Mackerel Curry (Mangalorean)

Ingredients:

5 Mackerels (6) or 500 Sardines or 2 Pomfrets

Masala (ground)

1/2 onion (sliced)

4 seeds garlic

1 inch ginger

1 green chilli

200 gms Chopped tomatoes (Canned) or two tomatoes (sliced)

8 Red Chillies

3/4 tsp turmeric powder

½ Tsp Cumin Seeds

A small ball tamarind

Water if required

Seasoning:

½ Onion (Sliced)

Few Curry Leaves

2 tblsp Ghee (clarified butter) or Oil

Salt to taste (1 tsp)

Method:

Clean the Mackerels (see Video), Cut them into required size pieces (2 or 3) apply ½ tsp of salt and keep aside.

Place a deep pan or vessel on stove. Add ghee or oil, when hot add ½ sliced onion. Fry for a minute, add curry leaves. Fry for another minute and add the ground masala. Fry for 10 minutes, add masala water if it dries up. Now add the remaining masala water and more water if required to make gravy. This should not be too thin. The gravy will increase when you add the fish (water from fish). Now add 1 tsp salt and the Mackerel Pieces. Boil for 3 minutes or until fish is cooked. Check for salt and gravy requirements. Remove from stove.

That’s it Mackerel Curry.

 

Dum Mackerel or Sardines

Ingredients:

800 gms Mackerels (6) or Sardines

6 medium onions (chopped)

1.5 pods chopped garlic

3 inches chopped ginger

6 chopped green chillies

400 gms tomatoes or one can of diced tomatoes.

A bunch chopped coriander leaves

1 to 1.5 tsp chilli powder (according to spice requirement)

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp salt

½ cup vinegar

The above four can be substituted with 2 tbsp Dexter’s salt & chilli paste. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfGFqtF9UkU

Juice of lemon

3 tblsp of Olive Oil

Method:

Clean the Mackerels (with Pockets along the bone- see video) or Sardines, apply ½ tsp of salt and keep aside.

Heat a deep pan and add olive oil. When hot add the Onions. Add 1/2 tsp of salt. Fry till the onions become slightly brown. Add the ginger, garlic, chillies. Fry for 3 minutes. Add the chilli, turmeric, salt and vinegar or salt & chilli paste. Mix well and add tomatoes and mix well. Fry for 5 minutes.

Pre-heat Oven at 180 degrees for 10 minutes. Take a deep baking dish or roasting dish. Add one portion of the cooked masala to the dish. On top of it place the Mackerels or Sardines. For Mackerels fill some of the masala into the pockets which were created. Put the rest of the masala on top of the mackerels or sardines. Sprinkle the coriander leaves on top of the fish and then sprinkle the lemon juice on top of the fish.

Close with lid (sealed) or aluminium foil. Place some water on top of the lid. Bake for 30 minutes.

Crispy Pork Belly

 

 

Ingredients:

1 Kg Pork Belly (Scored)

Marinade:

¼ tsp pepper powder

½ tsp fennel powder

¼ tsp garam masala powder or spice powder

¼ tsp ginger powder or ginger garlic paste 1 tsp

2 tsp Oyster Sauce

1/4 Cup Soy Sauce

2 tblsp Olive oil

½ tsp salt

¼ cup water

Method:

Mix the marinade in a deep tray or roasting dish. Score (cuts parallel or crisscross ) the Pork belly if not already done by the butcher( butcher will do this if requested). Wipe the skin dry with a paper towel to remove any moisture. Place the pork belly immersing only the meat part into the marinade and skin dry. Place in refrigerator overnight uncovered. The skin will become dry in the fridge.

Line a roasting dish with aluminium foil. Take another aluminium foil and place it inside the dish. Now cut out the core and slice an apple. Spread this on the foil. Slice an onion and spread on top of apple slices. Add some sage to the mixture. Sprinkle two tsp of fennel powder on this mixture. Now place the pork belly on top of this mixture. Pull the sides of the aluminium foil to cover the meat but not the skin. Spread two tsp of Olive oil on the skin and then cover it with salt.

Preheat the oven at 200 degrees for 15 minutes, then place the pork belly dish in the oven and bake for 2 hours. Reserve the marinade for sauce.  Put some water in the dish around the foil containing the pork belly. Continue adding water when it evaporates. After two hours, remove the dish from oven. Take the excess salt from the skin. Place it back in the oven but this time under the grill at 250 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. This will make the skin crispy (crackling). Remove from oven, if it looks burnt, don’t worry only the salt would have burnt. Let it stand on a cutting board for 10 minutes. Scrape the burnt salt and also excess salt. Cut the pork belly to your required slice sizes.

Apple Sauce: In a vessel add the reserved marinade, the apple sauce from the aluminium foil and the water in the roasting dish. Add ½ tsp salt and boil for 5 minutes. Your sauce is ready.

Have your sliced pork belly with a little apple sauce spread on it.