Spicy Catfish fry

 I didn't picture myself writing a new post the very next day after I published the first one.  But I had to share this because it so happens that my most favorite food  is going to end up on my dinner table tonight.  Oh yeah...!

Today, I happened to be running some errands and spotted some fresh Catfish fillets at Costco.  I stopped in my tracks for a second dreaming of myself sitting in my grandmother's kitchen enjoying the delicious aroma of fried fish lingering everywhere. If not for the 21-24hr flight journey to get to my grandmother's place, I would have definitely satisfied my appetite for some yummy spicy fish accompanied with hot steaming rice right away at her place.  Hmmm...now I have to cook it myself to satisfy this desire.

Being a Keralite, fish is something I enjoy cooking and consuming, or should I say, devouring! In fact, when I am in India, I always accompany my parents or relatives to the fish market no matter how smelly the market is just to see the fresh fish being sold there.  Fish being a staple diet of Keralites is cooked in various ways.  I can just go on writing about fish forever.

 Here is one of the recipes that I use very often for frying fish.

I know it won't even be close to my grandmother's recipe but I think I have at least a few of her culinary genes somewhere in my body.

 If God had intended us to follow recipes, 

He wouldn't have given us grandmothers.
                                                                           ~Linda Henley 

INGREDIENTS:

Catfish fillets - 4(cut into 3 or 4 pieces)

Pearl onions - 4-5

Red chilli powder - 1-11/2tsp (depends on how spicy you want it)

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Ginger - a small piece

Curry leaves - few

Oil for shallow frying

Salt - to taste

PREPARATION:

Blend all these ingredients to a smooth paste with very little water and rub it on the fish slices.  Marinate them for 15 to 20 minutes.The longer the better.

Heat some oil in a non stick pan and add  a few pieces of the marinated fish in one layer.  When you are frying fish, please do not flip the fish until it browns on one side.

Once it turns golden brown turn it and let it brown on the other side. Garnish it with some onions mixed with some lime juice and salt.

This goes well with some steamed rice or rotis.