Erivum Puliyum: Trivandrum Style Fish Curry | Thiruvananthapuram Meen curry ~ Step by Step Pics

Trivandrum style fish curry (Thirunthoram/ Thiruvananthapuram meen curry) is an easy fish curry that is very delicious to have with piping hot steamed rice. Being in Trivandrum for eight years gave me ample oppurtunity to interact with the people in Trivandrum and that's when I got to taste this curry too. Most of the hotels in Trivandrum serve this curry as a side with meals too. I have been preparing this curry once a while when get bored of the usual Kottayam style fish curry.

Drumstick is added along with fish pieces to this fish curry. The sweetness of the ground coconut along with the spices balances the flavors, tamarind ground along with pulp adds thickness to the gravy too. The cooked mango pieces adds to the sourness and bite pieces along with fish. You can add a sliced tomato in place of raw mangoes if not in season. Drumstick pieces are added along with fish, raw mangoes and fish. This same fish curry can be made with roasted coconut as well. I already posted a recipe with drumstick- fish combo so didn't add to this curry, I made thenga varutharacha meen curry with drumstick pieces(Roasted Coconut Fish Curry). Check that out if you wish to add drumstick pieces to this curry as well.

Thrissur also has a similar kind fish curry but with a few changes. Thrissur style thengarachga meen curry can be viewed here in this post that I posted long back. In that the fish curry is finally tempered with shallots and curry leaves, also there is no use of fenugreek powder in that style. The final touch of pouring coconut oil on top along with curry leaves adds that Kottayam style touch to this delicious meen curry which I love the most. This fish curry can be made in a jiffy if you have cleaned fish ready to take a dip in the gravy. Do give this a try if you haven't tried yet and enjoy !!

KERALA STYLE FISH RECIPES-

Preparation time ~ 10 minutes

Cooking time ~ 15 minutes

Serves ~ 5-6

Author ~ Julie

Ingredients

any firm fish (I have used vatta) 500g

*raw mango pieces 1

green chilies 2 vertical slit

roasted fenugreek powder 1/4 tsp

curry leaves 2-3 sprigs

coconut oil 1 tbsp

salt to taste

to grind

grated coconut 1.25 cups

kashmiri chilly powder 1 tbsp

hot chilli powder 1 tsp

coriander powder 1.5 tsp

turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

vallan puli 1 Amla size

shallots 4-5

*ginger 1/2’ Piece

WATCH ON YOUTUBE-

Method

Wash the fish pieces and drain all water. Marinate the fish if following, else skip this step. Refer to notes for marination. Marinating is strictly optional, I usually marinate the fish pieces with hot chilli powder and lightly salt before refrigerating. You can skip that step and use a tsp hot chilly powder in the grinding of the masala itself.
Grind the coconut with Kashmiri chilly powder, hot chilli powder (if not used in marinating) coriander powder, turmeric powder, shallots, tamarind, ginger by adding little water to a smooth paste.

Add the fish pieces to a clay pot or mann chatti and then add cut mango pieces, green chillies, curry leaves, ground paste. To the mixer jar, add a cup of water and pour the cleaned masala along with water to the clay pot. Add a cup of water more and salt. Mix everything well to combine.

Bring the clay pot(mann chatti) overheat and simmer covered for about 10 minutes, or until the mango pieces and fish looks cooked, a light layer of oil floats on top of the curry too. In between, check the salt and consistency of gravy. Finally add in fenugreek powder, another sprig of curry leaves and pour a tbsp of coconut oil on top. Keep covered for 10 minutes till the curry leaves are wilted and a nice aroma of coconut oil seeps in the curry.
Enjoy with hot steamed matta rice !!

NOTES

* I usually marinate the fish pieces with hot chilli powder and lightly salt before refrigerating. You can skip that step and use the half tsp hot chilly powder in the masala itself.

*There is no use of ginger piece in any of the recipes that I referred, but I have used 1/2’ piece ginger while grinding as we are used to making fish curry by adding ginger. Omit if you don’t like the taste.

*The usage of raw mango helps to enhance the sour flavours and add pieces along with fish.

* I have used a nadan variety mango which had only mild sourness and so added one, you may add as per the sourness of the mango used. OR you many even add a sour (nadan) tomato too instead of mango.

* The colour of the gravy depends on the type of tamarind you use. The black tamarind yields a darker shade to the gravy. I have used black tamarind in this pic, but in the video have used light brown tamarind.

*You can also add drumstick pieces along with mango as well, I haven’t used.

* You can use any firm fish for making this curry like tuna (choora), avoli (pomfret) and even mackerel(ayala) works fine.

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