AuthorChef Soju PhilipMeen Kothi vara- An innovative dish from my kitchen lab. This dish was specifically made for one of my TV channel shoot and become instant hit. I grown up in a place were fish and seafood has wide acceptance and preference than any other non vegetarian items. Kadampanadu is a town near Adoor and has a close proximity to Kollam Neendakara harbor, Shastamcottah lake, Ashtamudi lake etc which were good sources for fish and shell fish. The Tuesday and Friday market at Kadampanad namely Govindapuram Market attracts many fish sellers and buyers. I remember the lady sellers who specifically brings back water fish like pearlspot, mullet, prawns etc which is very fresh. Some of these sellers make regular visit to my house with fresh catch and my dad loved to bargain and buy stuff from them as he was also a fish lover.
in this chapter I would like to remember one elderly lady at my home town, Kadampanadu. Her name was Kutti and we used to call her "Kuttiyakkal"- who used to go to weekday market for us and other 3-4 neighboring houses. In the early morning she used to come with a big cane basket(kutta), collect money from every house and walk three four kilometre to market, buy fish, vegetables etc which will be sufficient till next market day , return on line bus or by walk and handing over us was a routine. Out of the money , I remember mostly we gave her 10 Rs. for buying all these stuff those days, she find to keep some paisas spare to buy small sweets and gooseberry to us, the children. She was also a snack and local sweet specialist , who comes home regularly and make snacks like Achappam, Kuzhalappam, Mavunda,Jack fruit halwas etc in large quantity. As we grown up, they also bid adieu to the world, and still remember her and such peoples who coming to help us in those days with much love and affection.
In this dish, I spread a seasoned minced fish on top of a fish fillet, pan fried to perfection and serve with kappa patties and meen moily charu. Little labor intense, but worth to try and it will be some thing unique and marvelous.
Peel and fine chop the shallots. Chop the green chilli.
Wash the fish fillet and marinate with 1 tbsp of lemon juice, salt, 1/2 tsp of turmeric. 1/2 tsp of chilli powder, 1/2 tsp pf pepper powder and keep aside.
Take the fish mince, mix it with chopped shallots, green chilli, ginger, turmeric, chilli powder, pepper powder,egg, flour, salt, coriander leaves and curry leaves. Mix well .
Heat little oil in a pan, sear (just fry for few seconds) one side of the fish and remove.
Cool it and apply a thick layer of seasoned fish mince over this fried side of the fish, press gently to fix it properly with the fish.
Heat oil in the pan, Fry the bottom side of the fish first and carefully turn the fish and fry the mince side too till it has cooked and brown.
Remove from fire, and serve hot with rice or as a starter itself.
Optionally you can make a moiley gravy which can serve with it.
Ingredients
Directions
Peel and fine chop the shallots. Chop the green chilli.
Wash the fish fillet and marinate with 1 tbsp of lemon juice, salt, 1/2 tsp of turmeric. 1/2 tsp of chilli powder, 1/2 tsp pf pepper powder and keep aside.
Take the fish mince, mix it with chopped shallots, green chilli, ginger, turmeric, chilli powder, pepper powder,egg, flour, salt, coriander leaves and curry leaves. Mix well .
Heat little oil in a pan, sear (just fry for few seconds) one side of the fish and remove.
Cool it and apply a thick layer of seasoned fish mince over this fried side of the fish, press gently to fix it properly with the fish.
Heat oil in the pan, Fry the bottom side of the fish first and carefully turn the fish and fry the mince side too till it has cooked and brown.
Remove from fire, and serve hot with rice or as a starter itself.
Optionally you can make a moiley gravy which can serve with it.
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