Phanna Upkari - A very authentic GSB Konkani community fish curry from south of Karnataka is a mouth watering dish and every konkani will vouch for it 🙌 A curry where lightly marinated fish is simmered in sautéd browned chopped onions along with tangy paste of red chillies and tamarind in a Claypot cannot be taken for granted 💪! The whole experience of cooking it in a claypot itself is very exciting and joyful experience. Taste is also fantastic. Brings the rustic-ness to the forefront when you try making such dishes in a way it is suppose to be made.
It is also known as Pulimumchi, usually Mackerel is used in this dish. But in my case, beggars cannot be choosers, so I go with whatever good Indian fish is found and make the best of it. I have used Promfret in this recipe. You can also use shrimp as well.
Like all dishes have their own variations so does this curry! Every household has their own way of making it. Few add additional phanna/tadka at the end of the curry while few may add additional garam masala ingredients of their choice. So if you know your taste palate, please go for it! Make it your own!
This is my Mother-In-law's recipe - she makes it really yummy! My Mom always stuck with North Canara/Goa style fish tephala ambat (schezuan peppers/coconut/red chillies) and Kandya Ambat .My friends mom used to make this jhalke(means fish in konkani) phannaupkari curry and thats how I have tasted it before. After marriage, I have had this often at my in-law's place. Slurpicious Yummy Curry indeed!
Recipe is real simple- all you have to do is play with dry red chillies and tamarind [ spiciness and tanginess]
Let go to the Recipe:
Ingredients:
2 Pomfret (med size - cleaned and cut into pieces)
2 med size onion finely chopped
3 tbsp coconut oil
salt to taste
Marination of fish:
1/2 tsp chilli pwd, 1/4 tsp turmeric, salt to taste
To make Masala Paste:
12-15 dry red chillies [ Byadgi would be great as its less spicy and gives out nice color]
small lemon size ball of tamarind
2-3 pods of garlic
pinch fenugreek seeds (optional)
Preparation:
In a bowl marinate cleaned fish with chili pwd/turmeric/salt. Just sprinkle powder over the fish-massage lightly and keep aside.
In a pan add 1 tsp of oil- roast red chillies, fenugreek seeds if using and transfer it to a blender. Add garlic and tamarind. Make a paste by adding water sparingly. Taste it and feel free to adjust tamarind for more tanginess if needed.
Now place your claypot on a low heat, remember this is a slow process of cooking if you are using a claypot! You can do this in a non stick utensil too. Do your cooking on a med flame.
Add coconut oil, once its hot, add finely chopped onions. Saute it stirring regularly till it turns golden brown.
Add the ground chili masala paste to it - add a little water to blender cup to get all the paste into the pot. Mix everything nicely and cook till oil starts to separate. This curry is semi-thick, so add water accordingly. I usually add 1 cup first. Then add in increments as the curry thickens. Add salt.
Add marinated fish fillets and cook till its done. Around 8-10 min on low flame!
Enjoy it with your plain rice, or parboiled rice or just plain white bread! its YUMM!
NjoY!! happY cookinG!!
Your feedback is very important. Share your story or pictures if you make dishes from this blog!
Fish is usually rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals. Mackerel is high in omega-3 fatty acids and been proven to be very effective in lowering triglyceride levels. They help with blood circulation and lower blood pressure by allowing blood vessels to expand and be more elastic. Mackerel, have been known to reduce the pain, stiffness and swollen joints associated with arthritis. Several studies have found a correlation between fish oil and a reduced risk of depression, suicide, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. Eating oil-rich fish like pomfrets regularly can help to keep the eyes bright and healthy. Not only does omega-3 help to protect the skin from the harmful effects of the UV damage.
Fish curry preparations from the Coastal areas are hands down the best curries in the whole wide world. Reason, fresh fish, fresh coconuts and fresh stock of dry red chillies...:) My ancestors are from coastal region and have known to survive on rice and seafood for their whole lives.:) My grandmother made the best fish dishes ever, she added just those 2-3 fresh ingredients like coconut, dry red chillies and tamarind to freshly caught and cleaned fish by using her signature eyeballing method(:)) to make a fingerlicking gooooood curry!! Since she was an expert, everybody simply loved it!
The highlight of our visit to my grandparents house was mostly "FOOD" and all that simple life around the house. She loved pets so much that all the dogs and cats of the neighborhood used to be at her house :) She loved feeding and talking to them. Wonder none of her kids got those genes passed down hhehehe :(
Few years back my youngest cousin (was 8 yrs then) had visited my grandmother and even he gave her the certificate of excellence :) saying that it was the best fish curry he had in his life (it was actually so cute that it is now a must to be mentioned story whenever we talk about my grandma)....so we all remember her with these loving memories that she has left behind.
Coming to the fish preparation, we have various kinds of fish curries that are very prominent amongst Konkani clan. Northern Karnataka is known for Teppal ambat (schezwan peppers/coconut curry) and Kandya ambat (onion/coconut curry) and in the south of Karnataka they make Phanna ambat (onion tempered curry), Alle piyav ambat/ghashi (onion/ginger curry).. so these are the few variations one will see. Goan preparation is again little different where they use garam masala (whole spices) in the curry. As we move to the north east side of India, one can see the fish preparation in mustard oil and mustard paste etc. So it's unlimited variety :)
Once you get a hang of making these coconut curries, there is no going back- I am telling ya :)
Let us take a look at this Konkani Fish Curry of Kandya Ambat recipe:
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh grated coconut (or frozen coconut)
1 onion finely chopped
2 big size pomfret/pompano (makes 8-9 pieces/fillet)
1/2 tea spn tamarind extract or kokum or small marble size ball of tamarind
1 green chili slit optional
7-8 red chilies (byadgi/kumti chillies preferably)
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp oil
salt to taste
Preparation:
Clean the fish, apply 1/2 tsp turmeric, salt and keep aside.
Lightly roast dry red chillies in 1/2 tsp oil, transfer to a blender. Then in the same pan roast coriander seeds and transfer to the blender. Then add grated coconut and roast it very lightly (do not brown it) before you put it into the blender. Add tamarind, turmeric and make a fine paste by adding little water.
Adjust the taste if need be, sometimes the chillies may not be very spicy, so depending on how spicy you want adjust accordingly. Color of the curry also depends on the quality of the chillies you are using.
Take a wide mouth pan, heat oil and add chopped onions. Saute till it turns just light brown.
Now add the ground paste and stir everything nicely. Add slit green chili, salt. Bring the curry to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes.
Add water sparingly to get a nice flowy consistency of the curry. Do not make it too thin. Now add fish fillet gently into the curry and let it simmer further for another 5-6 minutes.
Don't keep stirring the fish, as it will break, gently move around so that the curry also breathes :) Switch off the gas once the fish is cooked and you see nice red color on the curry.
Serve hot with Rice, parboiled Rice, Roti etc. Curry tastes even better after few hours or the next day!
njoY!! happY cookinG!! Note: This method of curry preparation is used mostly for lean and bland fish , also shrimp can be used. Vegetarians can make it by adding potatoes in it. Tastes delish.
Pomfret is a delicious, lean white fish that has a wide variety of associated health benefits, including its ability to help reduce weight, boost overall metabolism, speed up repair and growth throughout the body, build strong bones, reduce the risk of various chronic diseases, lower triglyceride levels, prevent arthritis, protect against cognitive decline, prevent various types of cancer, reduce signs of aging, boost the health of your hair, and strengthen your immune system. It is a very good source of protein. It's no coincidence that fish-eating Inuit populations in the Arctic have low levels of heart disease; seafood is low in saturated fat and high in omega-3, (which can both) protect the heart from disease and lower the amount of cholesterol in the blood. One study has even suggested that an extra portion of fish every week can cut risk of heart disease in half. Eating oil-rich fish regularly can help to keep the eyes bright and healthy.
Instant Pot pressure cooker is creating waves in the communities across the world and I am happy I have one at home to make some yummy dishes being absolutely carefree, stress free and mess free :)
Have tried quite a few recipes and I must say, so far so good. Very helpful when you have an errand to run and don't have enough time to cook the dish, switch off the gas and only after that dash out of the house. Instant Pot is a life savior in such scenarios. You wanna run to a grocery store? You wanna pick up your kid from the activities? You wanna go shopping? You wanna linger in your shower little more time :)(hell ya!)? no problemo :) Dump the ingredients of a recipe into the instant pot, set it up appropriately and off you go doing your errands tension free. By the time you get back home, your dish should be ready (hopefully :))
So today I made Tilapia Fish curry using coconut milk and spices. Tastes fantastic. This curry can be enjoyed with the plain rice or noodles. I usually use curry leaves for this preparation but today added thai basil leaves with thai bird chillies and the aroma was so fantastic that I just cudn't wait for it to be done. We enjoyed it as a family-- happily slurping away with the rice.
Very easy to make and a combination of spices and coconut milk gives this curry a heavenly taste and aroma. I actually enjoyed the thai basil twist on it :) It complements well with the aromatic long grained basmati rice or jasmine rice. You can make this same curry adding chicken or shrimp too.
Let us take a look at the Fish Curry with Coconut Milk (Tilapia)
Ingredients:
3 cups coconut milk (can use coconut powder or tin)
1.5 lb tilapia fish cut into big fillet (take any white fish)
2 med onion sliced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes ( or 1 tomato chopped)
4 pods garlic chopped
2 inch ginger chopped
2 green chillies (or thai bird chilies)
handful of curry leaves or thai basil
1 tbsp coriander pwd
2 tsp cumin pwd
1 tsp chili pwd (or 1 tsp chili flakes)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp fenugreek pwd (optional, but it imparts nice taste)
Either use above 5 powders or 3 tbsp of curry powder.
1-2 tbsp oil
salt to taste
1-2 tsp lemon juice to taste
Preparation:
Press [Saute] to pre-heat the cooker. When the words 'Hot' appear on the display add oil, then drop curry leaves or thai basil (keep 5 leaves aside to add later), then add onion, garlic, ginger and saute until onion is translucent. (around 3-4 minutes)
Add all the powdered spices and saute together for 1 more minute.
De-glaze with the coconut milk making sure to un-stick anything from the bottom and incorporate in the sauce. Add green chilies (or thai bird), tomatoes, fish pieces. Stir gently to mix everything. [adjust thickness by adding more coconut milk or water if needed]
Close the lid of the Instant Pot, Press [manual] and use [+], [-] to adjust time. Set on 3 minutes pressure cooking time.
When time is up open the pressure cooker using QPR (don't wait on NPR because fish gets done quickly).
Add salt to taste, remaining thai basil leaves and lemon juice before serving it hot with Rice or Noodles.
njoY!! happY cookinG!!
Note*:
This curry can be easily made on stove top too. Pretty much the same process. Before adding the fish to the curry, bring it to a boil, then add fish pieces and simmer the curry for few minutes till the fish is done. Serve hot with Rice or Noodles.
The color of the curry varies depending on your chili powder. Some chilies are spicy but don't impart that dark red color and vice versa.
Health Benefits: Coconut Milk:
Coconuts are highly nutritious and rich in fibre, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6 and minerals including iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. Unlike cow's milk, coconut milk is lactose free so can be used as a milk substitute by those with lactose intolerance. It is a popular choice with vegans and makes a great base for smoothies, milkshakes or as a dairy alternative in baking. Coconuts are one of those foods that oscillate between the 'good' food and 'bad' food camps. Coconut milk, especially the lower fat variety, can be used in moderation (1-2 times per week). source:https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ingredient-focus-coconut-milk
Tilapia:
It is a bland yet delicious, lean white fish that has a wide variety of associated health benefits, including its ability to help reduce weight, boost overall metabolism, speed up repair and growth throughout the body, build strong bones, reduce the risk of various chronic diseases, lower triglyceride levels, prevent arthritis, protect against cognitive decline, prevent various types of cancer, reduce signs of aging, boost the health of your hair, and strengthen your immune system.
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