Fried Fish / Meen Varthathu

Kerala fried fish is similar to the blackened fish of Louisiana. The fried goodness of fish and spices go well with white rice. Plain yogurt and a vegetable thoran would round up the meal nicely.

Almost any fish can be fried using this recipe. Here, I used Sand dabs.

Sand dabs - 2 skinned/scaled and cleaned
cayenne powder - 2 tsp (+/- to taste)
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
salt to taste
oil - 1/3 cup

Score sand dabs across with a sharp knife. The scores help the spices to permeate the fish and reduces cooking time. If the fish is large, cut into smaller pieces.

I also prefer to leave the bone in when frying. Bones seem to hold the fish together better. Fillets would work well too, but in my experience bone-in is better!

Make a paste of cayenne powder, turmeric, and salt with a little bit of water. Liberally slather both sides of the fish with the spice paste. Leave aside for 15 minutes.

Heat a cast iron pan (or a heavy pan) and add oil. The oil should just come to a depth of less than half an inch. The fish is NOT meant to be deep fried immersed in oil, but rather shallow fried. When the oil heats up, gently place the fish in it. Fry till the fish and spices have caramelised, approximately 3-4 minutes. Flip the fish gently and repeat frying the other side. When the fish is done, drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.

Cabbage Thoran (Stir fried Cabbage with Coconut):

Thoran is a typical Kerala dish of stir fried vegetables. Shredded vegetables (often leafy ones like spinach, cabbage or even cauliflower, carrots, and beans) are stir fried with a mixture of coconut, green chilies, and cumin. I prefer to leave the vegetables to be crunchy. Use high heat and a quick hand to retain the crunchiness.

Ingredients:
Cabbage shredded - 3 cups
Fresh grated coconut - 3 tbsp.
Green chilies - 2
Onion - 1/4" piece
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
mustard seeds -1 tsp
turmeric pd. - 1/4 tsp
curry leaves - 5
oil - 2 tbsp
fresh black pepper - 1/2 tsp
salt to taste

Method:
In a food processor (I often take the low-tech route with my mortar and pestle) mix coconut, green chilies, onion, cumin to make a coarse mixture. Heat pan and add 2 tbsp of oil. When oil heats up, add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds have finished popping, add the coconut mixture, turmeric, and curry leaves. Stir fry for a few minutes. Add shredded cabbage. Add salt. Stir fry for 3 - 5 minutes. Remove from heat when the cabbage is still crisp and all ingredients have blended well. Add freshly ground pepper. Serve with rice.