Tuna Fish Pickle |
Homemade fish pickle made from the fresh straight from the fishing boat is sure to blow your head off and take you for spin . I wish to mention, when you decide for fish pickling , the Fish chosen must be a fleshy one. You can use a king fish Fillet or a tuna, may be a yellow finned Trevally or Barracudas. Certain people keep the skin on while pickling which helps keeping the flesh intact. But I do it with skin removed from fillet in which case the shrinkage will be little more.
It is suggested that during rainy days the fishing activity will be less. So, one can make the pickles during the time when fish is available in abundance, so that you can pickle the fish, keep safe in air tight containers.
Ingredients for marinating
| Tuna FishFillet [ Skin Removed ] | 1 kg |
| Chilly Powder | 2 tbsp |
| Turmeric Powder | ½ tsp |
| Fenugreek Powder | 1 tsp |
| Hinge Powder | 1 tsp |
| Salt | To taste |
| Vinegar | 1tbsp |
| Water | 2 ½ tsp |
| GG paste | 1 tsp |
| Oil | For frying |
- Wash fish fillet cut into small cube, rinse and pat dry with a kitchen towel and rub in salt, lime and GG paste and keep aside.
- Now mix all raw ingredients together , add water and make a thick paste. Smear the marinade masala on fish, mix well. Add this masala to the fish. Keep refrigerated for half an hour.
- After half an hour start frying the fish in batches ,so that its not crowded and you can make it real crispy. Repeat the process and fry remaing fish also and keep aside.
Ingredients for Making Pickle
| Chilly Powder | 2 ½ Tbsp |
| Fenugreek Powder | ¼ tsp |
| Asafoetida | ¼ tsp |
| Fenugreek seeds | ½ tsp |
| Turmeric Powder | 1 tsp |
| Garlic fine chopped | 15 flakes |
| Ginger 1” long fine chopped | 3 pcs |
| Green Chilly chopped | 10 nos |
| Curry Leaves chopped | 2 sprigs |
| Vinegar | ½ cup |
| Salt | to taste |
| Water | 1 glass |
Method
- Keep a frying pan and transfer the oil that was used for frying fish into it and on a slow fire heat the oil
- Add chilly powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, and mix well with water to make a smooth paste.
- When the oil is hot add mustard seeds allow to crackle, a pinch of fenugreek seeds and two twisted and cut whole red chilli, green chilli and chopped curry leaves and fry till brown.
- Add the red chilly paste masala nd on low flame cook till the raw smell ceases, Add vinegar and cook for 2 minutes and then add water, cook till the vinegar is blended with masala.
- Now add fried fish dices and mix well without breaking. Your fish Pickle is now ready to serve and treat your people with steaming hot Rice.
Chef Nandakumar Menon or ‘Chef Nandu as he is known evolved into the Super Chef series. He was at the CASINO HOTEL in Kochi and later at the remarkable COCONUT LAGOON in Kumarakom. Both iconic Hotels and restaurants of repute for the quality and consistency of food offered at their restaurants. Coconut Lagoon where Chef Nandu headed the kitchen moulded him to cater to international clientele from all over the world coming in to experience the magic of the backwaters of Kerala and Kerala itself as a unique destination.
From his early Catering Technology days at Adayar, Chennai and training at the famed TAJ MAHAL INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL, Mumbai, Chef Nandu was back again at the Welcome Group’s ADAYAR PARK INN, Chennai.
Later he headed the setting up of the various F&B outlets of the ABAD PLAZA group, Kochi as its Corporate Chef.
And then with the Quilon Beach hotels, Chef Nandu created a redefined art of culinary expertise. His clientele were Doctors, Cashew businessmen and of course celebrities from the tinsel world, the cloyed connoisseurs had a different feel with his nouvelle cuisine.
He still loves to cook and share his valuable experience of the world of food with The Daily Brunch and its readers in our series on SUPER CHEFS.
Cheers!
