Sunday, August 3, 2025

South Indian Fish Curry Recipe (Vanjaram Meen Kuzhambu Seer Fish / King Mackerel)

Vanjaram Meen Kuzhambu


Here's a flavorful South Indian Fish Curry recipe (Vanjaram Meen Kuzhambu)—a tangy and spicy tamarind-based curry popular in Tamil Nadu and Andhra-style cuisine, made with Vanjaram Meen (Seer Fish / King Mackerel).


🍛 Vanjaram Meen Kuzhambu (South Indian Fish Curry)

🐟 Ingredients:

For Marinating the Fish:
  • Vanjaram (seer fish) slices – 500g

  • Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

  • Red chili powder – 1 tsp

  • Salt – ½ tsp

  • Lemon juice – 1 tsp (optional)

For Curry:
  • Sesame oil (gingelly oil) – 3 tbsp (preferred for authenticity)

  • Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

  • Fenugreek seeds – ¼ tsp

  • Curry leaves – 1 sprig

  • Shallots – 15–20, peeled (or 1 medium onion, finely chopped)

  • Garlic – 8–10 cloves, crushed

  • Tomato – 1 large, chopped

  • Tamarind – small lemon-sized ball (soaked in warm water, extract thick juice ~1 cup)

  • Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

  • Red chili powder – 2 tsp (adjust to taste)

  • Coriander powder – 2 tbsp

  • Salt – to taste

  • Water – as needed (about 1–1.5 cups)

  • Fresh coriander leaves – for garnish (optional)


🔪 Preparation Steps:

1. Marinate the Fish (15–30 mins):

  • Rub turmeric, chili powder, salt, and lemon juice onto the fish slices.

  • Set aside while preparing the curry.

2. Make the Curry Base:

  1. Heat sesame oil in a clay pot (manchatti) or heavy-bottomed kadai.

  2. Add mustard seeds; let them splutter.

  3. Add fenugreek seeds (don’t let them burn).

  4. Toss in curry leaves, shallots, and crushed garlic. Sauté until golden brown.

  5. Add chopped tomatoes; cook till soft and mushy.

3. Add Spices and Tamarind:

  1. Add turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder, and salt. Sauté until oil separates.

  2. Pour in tamarind extract and a little water. Mix well.

  3. Let the kuzhambu simmer for 10–15 minutes, until raw smell of tamarind goes away and the gravy thickens slightly.

4. Add Fish Slices:

  • Gently place marinated fish pieces into the curry.

  • Let them cook without stirring too much, for 7–10 minutes on medium heat.

  • Tilt the pan to mix gravy if needed. Avoid breaking the fish.

5. Final Touch:

  • Taste and adjust salt/spice.

  • Garnish with coriander leaves if desired.

  • Rest the curry for at least 1 hour before serving. It tastes even better the next day!


🍽️ Serving Suggestions:

  • Serve hot with steamed rice, idli, or dosai.

  • Side options: pappadam, poriyal, or kootu.


Thanks! You've written a great version of the Vanjaram Meen Kuzhambu recipe in a very natural style. Here's a slightly polished and neatly formatted version of your steps, turning it into a full, ready-to-use recipe. I've also added the ingredients list based on your method.




🔪 Method

  1. Heat Oil & Temper
    Heat a kadai with oil. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add curry leaves and slit green chillies. Sauté for a minute.

  2. Sauté Onions & Garlic
    Add chopped onions and crushed garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes until golden and aromatic.

  3. Add Tomatoes
    Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they turn soft and mushy.

  4. Add Coconut-Spice Mix
    Now add the prepared spice and coconut mix. Mix well and fry for a couple of minutes until oil starts to separate.

  5. Add Tamarind Water
    Pour in the tamarind extract and add salt to taste. Mix everything well.

  6. Simmer the Curry
    Let the kuzhambu boil on medium flame for 15–20 minutes, until the raw tamarind smell is gone and the curry thickens.

  7. Add Fish Pieces
    Gently slide in the marinated fish pieces. Cook for about 5 minutes on low-medium flame. Do not stir too much—just swirl the pan if needed.

  8. Finish & Rest
    Once the fish is cooked through (it cooks quickly), switch off the flame. Let the curry rest for 30 mins to enhance flavor before serving.


🍚 Serving Suggestions

  • Serve hot with steamed rice and a simple vegetable side dish or appalam.

  • Kuzhambu tastes even better after a few hours or the next day.


1. Marinate the Fish

  • Wash and clean the Vanjaram slices.

  • Rub with turmeric and salt. Set aside while you prep the curry.

2. Prepare the Base

  • Heat sesame oil in a kadai.

  • Add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add fenugreek seeds.

  • Add curry leaves and green chilies. Sauté for a minute.

3. Sauté Aromatics

  • Add onions and garlic. Sauté well for about 5 minutes until soft and fragrant.

  • Add chopped tomatoes and cook until mushy.

4. Add Ground Masala

  • Mix in the freshly ground coconut-spice paste.

  • Sauté for 2–3 minutes until oil starts to separate.

5. Add Tamarind Water

  • Strain and pour in the tamarind extract. Add salt and adjust water as needed.

  • Let the kuzhambu boil for 15–20 minutes until raw tamarind smell disappears and curry thickens.

6. Add Fish & Finish

  • Gently add fish pieces. Do not stir too much.

  • Cook for 5 minutes or until fish is done. Turn off heat.

  • Let the curry rest for at least 30 minutes before serving for deeper flavor.




🍽️ Serving Suggestions

  • Best served with hot steamed rice, idli, or dosa

  • Tastes even better the next day

Thanks for sharing the full details! Here's a clean, printable, and well-formatted version of the South Indian Fish Curry Recipe (Vanjaram Meen Kuzhambu) based on Kalyani’s traditional Tamil Nadu-style preparation:


🐟 South Indian Fish Curry (Vanjaram Meen Kuzhambu)

Course: Non-Veg | Cuisine: South Indian
Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Author: Kalyani
⭐ No ratings yet (yet it’s a no-fail, authentic recipe!)


📝 Ingredients

Main Ingredients:

  • Small onions – 10 (peeled)

  • Tamarind – 1 big lemon-sized ball (soaked and juice extracted)

  • Tomato – 1 medium (chopped)

  • Green chillies – 1 or 2 (slit)

  • Garlic – 10 small cloves (crushed)

  • Crystal salt – 2 tsp (or to taste)

To Temper:

  • Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

  • Thalipu vadagam – 1 tsp (optional but authentic)

  • Sesame oil – 2 tsp

  • Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

  • Fennel seeds – ½ tsp

  • Fenugreek seeds – ¼ tsp

To Marinate:

  • Vanjaram (seer fish) pieces – ½ kg

  • Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

  • Rock salt – ½ tsp

To Dry Roast and Grind:

  • Dried red chillies – 10 to 15 (adjust to spice level)

  • Coriander seeds – 3 tbsp

  • Black peppercorns – 1 tsp

  • Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

To Grind:

  • Grated coconut – ¼ cup

  • Small onions – 10


👨‍🍳 Instructions

🐟 Preparation:

  1. Marinate the Fish:
    Wash Vanjaram fish pieces well. Marinate with turmeric powder and rock salt. Let it rest for 30 minutes (or refrigerate for 1 hour).

  2. Tamarind:
    Soak tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes. Extract thick juice (~1 cup). Set aside.

  3. Roast and Grind Spices:
    Dry roast red chillies, coriander seeds, black pepper, and cumin until aromatic. Cool slightly and grind to a smooth paste with a little water.

  4. Grind Coconut Paste:
    Grind grated coconut and small onions into a fine paste.

  5. Combine Masala:
    Mix the coconut-onion paste with the spice paste. Add 1 cup water to make a thick gravy. Set aside.


🔥 To Make the Kuzhambu:

  1. Temper:
    Heat sesame oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add thalipu vadagam, curry leaves, green chillies, fennel, and fenugreek seeds. Sauté for a minute.

  2. Sauté Aromatics:
    Add small onions and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes until soft.
    Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they turn mushy.

  3. Add Masala Paste:
    Pour in the mixed spice and coconut paste. Mix well and sauté for 2–3 minutes.

  4. Add Tamarind Extract:
    Add tamarind water and crystal salt. Adjust consistency with more water if needed.

  5. Boil the Curry:
    Boil the kuzhambu on medium flame for 15–20 minutes, until the raw smell of tamarind disappears and the gravy thickens slightly.

  6. Cook the Fish:
    Gently add the marinated fish slices. Cook on low to medium flame for 5 minutes or until the fish is cooked through. Do not stir too much—just swirl the pan gently.

  7. Rest Before Serving:
    Let the curry sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. It tastes even better the next day!



🍽️ Serving Suggestions

  • Hot steamed rice + Meen Kuzhambu = Heaven

  • Side options: Fish fry, keerai poriyal, or appalam


📝 Notes

  • Thalipu Vadagam adds authentic flavor but can be skipped if unavailable.

  • Adjust chili based on spice tolerance.

  • Always rest fish curry before serving—it deepens the flavors.

Thanks for the detailed breakdown! Here's a polished, easy-to-follow version of your recipe for South Indian Fish Curry (Vanjaram Meen Kuzhambu)—ready for sharing, printing, or saving.

🍲 Cooking Procedure

  1. Tempering
    Heat a kadai with sesame oil.
    Add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add thalipu vadagam, curry leaves, green chillies, fennel, and fenugreek seeds. Sauté for a minute.

  2. Sauté Onions & Tomatoes
    Add small onions and garlic. Sauté well for about 5 minutes.
    Add tomatoes and fry until they become mushy.

  3. Add Masala
    Add the prepared spice + coconut paste. Mix well.
    Then add the tamarind extract and salt. Mix again.

  4. Simmer the Curry
    Adjust consistency with water if needed.
    Boil the kuzhambu on medium flame for 15–20 minutes, or until the raw smell disappears and the curry slightly thickens.

  5. Add Fish
    Gently place fish pieces into the curry.
    Simmer for 5 minutes or until fish is just cooked.
    Do not overcook – fish cooks quickly!


🍽️ Serving Suggestions

  • Serve hot with steamed rice and fish fry.

  • Best enjoyed after a few hours or the next day for enhanced flavor.


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