Fish,Coconut and Malayalee <--- Meet the three musketeers of Kerala !!😉😊😍 Those three words are what Kerala is truly all about,if you ask me.
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| A Kerala Bride-pic from Google |
(On second thought,number 1 should be GOLD,not in edible terms so I am omitting it ,otherwise ,it's like "Sona kitna sona hai,sona jaise tera tann." Even Mr.Bappi Lahiri ji can't compete with a Malayalee especially woman from Kerala 😂😜..I often felt ,here,people weigh each other like the status/prestige based upon the gold jewelries they possess /wear and a Kerala bride is nothing less than a living/human jewellery shop 😅😆.....I somehow pulled it off during my wedding but now even a single gold thing-y on my body itches like anything #BTexPls..Then I get scolding from parents to wear gold - earrings,chains,bangles,chains for sure (according to them it is an insult to my hubby's financial status, that's the societal norm here afterall ..aww😐)...Phew👎😏..#BottledInMyHeart #ThisFadForGoldSucks #TrendIsGoingDownThough #NoOffenseMyFellowMalayalees)
Anyways,let's talk about the comforting thing ,the food .So,Fish and coconut are every true mallu's weaknesses !! No meal is complete without fish/coconut (provided they are non-vegetarians,which majority are) . It amazes me how many varieties of recipes can be made with these two "It" things of Kerala .And today,I am gonna share one of those staple recipe from every Kerala home - "Meen Patichathu".
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| Lockdown special fish not that fresh... |
Since hubby/Big Boss a.k.a Honey P is not a huge fan of fish (probably because he was raised/settled in Hyderabad and he is more like a Telangan than a Malayalee 😋😆 #Avandi ) ,I don't feel like cooking fish that often .So, I lose touch with the fish recipes and when I cook I may mess it up sometimes .Thankfully,I have my blog to refer to know,the problem fixer .
However,I hardly make meen patichathu .I do have my own version of meen patichathu but still somewhere it lacked my mother's authentic style of making the meen patichathu traditional way. Amma told me n number of times to make the recipe and since I am blessed with a wonderful dementia―tic memory,m number of times,I screwed it I feel.So,fortunately,now I got the time and chance to watch her cook this recipe and learn for sure.
Gone are the days,when grinding stone like shown below were used called Ammi Kallu to grind the coconut paste .It renders a very special homely natural taste .However,for convenience and to save time,nowadays,everyone are using mixie for the same .My amma is also using mixie nowadays,but at times,she uses this traditional grinding stone as well for that authentic kick for the recipe.I remember learning how to use this grinding stone especially after my 10th board exam,during holidays.I felt like a cave woman 😁😜.It's an art by itself,a forgotten art nowadays. And my dil /heart goess mmmm ...#OldIsGold💓
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| Ammi Kallu/Grinding stone ..Picture Credit : AliBaba |
So,this is how to make traditional style meen patichathu / Meen peera my amma's way :
Meen patichathu
Ingredients
Fish,cleaned,cut into small pieces - 10-15 Nos
To grind:
Coconut,grated - 1 cup
Green chillies,medium size - 4-6 Nos
Ginger - 1 Inch
Shallots/Small onions -Handful/10 Nos.
Turmeric powder 1/4th Tsp
Curry leaves,a few
Cambodge/Kodum puli,big - 2 Nos.
Salt to taste
Water as needed
Preparation method to make meen patichathu :
- Clean the cambodge/kodum puli in water 1-2 times ,drain and immerse these tamarinds in a bowl of water and keep it aside so that they become soft.
- Meanwhile,clean and chop the fish into small pieces .
- If you are using the grinding stone Ammi Kallu,crush the veges first and then the coconut into a coarse paste OR,if you are using a mixer jar,grind everything (under "to grind") like pulse 1 to 2 times only into a coarse mixture.
- Tear down the cambodge into 2 to 3 pieces and add all of them with the water they were immersed in,into the fish.
- Add a few curry leaves ,salt to taste and water little by little just covering the fish pieces .Mix everything well in an earthen pot/Meen chatti.
- Place the earthen pot onto the stove on high flame.Once it starts boiling,lower the flame.Put a lid on it until the fish pieces are cooked.
- Then remove the lid,on low to medium flame ,keep on rotating and slightly tilting the earthen pot after 5 minutes interval ,so that water accumulates to the center and all the water dries up properly without getting burnt at the bottom.
- When the water is going to dry up finally,you can hear a hissing sound/noise and it will turn aromatic.
- Put off the flame.
- That's it meen patichathu/meen peera/meen thoran is ready to serve.
- Serve meen peera with boiled rice,any side dish ,curries of your choice and enjoyyy...
- Cambodge/Kodum puli is used to give the sourness to the curry.If the cambodge is not that fresh and of good quality it may not give enough sourness .So,you may have to add more as per the sourness required .
- If you don't have Cambodge,you can use raw mango instead or both adjusting the sourness though.
- Garlic is not used in this recipe.
- Some people pour little coconut oil at the end but we don't.If you wish,you can add 1 Tsp to 2 tbsp of coconut oil at the end and mix gently.
- Small fish like Small sardines/Anchovies/Netholi/Kozhuva are popularly used for making this meen peera recipe.
OR,pls watch this quick meen patichathu video for more clarity .Pls follow the subtitles.Hope it will be helpful.
Myself and my little girl ,we love seafoods.Everyday,it is a delightful sight to watch this little girl along with my parents rushing to the roadside to buy fish from the fish monger.This girl knows the minute the fishmonger is coming from far,which even I fail to notice .In fact she is the one who informs her grand parents about the same .
The way my mother would bargain ,the way the fish monger would tease her and father that it's too much to handle ,the way my little girl would be thrilled to see varieties of fish and the way they would finally win over the fish monger for a great deal and the way the little boss would carry the utensil with fish of the day to the kitchen..is wonderful beyond words to watch!!
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| Dear God,pls turn this Corona into a fish then... |
However,little boss is not eating fish lately like she used to 😟.I am afraid,I don't want her to become like her daddy when it comes to eating non-veg.How I wish my hubby would eat fish properly as it is extremely good for his health .My mother-in-law says,he was never into fish .She is surprised that after marriage he has started eating fish (Ahem ahem 😎) .The only fish he likes/eats is sardines/mathi in Malayalam and that too fried .So,that's what we prefer to buy more .Sometimes,like a magic, he may eat other fish too. So,there is hope and we are totally working on it.We will be a hardcore fish eating typical Malyali family soon !(Fingers crossed!)
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| CREDIT:THEPEACHYDIARIES.COM |
Before leaving US,I did buy sardines,cleaned,cut,applied all spices all over ,all ready-to-fry-and-eat with any meal that would last for days .Stacked in a box ,stored in the refrigerator/freezer .But hubby forgot about them as initially he was traveling and usually,I never forget all these but this time I also forgot to remind him.All got spoiled and wasted !😒
BTW,that reminds me,one of my blogger friend emailed me saying ,your posts recently shows you love,care and think way tooooo much gal.Notch it down a bit and you will be fine.Though I don't disagree completely,thing is that's the sweetest fault in my stars and DNA - we love,care a lot in any case and sometimes get hurt too . My principle is do your best in every relationship .On judgement day,in front of God I can say proudly that I did my best but I am also an imperfect human and I do have my limits too and so if I fail at times it is because I had no other choice which I am sure God will understand.I always feel like I can do better and that's what makes me happy - serving others to the best of my ability.#WannabeMotherTeresa(With.Due.Respect)🙏😍😋#IBelieveInKarma🙌 #GyanTimeEeehaa😉😎😇😅
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| I am all those to my hubby though ,more or less 😂😉😋💣 |
Ok enough of blowing my own trumpet 😉😋,like I said before,I am and I'll always be my biggest cheerleader..eehaa...🙌😎
And my funda when it comes to fish is ,undoubtedly they are very healthy ,also,like Corona was unexpected,God Forbid,if we are stranded in an island somehow,some day,to survive ,veges won't be enough.Then being a non vegetarian will be a lifesaver for sure . The protein from veg can never beat the protein from non-veg out there .#SurvivalOfTheFittest #LifeHack #SoEaTFish😎😜
So,I want my little girl to eat non veg for sure and I was a proud mamma.Up until now,little boss, who was a huge fan of fried fish,got bored of them it seems but is showing little interest in this fish recipe,the meen patichathu.So,I am partially relieved !
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| Come on y'all..let's have some soul food !! |
Take care,👋
P.S. It was a struggle to complete this post .While writing the post,came to know about Sushant Singh Rajput sir's untimely heartbreaking demise.Tore my head and heart apart. RIP Sushant sir,my Bihar ki shaan ,was so proud of you and your achievements but you disappointed us/fans at the end.Consoling myself that finally you are with your mother,that you longed for always .Did she scold you for this mischievous act ? RIP both of you !! #WillCherishYourSmilingFaceAlways #AnotherHeathLedger (w.d.r)💔
Also,a big salute and RIP our Indian Jawans/army martyred in Indo China standoff !!
As if COVID wasn't enough !!Dear God,what else is in store to suffer more....I can't concentrate ,do you know ??😔😢💭💔
