Nethili poondu kolambu (Anchovy cooked in garlic garvy)

        When spending my vacation @ chennai [yes, all my friends, relatives are there, we got transferred here two years back :( :( ] my sister very secretely drank some stuff in a glass, when i viewed it, it was the curry prepared by my aunty, Mrs. Sumathi Umashanker (obviously she was the one behind the amla stuff).  I actually laughed at her for drinking a fish curry, but i was curious enough to have a sip, my goddddddddddd that was purely heavenly, later i called her and got the recipe for her basic fish masala.  So, with base for gravy in my head, i tried this out with her suggested masala, it really came great!

 

   Ingredients required

For basic poondu masala, you will need: 12 large garlic flakes, 2-3 red chilli, 1 tsp dhanya, 1/2 tsp jeera, 1/4 tsp methi, 1/2 tsp chana dal, 3-4 onion scrappings, 4-5 coconut scrappings,4-5 peppercorns

Othr ingredients are 10anchovy fish(nethili), 2 tomatos, 1 onion, tamaring extract

For tempering: one red chilli, few curry leaves, 1/2 tsp rai

Othr ingredients: haldi(turmeric powder), chilli powder, dhanya powder, coriander leaves(to garnish), salt

Method

At first, dry roast all dry ingredients in masala list like chana dal, jeera, dhanya, methi, red chilli, peppercorn

Then grind this along with garlic, onion, coconut, will get a paste like this

In a kadai, heat oil and add temper like rai, curry leave, red chilli

Then add finely chopped onions, and cook till they become soft, transculent.  This will take  some 5 minutes

Later on, add finely chopped tomatos, followed by 4-5 tsp thick tamarind extract

After tamarind extract, kindly add turmeric, salt 

After the tomatos become mushy, add paste of masala, let this cook for some 20 minutes, till smell of masala emits out

Check or taste the gravy, if you need more spice, can add red chili and dhanya powder.  Finally after masala gets cooked, add anchovy.  (My aunty says after smell of masala emits, just wait for 5 more minutes in simmer flame, then add fish and not immediately after you get smell of masala)

Simmer to 3-4 minutes, then turn off the flame, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with idly, dosa or rice