Meen Kuzhambu

Ingredients
Fish - 1/2 kg
Small onion - 10 to 15
Tomato - 1 big size
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tblsp
Garlic - 4 pods
Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp
Home made chilly powder - 2 and 1/2 tblsp
Gingerly oil - 3 tblsp
Tamarind  - 1 big lemon size
Venthayam - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 spring
Water -2 and 1/2 cups
Salt

Preparation
1. Clean and wash fish. Drain water and keep aside. Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of water for 30 min and extract juice.
2. Heat oil in pan and temper with venthayam and curry leaves. Add crushed garlic and onion and then fry. Add ginger garlic paste and fry until all turns golden brown. Add tomato and fry until it turns mushy. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder, tamarind water and salt. When all blends well add water and close pan. Allow it to boil well for atleast 15 min. When gravy thickens add fish and cook for 5 min and switch off stove. Serve hot with rice or Idly.

Note
1.  Meen kuzhambu should be spicy and be generous with oil to balance the heat.
2. In general small fish is preferred for kuzhambu. If you are using big fish then use head and tail for kuzhambu and rest for fish fry!
3. Meen kuzhambu tastes extremely great  the next day! . So prepare tonight and have for tomorrow breakfast as side dish for idly/Dosa!