Authentic Chettinad Meen Varuval
Experience the fiery coastal flavors of South India with this crispy, spice-crusted fish fry. Fresh catch is marinated in a vibrant paste of freshly ground black pepper, fennel, and shallots before pan-searing to golden perfection.
35min
Total Time
4
Servings
Chettinad
Cuisine
Recipe
1
Dry roast the black peppercorns, fennel seeds, and cumin seeds in a pan until fragrant, then grind them into a fine powder.
2
In a mortar and pestle, crush the shallots, garlic, and ginger into a coarse paste.
3
In a mixing bowl, combine the ground spices, shallot paste, curry leaves, red chili powder, turmeric powder, lemon juice, and salt to form a thick marinade.
4
Clean the fish fillets and pat them completely dry with paper towels.
5
Generously coat each fish fillet with the prepared spice paste, ensuring it gets into all crevices. Let it marinate for 30 minutes.
6
Heat coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed cast-iron pan over medium heat.
7
Place the marinated fish fillets in the hot pan and shallow fry for 4-5 minutes on each side until the crust is deeply golden and crispy and the fish is cooked through.
8
Garnish with fresh curry leaves and lemon wedges, and serve hot.
Ingredients
500g firm white fish fillets (Surmai or Pomfret)
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
6-8 small shallots
5-6 cloves garlic
1-inch piece ginger
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons coconut oil for shallow frying
*This AI-generated recipe may contain inaccuracies.