Raw Mango Sardine Curry Recipe: An Easy Seafood Curry

Dietary options that are cost-effective – like peanuts, local fruit like guava and chikoo, green peas – are all nutritious, delicious and substantial alternatives for imported ingredients like pecans, berries or avocado. The idea that nutritious food should be bought from an ‘expensive’ reliable source is a myth we can shift away from by supporting local farmers or food producers and eating sustainably to both, your wallet and the environment. That said, fresh seafood at large is an expensive commodity and buying a couple of hundred grams of any variety of shellfish or fish, might not always be easy on the pocket.

However, fresh sardines, the tiny wing-shaped fish that are available in abundance around local fish markets, are a meaty-tasting, oily and dense fish whose flesh becomes extremely delicate on being cooked. The fishiness of the sardines compliment the sour tang of the raw mango and the silky sweetness of coconut milk for this curry recipe, which can be made in a matter of moments. If you can’t seem to find fresh sardines, use pomfret, prawns or even fresh Bombay duck instead.

Recipe:

Image Credits: millionairefish

Ingredients

• 2 onions, sliced
• 6-8 fresh sardines
• 3 green chillies, slit lengthwise
• 6-7 fresh curry leaves
• 1 large raw mango, diced
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1-inch piece ginger, grated
• 5-6 garlic cloves, sliced
• ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon raw sugar
• 2 + 1 tablespoons coconut oil
• Salt, to taste

Also Read: 

Sardine Fish Roast: Gastronomical Delight Of Kerala

Method

• Clean and pat dry the sardines and set them aside, sprinkled with a pinch of salt. Take a tablespoon of coconut oil and mix in the turmeric, chilli and coriander powders to form a runny paste.
• Heat the remaining oil in a pan and add the fenugreek seeds. Once they splutter, add the curry leaves and green chillies and sauté for a couple of minutes.
• Add the sliced onions and cook them on a medium-high heat, until they start to brown slightly. Add the ginger and garlic, followed by the spice paste and continue to cook until everything is aromatic.
• Toss in the raw mango and continue to sauté for 3-4 minutes. Once the mango pieces start to soften lightly, pour the coconut milk followed by a quarter cup of water.
• Season with salt and pepper and allow it to simmer for a couple of minutes before gently placing in each sardine. Cook the fish on one side for 3-4 minutes before using a flat spoon or spatula to turn it over to the other side.
• Add the sugar to balance the flavours of the raw mango and mix well. Serve warm with some steamed rice and a wedge of lemon on the side.