Even though it is customary to have canned Mackerel in salads, it is not customary to have canned Mackerel curries. Its delicate texture makes it quite challenging to cook, making it great for salads. However, this recipe, once again inspired by my Sri Lankan heritage and the South Asian cuisine, is a great recipe to cook Mackerel and a flavorful curry to have along with rice. The trick is to make sure that you are not constantly stirring the curry, so you keep its shape.
Ingredients:
425G mackerel tin
2 tbsp. cooking oil
2 springs curry leaves
3-inch pandan leaves
¼ tsp. fenugreek seeds
¼ tsp. mustard seeds
½ tsp minced ginger
3 cloves garlic minced
1 small onion diced
1 small tomato diced
3 green chilies split in half
½ tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 1/4 cup of coconut milk (1 cup of thick coconut milk mix with ¼ cup of water)
1 small wedge of lime
Directions:
1: Heat 2 tbsp. of oil in a pan and add the curry leaves, pandan leaves, ginger, garlic, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, onion, and green chilies one after the other to the hot oil and sauté well. Next, add the diced tomatoes into the temper and fry until soft.
2: When the tomatoes start turning soft, add in the spices (turmeric, chili powder, salt, and pepper) and fry until the spices release a pleasant aroma.
3: Once all the ingredients are combined, add the drained mackerel into the spices and fry it for about 2 minutes on medium heat. Keep stirring and add 1 cup of coconut milk diluted with ¼ cup of water.
4:Cook it well for about 5 minutes in low-medium heat, and squeeze the wedge of lime before removing the mackerel curry from the heat. Check for salt and adjust if necessary.
Serve with steamed rice or roast bread!
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