I cooked Clay Pot Fish Curry this week. It turned out fantastic. My husband liked it very much. you can also cook it in steel or aluminium vessel but you will really miss the taste.you can feel a different aroma while cooking in clay pot.
I used sheelavathi(in Telugu) fish.you can use any fish of your choice.soak fish pieces in buttermilk for 5 minutes to get rid of fishy smell.
You need to some preparation before cooking in Clay Pot. If you are using a new clay pot you need to fill it with water and keep aside for 2 days. This is to remove mud from the clay pot. Video and printable text versions of this recipe are available at the bottom of this page.
The following is the step by step procedure of cooking clay pot fish curry with coconut milk.
soak the new clay pot in water for one or two days before you use
after two days wash it for once and make it ready for cooking
rinse fish thoroughly.
marinate fish with turmeric powder,salt,red chilli powder and coriander powder.
mix well and keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
next heat up the pan,add fenugreek seeds,cumin seeds,cloves,cinnamon and cardamom.sauté for a minute.
make them into powder.keep aside.
take 2 medium-sized onions and 4 green chillies.
put them in a grinder jar and make into a paste
take 2 medium tomatoes and make them into paste
soak 25 grams of tamarind in little water for some time.later squeeze out thick tamarind juice.add water to dilute the thick paste.quantity of tamarind juice should be equal to the quantity of fish.so I took 600 ml of tamarind juice.
put the pot on the flame
when you see the smoke ,add 6-7 tbsp of oil approximately.
add onion paste
sauté onions for 3-4 minutes on medium flame.
add curry leaves
add ginger garlic paste
add enough salt
sauté for a minute
add turmeric powder,red chilli powder,coriander powder,masala powder(which was shown in the above steps).
just mix it for once
add tomato paste 
cook until tomatoes become soft 
next add fish pieces carefully one by one
do not use spoon to mix the gravy after adding fish pieces. 
hold it with a kitchen towel and move it in circular motion to mix the gravy. 
cover it with a lid and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. 
open the lid.add tamarind juice 
add 1/3 rd cup of coconut milk
i used Dabur Hommade coconut milk. 
cook on high heat for 15 to 20 minutes.stir occasionally.
add chopped spring onions. 
add chopped coriander leaves and turn off the heat.leave it for 2 to 3 hours.then serve it.
Text version of Clay pot fish curry
- fish – 600 grams
- onions – 2 medium
- green chillies – 4
- tomatoes – 2 medium
- tamarind – 25 grams
- ginger garlic paste – 1 1/2 teaspoon
- turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon
- red chilli powder – 3 teaspoons
- coriander/dhania powder – 2 teaspoons
- salt – as required
- curry leaves – 2 stems
- cloves -3
- cinnamon stick 1/2 inch
- cardamom -1
- fenugreek seeds – 1/8 teaspoon
- cumin seeds – 1/4 teaspoon
- coconut milk – 1/4 cup
- oil – 5 tbsp
- spring onions – 1/4 cup
- coriander leaves – 1/4 cup
- If you are using a new clay pot then you need to fill it with water for 1 or 2 days.
- rinse fish thoroughly.immerse fish pieces in buttermilk for few minutes to remove fishy smell.
- rinse again and take them into a mixing bowl.
- add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder ,mix well and keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
- for 600 g of fish take 25-30 grams of tamarind, soak in little water for 15 minutes.
- after 15 minutes squeeze tamarind until it leaves no more juice.you will get a thick tamarind juice.
- for 600 grams of fish you need to take equal quantity of tamarind juice.
- so add proper amount of water to thick tamarind juice to make it 600 ml quantity.
- heat up the pan,add fenugreek seeds,cumin seeds,cloves,cardamom,cinnamon stick and sauté for a minute.
- grind them into a powder.keep aside.
- make a fine paste of onions and 3 green chillies and keep aside.
- take 2 medium-sized tomatoes and make them into paste.
- put clay pot on the flame.heat it up.
- add oil,then add onions paste,salt and saute for 3-4 minutes on a medium heat.
- add ginger garlic paste .fry until the raw flavor is gone.
- add turmeric powder,red chilli powder,coriander powder,masala powder and fry it for a minute.
- add tomato paste and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- next add fish pieces carefully.
- cover the pot and cook on simmer for 5 minutes.
- add tamarind juice and bring it to boil.
- when the gravy starts to boil add coconut milk and cook until the gravy thickens.
- add chopped spring onions and coriander leaves and turn off the heat.
You may like my other recipe with clay pot Clay pot chicken biryani
Devi
I tried the recipe and ,it’s tasty.where did you get the clay pot, I have a request for a recipe “jack fruit curry”.
BINDU
Thank you Devi.bought the claypot at Shilparamam,Hyderabad.Yes i will definitely post Jack fruit curry and let you know.
Lallie Pillay
Your recipes are so beautiful and appetising, simple and easy to make
presentation is excellent
Regards
Lallie
SACBINHON
Thank you very much dear Lallie ….