Fish Pickle / Meen Achar

A spicy and tasty fish pickle for all the pickle lovers here!!!

Ingredients

Fish : 500 gms
Ginger: 2 Inch Piece
Garlic:  15 - 20 Cloves
Green Chilly: 2 - 3
Red Chilly Powder: 4 Table Spoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Table Spoon
Fenugreek Powder: 1/2 Tea Spoon
Asafoetida Powder: 1/2  Tea Spoon
Gingelly Oil / Nallenna: 1/2 Cup
Mustard Seeds: 1/4 Tea Spoon
Hot Water: 1 Cup
Vinegar: 3 - 4 Table Spoon
Salt

Cooking Time: 30 Minutes
Method

Clean the fish and cut to small bite size cubes. Squeeze out as much as water possible.   Here i have used tuna but you can use any firm fleshed fish

To the cleaned fish add little turmeric powder, red chilly powder and salt.  Marinate it well and keep aside for some time

Crush the ginger, garlic and green chilly

To a pan pour half of the gingelly oil and fry the fish

You need to fry the fish until its crispy

To another pan pour rest of the oil and add mustard seeds.

Once it splutters add crushed ginger, garlic, green chilly and curry leaves

Saute until it becomes light brown in color

Reduce the flame and add the balance chilly powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida powder and some salt

Saute until the raw smell of the spices are gone.  (For about 8 to 10 minutes in low flame)

Add hot water.  (Refer Notes)

Let it boil well

Now add the fried fish along with the oil.

Let it boil well for some time

Switch off the flame and add vinegar and fenugreek powder.

It might look thin but once it cools down it will thicken up

Serve with rice or porridge

Store in clean airtight glass jars
Note:
Adjust the spice levels accordingly
I personally like the pickle with some gravy so i add hot water.  But if you wish to have a thick pickle without or less gravy you can reduce the amount of hot water added or even completely avoid adding hot water.