cats of kochi

Ingredients

Fresh Fish: Fresh white kingfish (kera), carefully cleaned and prepared.

Cleaning Mix: Vinegar, sea salt, and a little turmeric used to wash the fish.

Spice Mix: Turmeric, red chili powder, and salt used to marinate the fish.

Fresh Ingredients: Ginger, green chilies, garlic, and curry leaves.

Traditional Spices: Mustard seeds, roasted fenugreek powder (uluvapodi), and asafoetida (kayapodi).

Oil: Pure sesame oil (nallenna), which gives the pickle its rich and traditional flavour.

How It Is Prepared

Preparing the Fish

Fresh kingfish is cleaned carefully by removing the head, tail, skin, and bones. The fish pieces are washed with vinegar, salt, and turmeric, and then drained well so that no extra moisture remains.

Marinating

The fish pieces are coated with turmeric, red chili powder, and salt. They are left to rest for a few hours so that the spices absorb well into the fish.

Frying the Fish

The marinated fish is fried in a heavy pan until it becomes firm and slightly golden. This helps keep the flavour and texture of the fish.

Preparing the Spice Base

Sesame oil is heated and mustard seeds are allowed to crackle. Ginger, garlic, green chilies, and curry leaves are added and sautéed until aromatic. The spice powders are then added slowly and mixed well.

Final Cooking

Vinegar and a little salt are added and brought to a boil. The fried fish is then added back into the mixture and simmered until the fish is well coated with the spicy gravy.

Storage

Allow the pickle to cool completely before storing it in clean glass jars. For best results, the fish pieces should remain covered under a layer of oil to maintain freshness and flavour.

Taste Profile

• Spicy

• Tangy

• Rich coastal flavour

• Firm fish texture

Why This Matters

By choosing this pickle, you are supporting women from Fort Kochi and Mattancherry who are building independent livelihoods through traditional food practices.