I have this strange pica syndrome – an intense craving for earthy flavors! When I say…I love earthy flavors, I mean in context, of course! A real dirt that I see on the beetroot is still quite offensive! However, I beg to differ…when it comes to freshly pulled peanuts off the ground! It has got something to it, that makes my senses go crazy. Actually it is Geosmin, a protein produced by a kind of bacteria from the soil. Anyhow…it just guides me to those primal pleasures.

So, all along…I have been wishing for that aroma to be a part of my everyday cooking. Thus, my wish got fulfilled, when I got this gift from India. Its pretty valuable because…it has traveled over seven mountains and seven seas (10,000 miles ) for me. I promise, I will cherish it forever. Here is my take on fish curry with our traditional mann-chatti (clay-pot)

Ingredients

• 1 lb fish, washed (scaled & fins trimmed)
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 1-2 tomato,  finely chopped
• 2 heads garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 spoon – Thick Tamarind paste
• few curry leaves
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 dry red chili
• 4 black peppercorns
• 1 pinch of asafoetida
• salt
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 cup sesame oil

Method

1. In a wide pan, add oil. Add mustard, cumin seeds, fenugreek seed, asafoetida, curry leaves, dry red chili flakes and whole pepper.,
2. Then, add garlic and fry them for a while and followed by onions and tomato. Further add salt, turmeric and chili powder to it. Later, add tamarind paste plus enough water to make curry. Bring this curry to boiling point. Now, reduce the heat and allow the curry to thicken to to fish-curry consistency (or until oil shows up on top).
3. Now remove the lid and add fish to it. Cook them without lid for couple of minutes, exactly. Never more than that. Do not cover them with lid even after cooking! It would ruin the fish curry…the fish fillets would turn mushy!
4. Serve the curry along with steamed white rice. And, its a perfect match for idlies, dosas and appams.