Vanjaram meen varuval (seer fish fry)
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Slices of seer fish marinated in chilli, turmeric, ginger-garlic and lime and shallow-fried crisp.
Region: Coastal Tamil Nadu, from Chennai to ThoothukudiOccasion: Sunday lunch; coastal mealsTime: 30 min + 30 min marinatingServes: 4Non-vegetarian
Ingredients
- 500 g seer fish (vanjaram), cut into 1-cm slices
- 2 tsp Kashmiri or other red chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- ½ tsp fennel powder
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- Salt to taste
- Oil for shallow frying
- A sprig of curry leaves
Method
- Wash the fish slices and pat them dry.
- Mix all the spices, ginger-garlic paste, lime juice, rice flour and salt into a thick paste with a few drops of water.
- Coat the fish on both sides and leave for 30 minutes.
- Heat oil in a flat pan and fry the curry leaves.
- Place the fish slices in the pan and fry on medium heat for 3–4 minutes on each side until crisp.
- Serve with rice, fish kuzhambu, onion rings and lime.
History
Seer fish is one of the most prized catches of the Coromandel coast and Gulf of Mannar and is sold fresh in every coastal market.
Significance
A plate of fish fry with meen kuzhambu and rice is the typical Sunday lunch of coastal Tamil families.