Mathi varuthathu (sardine fry)
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Fresh sardines rubbed with a red chilli, pepper and ginger-garlic paste and fried crisp in coconut oil, everyday fare along Kerala’s coast.
Region: KeralaOccasion: Everyday mealsTime: 30 minServes: 4Non-vegetarian
Ingredients
- 500 g fresh sardines (mathi/chaala), cleaned and scored
- 1½ tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp pepper powder
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar, salt
- Coconut oil for shallow-frying
- Curry leaves
Method
- Mix the spices, ginger-garlic, lemon juice and salt with a little water to a thick paste.
- Rub the paste into the sardines, including the cuts, and leave for 20–30 minutes.
- Heat coconut oil in a flat pan and add curry leaves.
- Fry the sardines on medium heat for 4–5 minutes on each side until crisp. Serve with rice and moru curry.
History
The oil sardine is one of the largest catches of Kerala’s fishing boats and has long been the cheapest and most common fish in Kerala homes.
Significance
Sardine fry with rice is everyday food for many Kerala families, and sardines are a major part of the State’s fishing economy.