• Home
  • Recipes Index
    • Ingredients List
    • Breakfast
    • Veg Recipes List
    • Non Veg Recipes List
    • Side Dishes
    • Gravies and Curries
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Tea Time Snacks
    • Drinks List
    • Sweets & Desserts
  • All Recipes
  • English Malayalam Glossary
    • English Malayalam Fish Names
    • English Malayalam Vegetable Names
    • English Malayalam Spice Names
  • Browse
  • ONAM
  • Archives

Kerala Recipes

...Destination for Food Lovers...

  • Cuisine
    • Indian
      • North Indian
      • South Indian
    • Kerala Cuisine
    • Indo Chinese
    • Asian
      • Chinese
      • Thai
    • American
    • Italian
    • International
  • Recipes by Course
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Brunch
    • Appetizers & Starters
    • Breads and Rotis
    • Main Course
      • Rice
      • Broken Wheat/Dalia
      • Noodles and Pasta
      • Tapioca/Yuca (Kappa)
    • Side Dish
    • Gravies and Curries
    • Chutneys & Dips
    • Soups
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches & Burgers
    • Snacks
    • Drinks & Thirst Quenchers
    • Sweets & Desserts
  • Non Veg Recipes
    • Beef
      • Beef Curries & Gravies
      • Beef Dry Side Dish
      • Beef Salads & Sandwiches
      • Beef Starters & Appetizers
      • Main Course with Beef
    • Chicken
      • Chicken Appetizers & Starters
      • Chicken Curries & Gravies
      • Chicken Dry Side Dish
      • Chicken Soups, Salads & Sandwiches
      • Main Course with Chicken
    • Egg
    • Fish
      • Fish Appetizers & Starters
      • Fish Curries & Gravies
      • Fish Fry & Side Dish
      • Fish Sandwiches & Salads
      • Main Course with Fish
    • Pork
    • Mussels & Clams
    • Shrimp and Prawn
  • Veg Recipes
    • Asparagus
    • Bell Pepper/Capsicum
    • Brinjal/Eggplant
    • Broccoli
    • Cauliflower
    • Green Beans/French Beans/Runner Beans
    • Green Peas, Snow Peas, Snap Peas
    • Leafy Vegetables
      • Cabbage & Brussels Sprout
      • Lettuce
      • Spinach, Kale & Greens
    • Root Vegetables
      • Beetroot
      • Carrot
      • Cassava/Yuca/Tapioca & Tubers
      • Potato
      • Sweet Potato
    • Ivy Gourd & Bitter Gourd
    • Ladies Finger/Okra
    • Paneer, Tofu & Soya Chunks
    • More Veg Categories
  • Ingredient
    • Fruits
      • Apple
      • Banana
      • Mango
      • Pineapple
      • Plantain
      • Strawberry
    • Broken Wheat/Dalia
    • Chickpea Flour (Besan)
    • Couscous
    • Jackfruit (Chakka)
    • Oats
    • Quinoa
    • Ragi (Finger Millet)
    • Rice
    • Semolina/Rava
    • Tapioca/Yuca
    • Taro/Malanga
    • Vermicelli/Semiya
    • Wheat
  • Special Recipes
    • Onam Recipes
    • Baby Food
    • Kid Friendly
    • Comfort Foods
    • Easy Recipes
    • Quick Meals
    • No-Cook Recipes
    • Holidays & Feast Days
      • Catholic Feasts
      • Mother’s Day
      • Father’s Day
      • Saint Valentine’s Day
      • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Lenten Recipes
    • Maundy Thursday
    • Picnic Recipes
    • Street Food
    • Healthy Recipes
      • Whole Grains
      • Grain free Recipes
    • Special Diets
      • Low Calorie
      • Low Carb
      • Gluten Free
    • Spice Masala Powders
  • Party Menus
    • Indian Party Menu
    • Kerala Menu
    • Christmas Recipes
    • Easter Recipes
    • Tea Parties
    • Onam Sadhya

Varutharacha Meen Curry (Fish Curry in Roasted Coconut Gravy)

While discussing with my friend Milsa, I happened to learn that Fish is often cooked in a roasted coconut gravy in the southern regions of Kerala. This Fish Curry is known as Varutharacha Meen Curry. Grated Coconut and spices are fried and then ground to a paste. Fish is cooked in this paste along with Fish Tamarind (Kudam Puli). I tried this fish curry for the first time and it tasted entirely different from the regular Kottayam style fish curry.  Roasted coconut and spices made this curry irresistible. The gravy was thick and flavorful, and we all liked it.

Varutharacha Meen Curry

Varutharacha Meen Curry (Fish in Roasted Coconut Gravy)

We had this fish curry with Chappathi but it goes well with Rice and almost everything. The preparation is almost similar to that of Theeyal.

Ingredients

  1. Fish – 1 lb (1/2 kg approx) [I used Spanish Mackerel]
  2. Sliced Shallots – 3 or 4
  3. Minced Ginger – 1 to 2 tbsp
  4. Minced Garlic – 2 to 3 cloves
  5. Curry Leaves – A sprig
  6. Fish Tamarind (Kudampuli) – 2 small pieces
  7. Eastern Fish Masala Powder – 1 tbsp (optional)
  8. Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp
  9. Oil – 2 to 3 tbsp
  10. Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp
  11. Salt – to taste
  12. Water – as needed

For Dry Roasting

  1. Grated Coconut – 1 cup
  2. Fennel Seeds (Perum Jeerakam) – 1/4 tsp
  3. Curry Leaves – A few
  4. Shallots – 2
  5. Garlic – 1 small cloves
  6. Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
  7. Kashmiri Chilly Powder – 2 tbsp (Alter according to your spice tolerance)
  8. Coriander Powder – 1 tbsp
  9. Fenugreek Powder (Uluva) – 1/4 tsp
  10. Pepper Powder – 1/2 tsp

Preparation Method

  1. Clean the fish thoroughly and cut it into curry sized pieces. Soak it in water along with 1 tbsp lemon juice for 5 minutes. Wash and drain the fillets. Keep aside.
  2. Wash and soak the fish tamarind (kudampuli) in 1 cup of warm water.
  3. Heat a non stick pan and dry roast coconut, shallots, garlic, curry leaves and fennel seeds until the coconut turns into a nice dark brown color.
  4. Reduce heat and add coriander, chilly, turmeric, fenugreek and pepper powders. Continue roasting for a minute or two and remove from heat. Allow it to cool and grind everything to a smooth powder.
  5. Apply this roasted coconut-spice powder on the fish along with salt and little water. Keep the marinated fish aside for atleast 15 minutes.
  6. Heat oil in a deep pan or manchatti (earthern pot) and splutter mustard seeds.
  7. Throw in the sliced shallots, curry leaves, ginger and garlic. Saute for a few minutes until the shallots begin to brown.
  8. Reduce heat and add 1 tbsp fish masala powder. Saute for a minute.
  9. Add the fish tamarind along with its water. Add more water as required along with salt to taste.
  10. Stir everything and allow it to come to a slow boil and then add the marinated fish pieces along with any remaining roasted coconut paste.
  11. Cover and cook the fish for around 15 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally. Remove lid and continue cooking so that the gravy thickens.
  12. Remove from stove top and keep covered. The gravy tends to thicken after a while.

Note

  • You may increase or decrease the amount of  fish tamarind (kudampuli) to suit your taste.
  • You can use any thick fleshed fish like King Fish or Shark for this curry.
Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Email this to someone
email
Print this page
Print
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on Reddit
Reddit

Related posts:

  1. Varutharacha Thakkali Curry (Tomato Curry in a Roasted Coconut Gravy)
  2. Meen Curry – Fish Curry
  3. Fish Molee (Fish Curry in Coconut Milk)
  4. Tuna Curry

« Vegetable Masala Curry
Masala Flavoured Shrimp Noodles »

Comments

  1. Elsamma jose says

    September 21, 2010 at 3:19 pm

    I tried this varutharacha meen curry. Its taste was superb. The entire family liked it.

  2. Anupama says

    September 25, 2010 at 4:51 am

    This is how my mom and my mother in law prepare crab curry and shark. Wonderful and tasty. The aroma itself is delicious.

  3. Shamnah says

    September 20, 2011 at 7:53 am

    It’s so inspiring for neophytes like me to find such beautiful dishes described in such simple details. Thank you guys and god bless

  4. dithy says

    November 15, 2011 at 5:21 am

    I am going to try it..
    Thanks..

  5. Radhika P says

    April 16, 2012 at 11:45 am

    The best fish curry I have eaten in a long time. I will be making this once a week for my family. Thank you Jisha!

  6. Jaisy says

    July 18, 2012 at 3:46 pm

    This curry was so flavourful. I think it has become my favorite way to make fish though it takes more time.

  7. Jeena says

    November 13, 2012 at 12:33 am

    Let me try….seems so simple and yet so tasty……….

  8. Jasmine says

    March 21, 2013 at 12:31 pm

    Drooling over here looking at the pic. Need to try this.

Looking for a Recipe?

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest

Welcome!

Hi, I am Jisha, a busy Mom & Wife, author & website developer of Kerala Recipes. All these recipes are inspired from the flavors of Kerala and are being shared from my kitchen to yours.

Latest Recipes

Kerala Mutton Stew

Kerala Style Mutton Stew

Kadachakka Mezhukkupuratti (Breadfruit Stir fry)

Kadachakka Mezhukkupuratti (Breadfruit Stir fry)

Chakka Vevichathu (Mashed Jackfruit with Coconut)

Tex-Mex Migas

Migas (Tortillas with Egg)

Search All Recipes…

Share your Favorite Recipes

Email this to someone
email
Print this page
Print
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on Reddit
Reddit

Most Popular Recipes

Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks/Legs

Sweet and Spicy Baked Chicken

Stir Fried Chicken

Kozhi Ularthiyathu (Kerala Style Sauteed Chicken)

Healthy Quinoa Patties

Quinoa Carrot Patties

Indian Spiced Fruit & Vegetable Salad

Fruit and Vegetable Salad with Indian Spices

Homemade Chicken Salad Appetizer

Homemade Chicken Salad

Spicy Fried Chicken

Spicy Fried Chicken

Spicy Chicken Bites

Spicy Boneless Chicken Bites

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Fish Fridays!!!

Indian Fish Masala Curry

Fish Masala Curry

Pan-fried Fish Cakes

Fish Cakes

Fish Curry with Raw Mangoes

Fish Curry with Raw Mango in Coconut Milk

Kozhuva Peera Vechathu

Kozhuva Peera Vechathu (Anchovies simmered with Coconut)

Quick and Easy Sardine Curry

Quick Sardine Curry

Simple Fish Pulav

Indian Fish Pulav

Drinks

Banana Oats Smoothie with Almond Milk

Banana Oats Smoothie with Almond Milk

Watermelon Sorbet

Watermelon Sorbet

Aromatic Masala Tea

Masala Chai (Spiced Tea)

Chocolate Flavored Cold Coffee

Chocolate Flavored Cold Coffee

Mango Milk Shake

Mango Milk Shake

Recent Posts

  • Kerala Style Mutton Stew
  • Kadachakka Mezhukkupuratti (Breadfruit Stir fry)
  • Chakka Vevichathu (Mashed Jackfruit with Coconut)
  • Migas (Tortillas with Egg)
  • Oats and Banana Cake

Recipes with Chicken

Creamy Chicken Pasta

Spicy Chicken Pasta in Cream Cheese Sauce

Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks/Legs

Sweet and Spicy Baked Chicken

Stir Fried Chicken

Kozhi Ularthiyathu (Kerala Style Sauteed Chicken)

Homemade Chicken Salad Appetizer

Homemade Chicken Salad

Kerala Style Chicken Curry for Pidi

Kerala Style Chicken Curry for Pidi

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - 2017 · Kerala Recipes .
↑ Scroll to Top