Photo: goanfishcurryrice2 · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Kerala · Dinner

Netholi Curry

Tiny anchovies cooked in a fierce, tangy red gravy of ground coconut, dried chillies, and kudam puli — a deeply flavoured, humble dinner that punches far above its modest ingredients.

🧺 Ingredients

• Netholi (dried/fresh anchovies): 300 g (if dried, soak 10 min and clean)
• Grated coconut: 100 g
• Dried red chillies: 6
• Shallots: 80 g
• Garlic: 5 cloves
• Turmeric: ½ tsp
• Kudam puli: 2 pieces (soaked in 100 ml water)
• Coconut oil: 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
• Curry leaves: 2 sprigs
• Salt: 1 tsp
• If using dried netholi, rinse twice and soak 10 min; they are very salty — adjust salt accordingly.
• For a less fierce version, reduce red chillies to 4 and add a pinch of sugar.

👩‍🍳 How to make Netholi Curry

1. Grind coconut, red chillies, shallots, garlic, and turmeric with a little water into a smooth red paste.
2. Heat oil; splutter mustard seeds; add curry leaves.
3. Add ground paste; stir-fry 3 min.
4. Add kudam puli water and 100 ml plain water.
5. Simmer 5 min until gravy thickens and oil surfaces.
6. Add cleaned anchovies and salt.
7. Cook covered 6 min, then uncovered 2 min.
8. The fish will meld into the gravy and the sauce will become thick and intensely flavoured.

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