Kerala Fish Masala
The Quirky Foodster Team
About 1 cup
Servings
Ingredients
- coriander seed, Kashmiri chile powder (for color and moderate heat), turmeric, black pepper, fenugreek seed, and notably a proportion of Kudampuli (Malabar tamarind/Garcinia cambogia, a distinct souring agent from both tamarind and kokum) ground or included whole
Method
- Toast the whole spices, cool, grind, then combine with the souring agent (used whole rather than ground, typically added directly to the simmering curry).
- Standard toast-then-grind for the spice component; the Kudampuli itself is not toasted.
Origin: Kerala, South India, formulated specifically for the region’s fish curries.
Use: Added during the cooking of Kerala’s distinctive sour fish curries.
Classic Dishes: Meen curry (Kerala fish curry, particularly the Kudampuli-soured style associated with the Malabar coast).
Storage: Ground spice component keeps 2-3 months sealed and dark; Kudampuli itself (dried) keeps well over a year.
Variations: The use of Kudampuli (Malabar tamarind) rather than standard tamarind or kokum is the defining regional characteristic — it is a genuinely distinct souring agent from both.
Substitutions: Kokum or standard tamarind as a substitute for Kudampuli, though the specific smoky-sour Malabar character is lost.
- coriander seed, Kashmiri chile powder (for color and moderate heat), turmeric, black pepper, fenugreek seed, and notably a proportion of Kudampuli (Malabar tamarind/Garcinia cambogia, a distinct souring agent from both tamarind and kokum) ground or included whole
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