Meen Achar
Kerala fish pickle made by frying cubes of kingfish or seer fish and then marinating them in a tangy-spicy paste of vinegar, chilli, ginger, garlic, and fenugreek. Kept for weeks, the flavours deepen and mellow over time — a prized addition to any rice meal.
Cuisines
Travancore
Kerala
Kerala Christian
Malabar
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 50 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 250 grams | firm fish (like kingfish or seer fish) |
| 1 tablespoon | red chili powder |
| 1 teaspoon | turmeric powder |
| 1 tablespoon | salt |
| 1 cup | coconut oil |
| 1 tablespoon | mustard seeds |
| 1 teaspoon | fenugreek seeds |
| 10 cloves | garlic, sliced |
| 1 inch | ginger, sliced |
| 10 | green chilies, slit |
| 2 cups | vinegar |
| 1 tablespoon | asafoetida |
| 1 tablespoon | sugar |
| 1 teaspoon | curry leaves |
Instructions
- 1 Clean and cut the fish into small pieces.
- 2 Mix the fish pieces with red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Set aside for 15 minutes.
- 3 Heat coconut oil in a pan and fry the marinated fish pieces until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
- 4 In the same oil, add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.
- 5 Add fenugreek seeds, followed by garlic, ginger, and green chilies. Sauté until the garlic turns golden brown.
- 6 Pour in the vinegar and bring to a boil.
- 7 Add asafoetida, sugar, and curry leaves. Stir well.
- 8 Add the fried fish pieces to the boiling mixture and simmer for 5 minutes.
- 9 Remove from heat and let it cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Tips
For best results, let the pickle mature for a week before consuming to enhance the flavors.