Meen Peera Pattichathu (Fish Cooked with Grated Coconut)
Meen Peera Pattichathu is a popular dish in Kerala. The fish that is commonly used for the dish is either sardines, cut into small pieces or small anchovies. Ideally this dish should be prepared a couple of hours in advance so that the fish pieces absorb all flavours by the time it is served.
Ingredients
- 300 gms Sardines cut into small pieces
- 1 cup shallots Sliced
- - 4 cloves Garlic cloves Sliced - 5
- 1/2 chopped ginger " Finely - piece (you can use 1 teaspoon paste)
- 7 - 8 green chillies Slit - more
- to taste Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder powder
- a few Curry leaves
To be ground coarsely
- 1 - 1/2 cups Coconut Grated
- 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Coriander powder powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Chilli powder
Instructions
- Grind the coconut along with turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilli powder and 1 tablespoon water to a coarse mixture.
- Take a bowl and put the sardine pieces, shallots, garlic, ginger, green chillies, curry leaves, a bit of salt and the ground coconut mixture.
- Mix well. Cover and keep aside for at least 10 minutes.
- Wash the gambooge very well. You may tear each of them to 2-3 pieces.
- Take an earthen pot with 1/2 cup water.
- Add salt, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder and few curry leaves and bring to a rolling boil.
- Add the fish mixture and mix well.
- Cover and cook on low flame.
- Occasionally lift the earthen pot and toss so that the mixture in the bottom come to the top.
- You can use a spoon to stir but there are chances of crumbling the fish pieces. Hence tossing would be better.
- Once the fish pieces are cooked, remove the lid and cook till the liquid, if any, has evaporated.
- Switch off heat
- Serve with rice.
- The dish gets tastier after a couple of hours. So it is recommended to prepare the dish well in advance.