Nellore Chepala Pulusu

Nellore Chepala Pulusu (Nellore Fish Curry)

"Nellore Chepala Pulusu" ! As soon as I hear this name I get water in my mouth. It is very very famous in Andhra Pradesh(Nellore). My mother prepares fish curry with Vankaaya pulusu, instaed og brinjal she adds fish peices. Even that too taste good. ..

Ingredients:

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• 1.6 to 2 lbs fish ( I used King Salmon here. This taste little sweet compare to cat fish)
• 2 big tomotoes ot 3 medium tomatoes (choose those which can get much juice out of it)
• 2 medium lemon sized Tamarind
• 2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 to 3 tsp Pulusu Powder
• 1big Onion
• 1/4 th tsp Hing powder (Inguvaa)
• Oil for cooking (1 tbsp)
• Salt as required

Method:

1. Clean the fish with salt especially on the skin side. Cut into desired size of pieces. Drain all the water.
2. Marinate fish with salt, turmeric powder and pulusu podi. Coat the mixture to the fish pieces properly. Set aside till all other prepartions are done.
3. Soak tamarind in warm water till it becomes soft. Extract the juice and keep aside.
4. Make puree out of tomatoes. (or elase you can also put tomatoes in hot water for a while. Peel the skin and squeez the juice the juice.)
5. Cut the onions into thin long pieces.
6. Mix tomato puree and tamarind juice to geather. See the taste. If you feel more tamarind juice is necessary than soak again and take juice and mix with this. It is very important step here. As this will make difference in the taste of the gravy.
7. Take a wide and depth pan, so that fishes are not broken and can be turend easily.
8. Heat oil and fry onions till light brown.  Now add hing here and fry for few seconds.
9. Add the tomato and tamarind puree and allow to boil. Now add the marinated fish into it. Mix well and close the lid and cook on high heat for 10 minutes.
10. Decrease the heat to medium. Open the lid and turn the fishes very carefully or can mix whole thing by holding the handels.
11. Taste for spice and salt. If you feel you need more add salt and pulusu or sambaar podi little more here . Mix slowly and allow to cook on medium heat for 5 minutes more.
12. Once you think the taste is set, decrease the heat to low for 2 minutes and remove from heat.

Note: This goes well with hot plain white rice. Also can be a enjoyed as a dip for idli's. Try to choose salmon, tuna or any other oily fishes which has very less mercury and are high in omega 3 fatty acids which increases HDL level.