Meen Kuzhambu (Tamil Fish Curry)

Clean the fish thoroughly under running water. Rub the pieces with a pinch of turmeric and a little crystal salt, then rinse off — this removes the slime and any raw smell. Drain and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of gingelly oil in a pan. Add the fennel seeds and let them splutter, releasing their aroma, followed immediately by the dry red chillies. Sauté for a few seconds.

Toss in the full ½ kg of peeled small onions (kept whole) and the 10 garlic cloves. Sauté patiently on a medium flame until the onions turn translucent and slightly golden — don't rush this step.

Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté until they break down completely and become soft and mushy.

Lower the flame and add the 200g of coriander powder along with the turmeric powder directly into the hot onion-tomato mixture. Sauté briefly just until the raw smell of the powders fades. Critical: do NOT burn the dry powders — burnt masala will make the entire curry bitter.

Heat a traditional clay pot (manchatti) or a heavy-bottomed vessel and pour in a generous layer of gingelly oil — don't be stingy, this oil carries the entire flavor.

Add the mustard seeds and let them pop. Immediately add the fenugreek seeds (vendhayam) and a generous handful of fresh curry leaves. Let them splutter — this releases the signature fish curry fragrance into the oil.

Pour the freshly ground masala paste into the hot tempered oil. Sauté it well for a couple of minutes, stirring continuously so it doesn't stick.

Pour in the thick tamarind extract and add crystal salt to taste. Mix everything thoroughly.

Once the gravy is fully cooked and bubbling perfectly, gently slide the cleaned fish pieces into the pot one by one.

Crucial: do NOT stir the curry vigorously with a ladle after adding the fish — the delicate pieces will break apart. Instead, gently swirl the pot by its handles, or lightly press the fish pieces down with the back of a spoon so they are fully submerged in the gravy.

Let it simmer gently on a low flame for just 5 to 7 minutes — fish cooks very quickly, so don't overcook it.

Serve steaming hot over plain white rice with a side of appalam or fried vegetables.