice and cook it.
• Now add in the sugar and salt if needed.
• Cook well till the oil floats on the gravy and switch off.
• Serve it hot as a side dish for rice or any kind of roti etc.

This goes to my Event: Dish Name Starts with K

Ikan Bilis Sambal / Nethili Sambal / Anchovies Semi Gravy

Nethili sambal is a Malaysian Dish. I tasted it in my office canteen and immediately fell in love with the hot and spicy dry fish curry. It is mostly similar to our, nethili thokku or nethili pirattal but it has its unique taste when we add the belecan paste (a paste made with shrimps - got it from shen siong supermarket).

Ingredients

• Nethili karuvadu / Anchovies (dry fish) - 1/2 kg
• Onion - 2 (cut lengthwise)
• Tomato - 1 (small)
• Belacan paste - 2 to 3 tsp
• Dry Red Chillies - 3
• Garlic - 4 flakes (chopped finely)
• Oil - 3 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp  (optional)
• Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
• Salt - as per taste
• Turmeric powder - 2 pinches (optional)
• Curry leaves - few
• Coriander leaves - few
• Water - if needed (optional)

Method

• Wash the anchovies nicely and allow to soak for 15 min at least.
• Soak the dry chillies in hot water.
• Filter the water completely, and mix the chilli powder, turmeric, little salt and coriander powder and allow the marination for another 10 min.
• In the mean time, make a paste with the dry chillies and tomato and keep ready.
• Now adding 1 tsp of oil, fry the anchovies nicely until crispy and keep aside.
• In a pan, add oil, onion and curry leaves and fry them until light brown color.

• Add the belacan paste and garlic and saute well, till the aroma comes.
• Now add the fried anchovies and chilli paste.
• If needed sprinkle little amount of water.
• Check for the seasoning and switch off the stove.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and server this famous malaysian dish with roti, chappathi or plain white rice.

Note:
The actual recipe, do not allow the marination of chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder (my mom mixed it without my knowledge)

Vaalai Karuvadu Varuval( Ribbon fish dry Fry)

Ingredients

• Vaala Meen pieces - 15 
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1.5 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Method

• Wash the fish pieces well in water.
• After washing, Soak the pieces in water for 15 mts.
• Marinate the above ingredients for 10 mts.
• Fry the fish peices in oil in small batches.
• Goes Well with Rasam Sadham, curd rice etc.