Nellore Chepala Pulusu Recipe

Nellore Chepala Pulusu is a preferred Andhra recipe made with onions, tomatoes, pulusu masala, fish which is cooked in a fiery tamarind sauce. The word ‘chepala’ means ‘fish‘ and ‘pulusu’ means ‘tamarind based gravy’. That is my go-to fish curry every time I feel like having something spicy. This Fish pulusu is spicy and tangy red fish curry which matches well with steamed rice or ragi mudde.

Chepala Pulusu

I actually have been in search of a spicy, tangy, red fish curry recipe with no coconut. Finally I got one, that is Andhra recipe. It uses plenty of tamarind and plenty of chillies. This fiery fish curry is ideal with hot rice. 

About Chepala Pulusu

Fish curry may be made many alternative ways and that is one of the vital popular version. This Nellore | Andhra style fish curry can be referred to as fish pulusu, chepala pulusu, meen pulusu. The word ‘chepala’ means ‘fish‘ and ‘pulusu’ means ‘tamarind based gravy’. The dish is made with onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, spice powders and fish which is simmered in a tangy tamarind sauce.

Fish pulusu requires firm white-fleshed fresh water fish which is marinated with basic spices. Fry the marinated fish in a very good amount of oil. The pulusu gravy is made by grinding sauted onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic. Whole spices like cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, fenugreek seeds is tempered in oil and cooked with onion tomato paste. Add in Tamarind extract together with fried fish and finish the gravy with a final addition of freshly made pulusi podi.

Nellore chepala pulusu is best served with ragi mudde, chapati, rice which makes an ideal addition to Andhra meals. Hungry for more Andhra recipes.

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Watch Fish Pulusu Video

Chepala Pulusu Ingredients

Onions – Sliced onions is sauted and ground for this curry. You need to use peeled shallots on this curry for more taste. Some days I add peeled shallots within the curry whole for sweet flavour.

Tomatoes – I do not add an excessive amount of tomato in fish pulusu, since the tangy taste should come from tamarind.

Ginger & Garlic – I prefer using fresh ginger and garlic. You need to use ginger garlic paste as well.

Fish – use any firm white fleshed fish like tilapia, seer fish, king fish. Ensure that you clean it well in water two to 3 times to remove the fishy smell. I wish to apply lemon juice over the fish and let it marinate for five mins then rinse well.

Tempering Spices – Traditionally fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds are the vital tempering spices, but you may add cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf for more flavour.

Spice Powders – basic spice powders like chilli powder, coriander and turmeric powder. You need to use kashmiri chilli powder for color. Pulusu podi is added ultimately for flavour.

The best way to Make Pulusu Podi (Ingredients)

Pulusu is a tamarind based curry which is made in around Nellore region. The gravy normally has thin consistency so a conventional spice mix called as pulusu powder or podi is used to thicken the curry. There are such a lot of recipes for pulusu podi across the web. Each household has their very own version of pulusu spice mix.

Traditionally pulusu powder has a mixture of spices like dry chillies, coriander seeds, cumin, pepper, cinnamon, fenugreek seeds, dry coconut, poppy seeds, chana dal and curry leaves.

Ingredients are collected together is roasted in a dry pan till fragrant and toasted, then powdered. You’ll be able to store this in fridge and use when making tamarind based curries or stew. The version which I utilized in this recipe is straightforward one which matches well with fish curries. Meanwhile check my egg pulusu and Gutti Vankaya Pulusu Kura.

The best way to Make Chepala Pulusu (Stepwise Pictures)

Making Pulusu podi

1)Start by making pulusu podi. Dry roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, whole black pepper, dry red chillies and fenugreek seeds. Roast this in a dry pan with no oil and likewise be certain the warmth may be very low.

2)Once the spices are well toasted, it would be fragrant. Add in dry coconut | desiccated coconut or kopra. Roast coconut with the spices till golden brown in color.

3)Let the roasted spices and coconut cool completely, take this mix in a blender and powder till effective. Once powdered, put aside till needed.

Marinating & Frying Fish

4)Take any firm fleshed cleaned fish in a bowl. Add in turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Mix well and leave to marinate for 10 minutes if needed. But I used it immediately.

5)Heat gingelly oil in a kadai. You wish quite a little bit of oil. I exploit this same oil for making the fish pulusu. Drop fish in and fry for 1 to 2 minutes till evenly seared. Remove using a slotted spoon and put aside.

6)Remove the fried fish in a bowl, needn’t fry the fish till crispy. Simply to sear the flavours is enough.

Sauteing & Grinding Onion & Tomato

7)Now remove a lot of the oil from the kadai, keep 3 tbsp of oil within the pan for sauteing onions. Once the oil is hot, add in sliced onions, peeled whole garlic cloves.

8)Add in peeled sliced ginger. Saute this for 1 to 2 minutes till evenly golden. As a substitute of ginger and garlic you should use 2 tbsp of ginger garlic paste.

9)Add in tomatoes and saute for two more minutes till the tomatoes soften somewhat. Switch off the flame and let it cool down a bit before grinding.

10)Take the onion and tomato mix within the blender and grind right into a smooth puree. Don’t add water when grinding.

Tempering Spices

11)Now in the identical pan, add the leftover fried oil. Add within the tempering whole spices one after the other. Add in cinnamon, bay leaf and cardamom pods.

12)Add in fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chillies (broken into small pieces) and a handful of curry leaves in the identical oil. Saute the entire spices for 1 minute.

Cooking Fish Pulusu Gravy

13)Once the entire spices is tempered. Add within the onion tomato masala which we ground into the oil. You’ll be able to add some water to the blender and to remove all of the onion paste from the blender jar. Don’t use an excessive amount of water, use lower than ¼ cup.

14)Add in green chillies which is slit in half. Saute the onion and tomatoes for 4 to 5minutes till oil separates from the mixture.

15)Add in spice powders. I’m using chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Stir fry the spices with the onion masala for two minutes till the raw smell leaves.

16)Add in tamarind extract and water. Adjust the consistency accordingly. I used a complete of 1 litre of liquid.

17)Now mix the whole lot together. Taste the sauce and adjust tamarind and salt to your liking. Now bring this to a full boil, cover and cook for five to 10 minutes till a layer of oil floats on top.

Ending Chepala Pulusu

18)Add within the fried fish back into the gravy and cook covered on low medium heat for five more minutes until the fish is cooked completely and a layer of oil floats on top.

19)That is how you understand your fish pulusu is prepared. Once oil floats on top, then every spices and masala added within the curry is cooked completely.

20)Finally add within the pulusu podi and stir well. Cook again on low heat for five more minutes.

21)Finally garnish with coriander leaves and blend. Serve with white steamed rice or ragi mudde.

This is similar fish pulusu which I made one other day. This time I used kashmiri chilli powder which gave me a wealthy red color to the fish pulusu. I also cooked this in clay pot.

Expert Suggestions

Selecting Fish – use white fleshed fish for more taste. Normally fish with bones still intact adds flavour to the curry. But in case you prefer boneless you should use them too.

Spice powders – I used kashmiri chilli powder on this recipe, it gave me a wealthy color with medium spiciness. But in case you want it to be super spicy, you should use half kashmiri and half regular chilli powder.

Which Oil to make use of – Use gingelly oil for best taste. Don’t reduce the oil on this, you wish that to balance all of the spiciness. Also this gravy takes quite a little bit of salt. So taste and adjust the seasoning.

Tamarind & Salt – This curry must be tangy and spicy, so adjust each as per your taste and requirement. 

Let it marinate – Allow the curry to sit down for a few hours before eating so the flavors meld together, this curry taste even higher the subsequent day when reheated.

More Fish Recipes to try

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