Bangude pulimunchi (mackerel in tamarind and chilli)
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Mackerel cooked in a sour and fiery paste of tamarind and red chillies, a staple fish dish of Mangaluru homes.
Region: Coastal KarnatakaOccasion: Everyday lunch with riceTime: 40 minServes: 4Non-vegetarian
Ingredients
- 4 mackerels (bangude), cleaned and cut into pieces
- 10 dried byadgi chillies
- 4 dried hot chillies (optional)
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp turmeric
- A lemon-sized ball of tamarind
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1-inch piece ginger
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- Salt to taste
Method
- Lightly roast the chillies, coriander and cumin.
- Grind them with turmeric, tamarind, garlic and ginger to a smooth, thick paste with a little water.
- Heat coconut oil in a clay pot or pan. Add the paste and fry on low heat for 5 minutes.
- Add about 1 cup of water and salt. Bring to a boil.
- Slide in the fish pieces and simmer gently, without stirring, for 8–10 minutes until cooked and the gravy is thick.
- Rest for a while before serving with boiled red rice; it tastes better the next day.
History
Puli means sour and munchi means chilli in Tulu, naming the two main flavours. Mackerel is one of the main fish landed along the Karnataka coast.
Significance
Pulimunchi is an everyday fish curry of the coast. The tamarind also helps it keep well, so it was often made in quantity in fishing households.