Spicy Fish Curry with Eggplant

A spicy fish curry with baby brinjals - creamy, spicy and tangy fish curry pairs perfectly with steamed rice and fried fish. This is one the simplest fish curry and can be made very quickly. Adjust red chilli powder according to your taste. You can use raw mango pieces or potatoes instead of baby brinjals. 

Ingredients

• 500 Grams of Fish pieces /slices of your choice ( I used barracuda / sheela as called locally )
• 2 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil / Sesame Seed oil ( I always use sesame seed oil for fish curry)
• 1/2 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
• 1 Tespoon Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 Teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 Teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
• 1 Sprig of curry leaves
• 1 Medium Onion chopped roughly
• 1 Large tomato chopped roughly
• 8 Garlic Cloves sliced thinly
• 1 Green Chilli Slit
• 2 Teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 Tablespoon Coriander powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 6 baby brinjals / eggplants ( washed and slit in the middle and keep the stem intact)
• Tamarind - about one small lemon size ( Soak tamarind in 1/4 cup of warm water for 10 minutes and extract juice)
• 1/2 cup thick coconut milk 
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. In a food processor add roughly chopped onions, tomatoes, 4 garlic cloves and grind it to fine paste
2. In a pan, heat oil. When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, black peppercorns and curry leaves. Fry until the fenugreek seeds are light golden
3. Add slit green chilli and remaining garlic cloves and fry for few seconds
4. Then add the ground onion tomato mixture and fry on low flame until oil starts separating from the mixture. This might take 8 to 10 minutes on low flame
5. Add coriander powder , red chilli powder and turmeric powder along with 2 tablespoons of water and saute for 5 minutes until the water evaporates and the mixture comes together 
6. Add brinjal, tamarind extract , 1 and 1/2 cups of water and salt to taste and bring it to boil
7. Keep the flame low and let the curry boil for 10 minutes.
8. After 10 minutes the water should have reduced and the gravy would be thickened
9. Reduce the flame to low and gently slide in fish pieces
10. Add coconut milk and close the pan with lid. Let the fish cook for 5 minutes
11. After 5 minutes check if the fish is cooked and turn off the flame
12. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and close the pan with a lid and let the curry rest for an hour for the flavors to develop
13. Serve with steamed rice