Have you ever wondered how recipes narrate their own stories? Where were they born, how was their journey, and how flexible were they to adapting new ingredients and cooking methods to evolve? Today I will share something like that. The fish molly recipe; it’s a perfect testament to justify what am I trying to convey. Born in a Keralan Kitchen, it has well accepted various influences from various cuisines. Keralan cuisine has influences like coastal influence, culinary diversity, colonial impact, availability of indigenous spices, and traditional cooking methods. The fish molly recipe is a perfect concoction of all of these. Its taste and power of acceptance have brought it a long way, from regular Keralan houses to international fine dining.
Let’s see how you too can prepare this in your kitchen.
Ingredients:
Fish fillets – 500 g (Take fish of your choice/ kingfish, tilapia, salmon, or cod)
Thick coconut milk – 1 Cup
Thin coconut milk – ½ Cup
Green chilies – 3 Nos. (slit lengthwise)
Ginger – 1 Inch (julienned)
Garlic – 5 Nos. (minced)
Onion – 1 No. (large, thinly sliced)
Tomato – 1 No. (chopped)
Turmeric powder – ½ Teaspoon
Red chili powder – ½ Teaspoon
Black pepper powder – ½ Teaspoon
Mustard seeds – 1 Teaspoon
Curry leaves – 3 Springs
Oil – 2 Tablespoon
Salt – To taste
Fresh coriander leaves – 1 Tablespoon (finely chopped, for garnishing)
Procedure:
Prepare the Fish:
Take medium-sized fish fillets. Marinate it with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder. Keep it in a cool place for half an hour. By that time go ahead with the other preparation.
The tempering:
Take a wok where you want to prepare your fish molly.
Heat oil on medium flame.
Add mustard seeds and let them sputter.
Now add onions, green chilies, ginger, and garlic.
Sauté until onions become soft and translucent.
Add the spices:
Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and black pepper powder to the translucent onion.
Sauté for a minute. The raw smell of the spices should go away.
Give it a body:
Add chopped tomatoes and stir. Cook until it turns soft and mushy. This will give your fish molly recipe a body.
Prepare the gravy:
You need both types of coconut milk to prepare the gravy, the thin and the thick one.
Add thin coconut milk to the cooked tomatoes. Put it on low flame.
As soon it will start boiling add the marinated fish.
Gently cover it with the gravy.
Lid it.
Cook it for 5 – 7 minutes. Let the fish be completely cooked. But don’t overcook the fish.
Once the fish is cooked, add the thick coconut milk.
Stir gently.
Let it stay on low flame for another 2-3 minutes.
Add salt at this stage.
The finishing touch:
Add fresh curry leaves to the gravy followed by a quick stir.
Transfer it to a serving bowl.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Team it up with steamed rice or Appam and serve.
Nutritional Values of Fish Molly (per serving)
| Calories | 370 Cal |
| Fat | 7.7 g |
| Sodium | 51.7 mg |
| Potassium | 197.9 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 7.6 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.3g |
| Sugars | 1.5 g |
| Protein | 14.5 g |
| Vitamin A | 7.9% of the Daily Value |
| Vitamin B6 | 7% of the Daily Value |
| Vitamin C | 80.1% of the Daily Value |
| Vitamin E | 1.4% of the Daily Value |
| Calcium | 1.7% of the Daily Value |
| Copper | 4% of the Daily Value |
| Folate | 3.7% of the Daily Value |
| Iron | 3.8% of the Daily Value |
| Magnesium | 3.3% of the Daily Value |
| Manganese | 12.2% of the Daily Value |
| Niacin | 2.2% of the Daily Value |
| Pantothenic Acid | 1.3 % of the Daily Value |
| Phosphorous | 2.9% of the Daily Value |
| Riboflavin | 2.4% of the Daily Value |
| Selenium | 1% of the Daily Value |
| Thiamin | 3.4% of the Daily Value |
| Zinc | 1.2% of the Daily Value |
Percentage of Daily Value is based on a 2000-calorie diet.
Conclusion:
Enjoy the delicious fish molly recipe in the lunch. Its creamy coconut milk gravy is delightful, while the nutritional values give you a reason for a guilt-free indulgence.
Read other Recipes here.