Kerala Fish Curry with Appam

Method

1. To make fish curry, heat coconut oil in a deep non-stick pan, add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and green chillies and let the seeds splutter. Add ginger, garlic, onions and salt, mix and saute till onions are lightly browned.
2. Add turmeric powder, ½ tsp red chilli powder, crushed black peppercorns, tomatoes and a little water and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Cube fish fillet and marinate with some salt and remaining red chilli powder for 5 minutes.
4. Add 200 ml coconut milk and tamarind pulp and mix well.
5. Add fish, mix gently and cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. To make the appam, rinse both the rice together a couple of times. Soak them overnight.
7. Drain and put them in a mixer jar and grind to a fine batter. Transfer into a deep vessel. Add salt, sugar and remaining coconut milk and mix nicely. Let it ferment overnight.
8. Add yeast and mix well and set aside for the yeast to prove.
9. To make the appam, heat a non-stick appam kadai, pour a ladle full of batter in it and swirl the kadai so that the batter spreads evenly on the sides. Most of the batter collects in the centre.
10. Cover the kadai and let appam cook. The base would become nicely light golden.
11. Serve the appam hot or warm with fish curry.

Additional Tips and Tricks