Kerala Tuna thoran

Tuna thoran (serves 4 as part of a main meal)

A staple in most of the Kerala households, a thoran is nothing but a vegtable of choice cooked with basic ingredients like turmeric and chilli and finished off wwith freshly grated coconut that takes this dish to its delicious level. Mostlly had as a side to rice.
PS: Made in a Le Creuset shallow casserole.

Coconut oil- 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

Dried red chillies- 2

Curry leaves- a sprig

Shallots- 1/2 cup

Ginger- 1 tsp, grated

Garlic- 1 tsp, grated

Green chilli- 1, slit

Red chilli powder- 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Meat masala- 1 tsp

Ground pepper- 1/2 tsp

Garam masala- 1/4 tsp

Salt- to taste

Canned tuna- around 250 gms (2 cans), drained

Grated coconut- 1/4 cup

Heat oil in you frying pan and add the mustard seeds.

Once they splutter add the red chillies and curry leaves, stir for a second and then throw in the shallots.

As soon as the shallots become slightly brown, add the green chilli, grated ginger and garlic and continue to cook till it no longer tastes raw. 

Add all the masala powders and salt to taste and stir it all together and cook till no longer raw.
Stir in the tuna and cook on medium heat for about 5 to 6 minutes.
If it becomes too dry, mix in a spoon or two of water.
Finally add the grated coconut and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes, just to get the flavors in.
Turn off the heat, close with a lid and keep aside for 5 minutes.
Serve as a side to rice, roti or even as a sandwich filling (its great with mayo).

Borrowed recipe- Tuna-Fish Pickle

After ten days of immense fun and frolic and non stop galavanting, I am back to square one..well almost. Its just today that i got to rest and while I'm typing this, I'm watching the nail biting match between Germany and England. I am not a football fan, but its impossible to not get involved with all that's happening around me (also the British commentator is pretty darn cute, in a kinda George Clooney way).

So anyway, I have been craving fish pickle for a while now and the store bought ones are so bloody horrible, I figured I should make it on my own if I needed to. When Maya And Lakshmi- the Yummy Team posted this recipe of Fish pickle, using Tuna (kinda the only fish I eat) I had to give it a go. Also, Ro kept asking for it so much that I felt like a bitch saying no every time. So about a month back (well ya, that long ago) I got off my lazy ass and decided to make the pickle. I kinda quartered the recipe because i wasn't sure I had the patience to complete the procedure and didn't want to ruin 2 1/2 kgs of fish. The pickle tasted awesome, but the gravy was kinda less which made it a wee bit dry. But we didn't complain. Ate it like a side to chapathi and rice, rather than a pickle. I am however posting my version here, but do hop on to the Yummy Team's website to get a better perspective of the recipe, and they have even posted the step by step recipe, which somehow gives me the assurance and the support to try a particular recipe :)

Tuna steak- 500gms, cut into bite size chunks

To marinate:

Pepper powder- 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Salt- t0 taste

Fresh garlic- 10 to 15 pods, peeled and chopped

Fresh ginger- 2 inch piece, sliced lengthwise

Ginger paste- 1 tbsp

Garlic paste- 1 tbsp

Curry leaves- 2 sprigs

Kashmiri chilli powder- 1 tbsp

Fenugreek powder- 1/4 tsp

White wine vinegar- a lil less than 1/4 cup or add according to your taste

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Oil- enough for deep frying

Salt- to taste

Marinate the fish pieces with pepper powder, turmeric powder and salt and keep aside for atleast 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a deep pan and fry the marinated fish pieces. Drain on kitchen towels. Keep aside.

Pour some of the left over oil from frying into another pan and fry the ginger and garlic slices and the curry leaves and saute till nice and fragrant.Keep aside

In the same oil (add more if required), splutter mustard seeds. Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell dies.

Add the chilli powder and fenugreek powder and mix well. Throw in the fried ginger, garlic, curry leaves and fish. Mix them all together and check for salt spice etc.

Add the vinegar, bring to a boil and take it off the flame.

After it cools down completely, store in an air tight container.

Notes: Like i mentioned before the gravy was really less, since i cut down the vinegar and didn't add hot water. If ever i make it again, I shall do as required.

I had to eat it immediately and it tasted just as good. Although a week or two later would have been apt.