Mathi Mappas / Fried Sardines Curry with Coconut Milk

Ingredients

Sardines – 500 gm

Chilly powder – 1 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/4tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Vinegar – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Coconut oil – for frying

For The Curry

Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp

Coconut oil – 1 tbsp

Onion – 1 sliced

Ginger – 2 tsp crushed

Garlic – 2 tsp crushed

Green chillies – 3 sliced

Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

Coriander powder – 2 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Thin coconut milk – 2 cups

Vinegar – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Tomato – 1 sliced

Thick coconut milk – 1/2 cup

Method

Clean the sardines and make slits on them.   Make a paste of all the spice powders, vinegar and salt using some water.  Marinate the sardines with the paste for an hour and fry them in oil.  Heat oil in a clay pot or a pan and splutter mustard seeds.  Add onions, ginger, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves.  Fry till the onions turn pink in color.   Add the spice powders and sprinkle some water.  Fry till the aroma comes out.  Add the thin coconut milk, vinegar and salt.  When it boils, add the tomatoes and simmer for 2 minutes.  Then add the fried sardines and the thick coconut milk.  Switch off the flame before it starts to boil.  Delicious ‘Mathi Mappas / Fried Sardines Curry with Coconut Milk’ goes well with rice, appam, idiyappam, puttu, dosa, idli, chapathi, porotta, pulao and bread.  Enjoy with your loved ones!