MURREL FISH CURRY/ CHAPALA PULUSU

Murrel fish or snake head fish is extensively used in southern and south-east Asian countries. In India it is popular in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Bengal. Murrel fish is called murrel in Marathi, koramenu in Telgu and shol in Bengali.

Murrel fish curry with ragi muddi is an awesome combination from the Andhra cuisine.

This tangy curry, simply tingles your taste buds. The preparation doesn’t take much time.

My Nanima, who belonged to Nellore used to prepare this curry in an earthen pot which added to the taste. She used til or sesame oil for this curry. I am a proud inherent of this recipe. Every vacation I get to relish this curry prepared by Maa. Lucky me!

Recipe for Murrel fish curry

Ingredients for Murrel fish curry

• 6 pieces murrel fish
• 1 cup or 2 medium sized onions (roughly chopped)
• ¼ cup fresh coconut (grated)
• ½ cup tamarind pulp
• 10 cloves garlic
• 1 medium sized tomato (roughly chopped)
• 1 ½ tsp red chilli powder                                                                                                   
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp mustard seeds10 curry leaves
• ¼ cup oil

How to make

Toss the fish pieces in ¼ tsp turmeric powder and some salty. Keep aside for 10 minutes. Wash the fish pieces to get rid of the excess turmeric and salt.

Make a fine masala paste of onions, coconut and garlic.

Heat oil in a kadai or skillet. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves.

As mustard seeds begin to crackle, put in the tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes or until tomato softens.

Now add in the masala paste along with chilli powder, turmeric powder and 2 cups of water. 

Add in the tamarind pulp and salt at the same time.

Taste the curry for salt and spices. Adjust the taste and consistency of the curry at this stage only.

Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until oil floats on the surface.

Gently slip in the pieces in the curry. Give it a gentle stir. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.

Serve with raggi muddi or plain steamed rice.

CHINGRI MALAI CURRY

Bengalis love chingri malai curry, small sized prawns cooked in creamy gravy. This is a mildly spiced, yellow coloured dish which is easy to prepare and quick too. It gets its creaminess from coconut milk and melon seeds paste. Cashew nuts can also be used.

The given weight of prawns is after cleaning and deveining. I have used readymade coconut milk in this recipe. Coconut milk can be very easily prepared at home. Make a fine paste of grated coconut with a cup of water. Strain it through a sieve to get thick milk of coconut. This first extract is the best

Recipe for Chingri malai curry

Ingredients for Chingri malai curry

• 250 gms small prawns (shelled and deveined)
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp melon seeds
•  1 onion (finely chopped)
• 1 tomato (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 green cardamoms
• ¼ + ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp coriander seeds
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• 1 pinch of garam masala
• 2 green chillies (roughly chopped)
• Salt to taste
• ½ cup mustard oil

How to make

Marinate the prawns in some salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes.

Heat mustard oil. Fry the prawns for not more than two minutes. Keep aside.

In the same oil add bay leaves and cardamom pods.

Add onions. Cook till translucent.

Now add in the ginger garlic paste. Saute for a minute.

Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilli powder and cumin powder. Mix well.

Add in the tomato and cook 3 to 4 minutes till it turns soft.

Add in the prawns and saute for 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat.

Reduce the heat to low. Pour in the coconut milk and mix well.

Season with salt. Sprinkle garam masala. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Serve with parantha, rice.

PANEER BUTTER MASALA

Paneer butter masala is found on menu of every Indian restaurant. This proves its fan following and popularity. It has a lightly flavoured, smooth gravy.

Paneer butter masala is a all time hit and safe dish to have anywhere in the country. Though the preparations may vary the chef will definitely put his best skills forward to maintain the dish's status.

In the bargain to do so, sometimes a lot of different spices are added to make it flavourful.

Here I share with you this popular recipe which takes less time to make and requires very few ingredients.

Recipe for Paneer butter masala

Ingredients for Paneer Butter masala

• 200 gms paneer
• ¾ cup or 3 medium sized tomatoes (pureed)
• ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• ½ tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tbsp melon seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cardamoms
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp oil

How to make

Cut the paneer into flat cubes or cubes with thickness of 1 cm.

Soak melon seeds in warm water for 20 minutes. Grind it with little water into a smooth paste.

Heat oil and butter in kadhai or skillet. Keep the heat from medium to low.

Put cardamom and bay leaves.

Put ginger garlic paste and saute for one minute.

Add the tomato puree. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add red chilli powder. Saute till the oil separates.

Now add in the melon seeds paste. Mix well. Cook on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes.

Pour half a cup of water. Season with salt. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Drop in the paneer pieces. 

Add the kasuri methi. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve with tandoori roti or naan.

KADHAI PANEER

Kadhai paneer is a popular dish on the veg menu of restaurants. This dish has a nice aroma which it gets from the kadhai masala. Kadhai masala is a special spice mix which can be easily made at home.

Refer to my previous post to know how to make kadhai masala. This spice mix can also be used in curries or non-veg dishes.

Kadhai paneer has a thick gravy of coating consistency. In this recipe paneer and veggies are sauted in butter before adding them to the gravy. This process makes the dish tastier.

Kadhai paneer goes very well with tandoori roti or naan or lachcha parantha. This dish will surely satisfy the taste buds of your vegetarian guests.

Recipe for Kadhai Paneer

Ingredients for Kadhai Paneer

• 200 gms paneer (diced into cubes)
• 1 big tomato (diced into big chunks)
• 1 capsicum (diced into big chunks)
• ½ cup or 2 medium sized onions (grated)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 cup or 2 big tomatoes (pureed)
• ½ tsp kasuri methi
• 2 tbsp butter
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp kadhai masala
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• ¼ tsp shahijeera or caraway seeds
• Salt to taste
• ¼ cup oil

How to make

Sprinkle some red chilli powder and salt on the paneer cubes and toss.

Heat butter in a non-stick pan. Lightly fry the paneer cubes for a minute. Remove the paneer cubes in a plate and keep aside. In the same saute capsicum and tomato pieces on high heat for one minute or until they get little soft. Keep aside.

 Ina kadhai or a skillet, heat oil. Add shahijeera to it.

Add the grated onions and ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes.

Put the red chilli powder, turmeric powder and kadhai masala. Saute for half a minute.

Add in the pureed tomatoes. Saute on medium heat till oil separates.

Drop in the paneer, capsicum and tomatoes. Mix well.

Pour half to one cup of water. Season with salt. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Crush the kasuri methi. Add it to the gravy before removing from heat.

Serve with tandoori roti or lachcha parantha.