Country Style Fish Stew — Fish Moilee

Kerala has long attracted visitors to its shores from every corner of the globe since time immemorial: Phoenicia, Greece, China, Arabia, Syria, Portugal, France and Rome. Needless to say, these civilizations left their imprint on the local culture, cuisine and religious practices. Several of the world’s great religions are found here—Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism. Jews dating back to 562 BCE, Christians to CE 52 and Muslims to CE 643.

Foreign influence on the cuisine of Kerala is also marked, with each religion developing its own cuisine and style of preparation in response to its rich history, religious practices and local ingredients. Vegetarianism followed by a majority of Hindus contributed a myriad of vegetarian fares, most significantly dishes like avail (mixed veggies in coconut), olan (ash gourd and red gram in coconut milk), erissery (red gram and pumpkin curry), thorans (stir-fried vegetables) and pradhaman (puddings made with milk or coconut milk). Muslim influence is evident in delicacies like pathiri (unleavened rice pancakes), porotta (unleavened layered wheat bread) and other luscious non-vegetarian dishes like the Malabari biryani. The Syrian Christians blend the Indian European and their most exquisite dishes are vellayappam (lacey rice pancakes), meen vevichathu (spicy fish curry), erachi ularthiyathu (fried meat), and various stewed dishes.

 

Fish moilee is a typical Syrian Christian delicacy with the distinction that it is subtly flavored to suit most palates. Again, as with most dishes, you will come across variation to the recipe. The curry is usually prepared in a traditional monchatti (earthen vessel) by stewing fish in coconut milk infused with fresh ginger, garlic and other delicate flavors. Coconut vinegar is used as the souring agent and tomatoes are mainly used for garnish. Fish moilee is usually served as a starter and best enjoyed with appam or bread.


Country Style Fish Stew — Fish Moilee

Ingredients

500g fish of any fleshy variety, thinly sliced into 2 inch pieces (or use fish fillets)

3 tablespoon oil

2 cloves

2 cm cinnamon, broken into two

10 small garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon ginger, finely shredded

3-4 small green chilies, slit lengthwise and halved

2 sprigs curry leaves

2 medium onion, halved and sliced

2 medium tomatoes, quartered

½ teaspoon black pepper powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

3 teaspoon coconut vinegar

1 cup coconut milk, first extraction

1 ¼ cup coconut milk, second extraction

salt, to taste

Directions

Prepare the first and second extraction of coconut milk. If you are using canned coconut milk, dilute the milk with equal proportion of water to make the second extraction.

Heat oil in an earthen vessel (monchatti) or casserole over medium-high heat. Add cloves and cinnamon and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Tip in garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add ginger, chilies, curry leaves, onion and sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Then add tomatoes, vinegar, pepper, turmeric and toss gently for 2 minutes. Pour in second extraction of coconut milk, season with salt and mix well before adding fish. Bring the fish to boil and simmer until the gravy is thick and reduced. Now pour in the first extraction of milk and simmer everything together for another 3 minutes. For thicker gravy, add 1-2 teaspoons of corn flour diluted in water. Remove from heat and serve hot with appam, bread or rice.