Spicy Sardine Baked

Nadan Mathi / Chala Pollichathu

Ingredients

• Mathi-1/2 kg(cleaned and make gashes on both sides) 
• Grated coconut-1 
• Chilli powder-2 tsp 
• Coriander powder-1 tsp 
• Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp 
• Small onion-10 
• Green Chilly-3 
• Dried red chilli-5 
• Ginger-1 piece(chopped) 
• Tamarind-a small size 
• Salt-as required 
• Plantain leaves-1 
• Oil 

Preparation:

• Cut and Clean the fish. 
• Make gashes on both sides. 
• Fry grated coconut in a pan. When half fried, add chilly powder. Coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt to it and fry until it turns slight brown colour. 
• Fry dried red chilly and onion in oil. 
• Grind the fried coconut with dried red chilly,onion,ginger,green chilly ,tamarind and salt. Cover the mathi with the ground paste and cover it with a plantain leaf and put it to a pan and cover with a lid. 
• Both side is fried within 20 minutes. 
• Tasty mathi polichathu redy 

serve with rice................

Pickled Sardine

Mathi/Chala Achar/Pickled Sardine

Ingredients

• Sardine/Mathi-1 kg
• Garlic-20 cloves (long strips)
• Ginger-2 big pieces (strips)
• Green chilly-15 (slits)
• Curry leaves-4 strings
• Chilly powder-2 1/2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
• Asafoetida powder-less than 1/4tsp
• Fenugreek powder-less than 1/4 tsp
• Salt- to taste
• Mustard seeds-1tsp
• Fenugreek seeds-1/2tsp
• Oil- for frying
• Vinegar-1cup
• Hot Water-2 to 3 cups
• Dry red chilly-5 (slits)

For Marination

• Chilly powder-2 1/2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
• Salt- to taste

Cooking Method

• Choose very small sardines ..Small ones best for pickle than big sardines..
• Cut ,clean and wash them properly using salt and vinegar ..
• Then make gashes on each sides..
• Make a paste of chilly powder,turmeric powder and salt ..Marinate the sardines with this masala ..Keep aside for minimum 15 minutes
• Heat 3 tbsp oil in a heavy bottomed non stick pan
• Fry ginger pieces,garlic pieces ,green chilly separately,Keep aside
• Then splutter mustard seeds,fenu greek seeds,dry red chilly and curry leaves one by one
• Then switch off the gas and add all the powders and saute until the raw smell goes..
• Then add vinegar ,boiled water ,salt and roasted ginger-garlic and curry leaves ..Mix well ..Keep aside ..
• Now fry the sardines in batches till they become crisp (dont burn )
• Add all fried fish into the prepared sauce ,mix well and boil well for 10 minutes in medium flame ..
• Check the salt and sourness ..So yummy but simple mathi achar is ready ………….