Chettinad Famous Anchovies Fish Gravy / Nethili Meen Thokku

Chettinad Famous Anchovies Fish Gravy / Nethili Meen Thokku

Recipe Cuisine: Indian |  Recipe Category: Non Veg | Prep Time: 10 mins  | Cook time: 10 mins

Anchovies fish are rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids, 4 percent of vitamin B-12 and 2 percent of vitamin B-6 and iron. They maintain your heart beat and regulate blood pressure.This is such a wonderful recipe with a thick tangy masala coated all over the fish. Simply delicious with plain rice. If you want you can serve it with rasam. Its spicy and also really a mouthwatering recipe; feels like one wants to eat more and more.

Ingredients

• Anchovies / Nethili Meen – 1/2 Kg
• Chopped Onion- 3/4 cup
• Garlic- 2 big cloves
• Tomato- 2 (Chopped) 
• Turmeric Powder- 1/4 tsp
• Red Chilli Powder- 1 & 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Powder- 1/2 tsp
• Tamarind - small lemon size
• Salt- As needed
• Oil- As needed
• Curry leaves- 2 Springs
• Fenugreek Seeds - 1 tsp
• Cumin Seeds- 1/4 tsp

Method:

Step 1:

• Clean and Wash Anchovies/ Nethili Fish gently and keep aside.
• Soak Tamarind in a small bowl of water, Make Tamarind pulp, Keep aside.
• Take a Mixer, Add onion, garlic and tomato grind as a fine paste.

Step 2:

• Heat oil in a Kadai, Add fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. one by one. allow it to sizzle.
• Next add the grinded onion tomato paste. Cook the paste in oil well, till the oil separates on top.
• Add the Turmeric powder, Red Chilli powder, coriander powder. mix well.
• Add tamarind pulp, salt,  1/2 cup of water in it.cook for 5-8 mins till the raw smell of tamarind leaves.
• Now Add the fish , Cook 2-3 mins without mixing using a ladle just swirl the Kadai for mixing.
• Swirl the kadai; slightly shake and keep each thirty seconds to coat the masala over the fish. Add 1 tsp of oil over the gravy and allow to thicken the gravy like thokku consistency.
• Switch off the flame and Serve.

Notes

• Once the fish is added and cooked, Don’t stir the masala at this point, if you stir it, the fish will break. So always swirl the Kadai.
• The fish will cook easily in 2-3 mins. 
• Add excess water if you feel the gravy is too dry/thick.