Mangalorean Fish curry (Meen Gassi)

Meen Gassi (Mangalorean fish curry) is a popular dish served with rice in the coastal area of Mangalore, located in the southern state of Karnataka, India. Various types of fish curries are popular along the long coastline starting from Goa to Mangalore and further south to Kerala.

The urban metropolis of Mumbai (Bombay) also has quite a few restaurants that serve this dish in the form of Pomfret Gassi with the authentic flavors, but nothing quite beats making it at home with fresh fish. The most common types of fish used for this dish are Pomfret, Mackerel (Bangude), Lady Fish (Kane) or Sardines (Boothai).

For those located outside India, despair not – a lot of fish taste just as fantastic in this gassi masala. Try it with Tilapia, catfish, kingfish and even shrimp or prawns. 

This lightly spiced dish with the tangy flavor gets its flavor from Jaargey (picture below). Jaargey are the dried exterior of a fruit local to Mangalore. It is soaked in water overnight or a minimum of 6 hours. The water turns a pale yellow and has a uniquely tangy flavor – a tad sour but mostly something that just excites your taste buds.

 Now, I fully understand that a unique ingredient such as jaargey may not be easily available to you if you don’t live in India, so again, despair not, tamarind that’s a lot more universally available, does the job just as well. (Note – if you live in India, most Mangalorean stores carry jaargey).

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 sprig of kadipatta (curry leaves)
• 1/2 of medium sized onion, finely cut (~3/4th cup of chopped onions)
• a pinch of ajwain seeds and methi seeds, ground in a pestle
• 1 pound of mackerel or catfish or pomfret or tilapia, cut into the desired size
• 1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 green chilies, slit lengthwise
• To be ground
• 7-8 pieces of jaargey or 1/2 teaspoon tamarind paste [ see note 1]
• 5-6 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1/2 of medium sized onion, chopped (~3/4th cup of chopped onions)
• 2 tablespoons Kundapur Masala Powder (see note 2)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• water as needed
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INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a bowl, soak jaargey in water for 6-8 hours or leave it overnight. The next morning, remove the soaked jaargey pieces from the water and discard it. Pass the water through a sieve to remove any remnant bits of jaargey. Set the jaargey water aside.
2. Heat oil in a kadhai or a wok over medium heat. Once hot, add mustard seeds to it. As they start spluttering, add kadipatta to the oil. Let it fry for around 20 seconds and then add onions and fry them till they are translucent. Add ground ajwain and methi seeds and mix well. Reduce heat to low.
3. .......................................

for full instruction please see : simmertoslimmer.com

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