I tasted this recipe when I was in Hyderabad….at Seafood Place Restaurant, Lakdikapool – Hyderabad. Well…I used visit there so often, I like almost all their recipes. But this one was so unique and Chef’s speciality.He had used generous amount of peanut oil, lots of coconut and peanuts were thown into it. Although I did’nt use so much today…it turned up okay. The pick of the fish also does matters here. I don’t have much choice,…used the same old frozen tilapia!

Meen Varuval / Meen Thuvatal/ Meen Vadhakiyadhu/ Chappalu Koora in Telugu

Ingredients:

Healthy and atleast 2 ” thick fish fillets(deveined and cured without bones) 500 grams
Salt as per taste
Turmeric powder 1+1 spoon
Chili powder 2+2 spoons
Lemon juice from 1-2 fruits
Rice flour 1/2 cup
Egg white 1
Ground nut oil/Peanut oil – 1 cup for pan frying fish.
Ground nut oil/Peanut oil for frying below items – 1/2 cup.
Fresh coconut 1/2
Fresh Groundnuts/peanuts 1-2 cup
Finely chopped coriander leaves 1 cup full

Method:

Dice fish into bite size or chop them lengh wise into thin strips(maybe 3″ thickness) In which ever way you want it.

In a bowl add salt, turmeric powder, chili powder, rice flour, lemon juice and egg white. Mix them well. Then toss your fish into this. Let this masala get well coated with all the pieces.

Remove the outer shell of the coconut and scrape away its dark brown coating over the nut. Then grate your coconut and set aside.

Dry roast the peanuts/groundnuts. Remove its pink skin……using your hands. Probably rubbing it with your hands and fan away the pink skin. Grate this nut and set them aside too.

Now in a shallow pan, add few spoons of oil. Stir fry fish for whole 2 minutes. Maybe in 2 or 4 subsequent batches. And never load all at one time. The fish should be crispy at the same time. It comes out into golden brown color. Transfer this to a large serving bowl.

Again….maybe in the same pan, heat little more oil and fry grated coconut in this. Add little salt to this. And further add turmeric and chili powder too. Let them coat well. Fry them till coconut turns to golden color.

Now to the same add the grated nuts too. Fryt hem along with spiced coconut. When all gets incorporated well…..toss back your fried fish to this set-up.

Carefully fry them over medium heat for few minutes. One can run few spoons of oil at this time too.

Just before serving add plenty of chopped coriander to this and mix them well. Serve hot.

It can be taken as a side dish with plain steam-cooked rice.