FISH PICKLE/ MEEN ACHAR

Winter is getting stronger and during this time we yearn to have hot and spicy food. Pickles is an evergreen item on the table that cannot be missed at our home. Our family enjoy pickle and papad, fryums, vadiyalu etc.

In my previous posts I mentioned about the preparation of Mixed Vegetable pickle, also mentioning the various types of pickles we indulge in.

Fish pickle brings up several memories…my mama’s passion in cooking, how we used to empty the bottles within a few days. The kitchen used to be filled with the aroma of frying fish and the seasoning. I didn’t want my children to miss out on these special delicacies and have made it a point to master the recipe.

The first 2 to 3 times the pickle did not match the standard taste, but it has improved in the next few attempts. You can include Fish pickle in your special treat for Christmas.

Fish selection is utmost important . Fish pickle can be made with tuna(choora), sardine(mathi-chaala), butter fish(modha), seer fish(ney meen), prawns (chemeen),Anchovy (Netholi) and Pomphret(Avoli). Do not attempt fish pickle with mackerel (aiyla). Butter fish, Prawns, Tuna and Seer fish are the best options for making Fish pickle at our home.

I used lime juice in the last rinse while washing the fish to remove the strong smell and will help cook better. I prefer using Kashmiri Chilli powder for pickles-kadumanga as the pickle is not spicy, yet the appearance will be hot and spicy.

Ingredients:

Fish: ½ kg (cut into small pieces)

Lime: ½ piece(squeeze in the final rinse of fish wash)

Vegetable oil: 1 cup to fry the fish pieces

Ingredients for Marinating fish:

Red chilli powder- 1.5 tsp ( I use Kashmiri Chilli powder –Eastern Brand)

Turmeric / Haldi powder: ¼ tsp

Pepper powder: ½ tsp

Salt: ¾ tsp or as per taste

Time required for marination: 30 mins

Ingredients for fish pickle gravy:

Green chilly : 3 small( slit into halves)

Red chilli powder- 3.5 tsp ( Kashmiri Chilli powder –Eastern Brand)

Turmeric / Haldi powder: ¼ tsp

Pepper powder: ½ tsp

Ginger: 2 tsp (sliced into thin pieces)

Garlic pods: 4 tsp (sliced into thin pieces)

Salt: ¾ tsp

White Vinegar: ½ cup(boil and cool to room temp)

Vegetable oil: ¼ cup

Curry leaves: 2 stems( cut into small pieces)

Mustard : ½ tsp

Fenugreek / Methi seeds: ½ tsp

Ingredients for powdering:

Mustard : ½ tsp

Cumin seeds / Jeera: ½ tsp

Fenugreek / Methi seeds: ½ tsp

Roast on low flame and powder coarsely.

Procedure for Fish pickle / Meen Achar:

Method:

• Cut fish into small pieces and wash the pieces. Drain water completely.
• In a separate vessel add chilli powder, pepper powder, haldi powder and salt. Mix well and then toss the fish pieces in the vessel, mix all the fish pieces . Let it remain for 30 minutes.
• Heat oil in a kadai, fry fish pieces till they are crisp. Maintain medium flame while frying the fish pieces. This will ensure moisture in the fish is taken off and the pickle can be retained for longer time.
• In another kadai heat oil and add mustard seeds. When it crackle add methi seeds and curry leaves.
• Immediately add chopped ginger and garlic. Keep stirring until they turn brown in color. Lower the flame.
• Add chilli powder, pepper powder, haldi powder and salt. Stir this till the raw smell goes away. Mix the powders to avoid getting burnt at the base.
• Add white vinegar to the powders and mix thoroughly. Add the fried fish pieces and mix the entire masala.
• Add the roasted powders-mustard, jeera and methi seeds. Mix the fish pickle and transfer contents into a clean bottle.
• If handled with care and refrigerated between servings you can retain fish pickle / meen achar upto 9 months.

Great combination with hot rice, chutney and curd curry too. My children do enjoy with rotis, breads too.

Give a try to your culinary skills and make this Christmas feast an enjoyable one with your favorite wine, fried rice ,chicken dishes and cutlet. Share with family and friends…