Spicy Andhra Chepala Pulusu (Fish Tamarind gravy curry)

Fish Pulusu can be made with Kingfish, Tilapia, Carp or Catfish if staying away from India. In Andhra it is exclusively made with Bochha, Jalalu, Vanjaram and many more. The curry is made spicy to compensate it with sourness from the tamarind pulp, which together gives a Delicious dish.


Ingredients:
2 Tilapia fish (scaled, cleaned and made into fillets)
2 medium onions chopped
5-6 green chillis slit
2 green onions
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
yellow lemon size or egg size tamarind soaked in water
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
5 tbsp oil.
2 tbsp or more chilli powder
1 tbsp turmeric
Salt to taste (2tbsps)

             

 How i make it :

• Scale and clean the fish fillets just by massaging it on a cutting board to remove the dirt on the fish skin. Marinate the fish with chilli powder, turmeric, and salt. 
• Grease a open non stick pan with 5 tbsp oil and saute onions and green onions and slit green chillis until tender. Once tender stir in the ginger garlic paste and saute until no raw smell.
• Arrange the marinated fish fillets into the onions and cover for 5 mins until water coming out and then flip the fish and cook for another 5 mins(I personally skip flipping). Once the fish is added the heat should be in medium low flame.
• Squeeze the pulp from tamarind with 3/4 cup water and add to the fish and add 1/2 cup of water. DO NOT OVER FLOOD IT. NO STIRRING WITH THE SPOON ONCE FISH IS IN THE PAN. HOLD BOTH THE EARS OF THE PAN AND GIVE A GENTLE SHAKE, BECOZ THE SPOON MAY BREAK UP THE FISH FILLETS.
• Cover with lid and cook on lower medium for 12-15 mins until the gravy gets thicker, just shaking in the middle. Top it with chopped fresh cilantro.

Enjoy this master piece with Rice. Curry tastes great the next day as the fish absorbs sourness from the tamarind.