Photo: stu_spivack · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Kerala · Dinner

Fish Olathiyathu

Parboiled fish dry-roasted with shallots, curry leaves, and whole spices until the pieces are semi-dried and intensely flavoured — Kerala's equivalent of a dry fish preparation, served as a side dish with rice.

🧺 Ingredients

• Firm fish (tuna or seer fish), cubed: 400 g
• Shallots: 100 g, sliced
• Ginger: 15 g, sliced
• Garlic: 4 cloves, sliced
• Green chillies: 3, slit
• Red chilli powder: 1½ tsp
• Turmeric: ½ tsp
• Black pepper: 1 tsp
• Curry leaves: 3 sprigs
• Coconut oil: 3 tbsp
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Olathiyathu should be quite dry; don't add extra liquid.

👩‍🍳 How to make Fish Olathiyathu

1. Cook fish in 200 ml water with turmeric and ½ tsp salt for 4–5 min until just cooked.
2. Drain and reserve liquid.
3. Heat coconut oil.
4. Add shallots, ginger, garlic; cook until golden, 4 min.
5. Add green chillies and curry leaves.
6. Add chilli powder, pepper; stir 1 min.
7. Add drained fish.
8. Stir-fry gently — not stirring too vigorously — coating fish with spice.
9. Add 2 tbsp reserved cooking liquid; let it evaporate completely.
10. Stir-fry 5 more min until fish is semi-dry and edges begin to colour.

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