Yanam Pulasa Pulusu (Telugu-Style Fish Curry)
A tangy, tamarind-and-chilli river fish curry from Yanam's Telugu-speaking households, seasonal to monsoon when pulasa fish runs upstream.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 270 kcal
Equipment
- •Clay pot
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 270 kcal
- fat
- 16 g
- carbs
- 8 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 24 g
- calories
- 270 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Heat gingelly oil (sesame oil) in a clay pot. Add mustard and fenugreek seeds until they pop.
- 2
Add curry leaves and onions. Fry them until golden brown.
- 3
Add green chillies and tomato. Cook until the tomato softens.
- 4
Stir in turmeric, red chilli powder and coriander powder. Fry until the oil separates.
- 5
Pour in the tamarind extract with 1.5 cups of water. Bring the liquid to a boil.
- 6
Add salt. Simmer gently for 10 minutes to cook out the raw tamarind taste.
- 7
Gently slide in the fish pieces. Simmer on low heat for 12–15 minutes without stirring too much.
- 8
Take the pot off the heat. Let the curry rest for a few minutes so the flavours settle.
Chef's tips
Pulasa fish is available only briefly during monsoon; any oily river fish works as a substitute. The curry tastes best a few hours after cooking, once rested.
Ingredient substitutions
- pulasa fish → rohu or katla
- gingelly oil → sunflower oil
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 3 days; flavour deepens with resting.
Reheating
Reheat gently on low flame.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overcooking the fish
- •Not resting the curry, missing the flavour build-up
Serving suggestions
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