Kerala mathi fry

I am back after quite a long break..:)...I really want to thank all my wonderful readers out there for their constant support in the form of mails and comments. 

Sardines is a popular and  a favorite fish of Keralites. We call it as Mathi or Chaala and we mostly use it to prepare mathi curry/ mathi peera / mathi fry. This fish is so abundant in Kerala that we can buy this almost everyday either from the fish market or from the fisherman who used to come to our houses daily with a basket full of fish. During the peak season we will get plenty of sardines to feed the entire family for less than 20 Indian rupees.

Here in US, mostly we have to use canned sardines or frozen sardines from the Indian stores but recently I found one local fish market over here which sells fresh fish and once in a while they get sardines too, though it is pricier than canned/frozen sardines. It's worth shedding few extra bucks to get something fresh especially sardines. Sardines are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids which will reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular disease and also reduce the blood sugar level. Thats why today I am sharing the recipe of Kerala Sardines fry / Mathi Fry / Chaala fry which is a very popular and easy dish made with sardines.

Ingredients

Sardines / Mathi / Chaala ~ 500 grams ( 5 medium sized sardines )
Black pepper powder ~ 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder ~ 3/4 tsp
Red chilly powder ~ 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice ~ 1 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste ~ 1/2 tsp ( Optional )
Coconut oil / Regular vegetable oil ~ 2-3 tbsps
Salt to taste

Method

• First wash and clean the fish and then rub it with some crystal salt / Kalluppu and wash it nicely under water by changing the water 2-3 times. Then using a knife make 3-4 gashes on each side of the fish and allow it to drain.

• Then make the paste of black pepper powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste and salt by adding around 1-2 spoons of water. 

• Then marinate the fish with this paste and do make sure to rub the paste inside the fish's stomach and gashes and keep it aside for 15-20 minutes. 

• Then heat 2-3 tbsps of oil in a non-stick pan and shallow fry the fish for about 6-8 minutes in a medium-low flame and then slowly turn it around and fry the other side for about 5-6 minutes. Then transfer it to a paper towel.

Enjoy with rice. 

Notes: Try to use freshly ground black pepper for this recipe - to make freshly ground pepper, fry the peppercorns in a hot pan for about 1-2 minutes and then using the small jar of a mixer grinder, grind it to a fine powder. You can store this powder in an airtight container. 

Cheers!!

Jisha