Unakka Meen Curry / Dry Fish Curry

Yum

Ingredients:
100g dry fish
1 medium raw banana  (peel and cut lengthwise as in aviyal)
5 shallots
3 green chillies split lengthwise 
1 tsp. ginger sliced
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tbsp. chilli powder
2 kudam puli / gambooge  tear to small pieces( soaked in warm water for 5 to 10 mins.)
1 1/2 cups grated coconut
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1 sprig curry leaves
Salt according to taste

 For Seasoning:
1 -2 tbsp. coconut oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1 dry red chilli
4 shallots sliced


Method:

• Soak the raw banana pieces in turmeric (2 pinches) water for 10 mins before rinsing and draining.
•  Soak the dry fish in water for 20 mins. Clean and cut into pieces.
• Grind the coconut, shallots, turmeric, chilli powder and little water to fine paste.
• In a clay pot/ meen chatti combine the dry fish along with raw banana,  ginger,  green chilli, turmeric powder, kudam puli , curry leaves, salt to taste and 2 cups of water. 
• Cook covered till 3/4 done on medium flame. 
• On low flame add the coconut paste, mix well (take care not to break the fish or the banana).
• If gravy is too thick add little hot water. Cover and cook till fish is cooked( 7 to 8 min). Take off flame.
• For the seasoning splutter mustard seeds in hot oil and add the sliced shallots and dry red chilli. When the shallots are  transparent and pour  the seasoning over the cooked fish curry and keep covered( do not stir immediately) for few minutes.
• Serve with rice.