Nadan mathi / sardines curry

Ingredients 

1. Mathi / Sardines - 250 gm 
2. Shallot -10
3. Garlic - 5 cloves 
4. Ginger - 2 inch piece 
5. Red chilli powder - 2.5 tbsp 
6. Coriander powder - 1.5 tbsp 
7. Fenugreek powder - 0.5 tsp 
8. Turmeric powder - 0.25 tsp 
9. Gamboge / Kudam puli - 2  or Tamarind - 1 lemon size
10. Curry leaves - 3-4 twigs 
11. Coconut oil - 2 tbsp 
12. Water - 1 cup 

Procedure

1. Clean sardines / mathi nicely. Make sure the skin is taken off completely. 
2. Cut half quantity of ginger, shallot and garlic into small pieces lengthwise.
3. Pulse remaining half of shallots, garlic, ginger along with complete red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, fenugreek powder. 
4. Heat coconut oil in a manchatty. Swirl the manchatty so that oil reaches the entire area of the manchatty.
5. Add the cut ginger, shallots, garlic and curry leaves. Stir till the raw smell goes away.
6. Add the ground mixture to this and stir again for two minutes till a nice aroma of all the powder can be felt.
7. Prepare tamarind juice if using tamarind. If using gamboge, wash it well.
8. Add the sardines along with the ground mixture, gamboge or tamarind water and water.
9. Close the manchatty and cook for 15 minutes in low flame.
10. Add rest of the curry leaves and drizzle coconut oil over the fish curry.
11. After 5 minutes, yummy nadan mathi curry is ready to be served with rice.