Trip down Nostalgia Lane with Mathi Peera Pattichethu....(Sardines with coconut)

Been craving Mathi ever since I got back from a trip home where my fav Aunt and dear old N chechi cooked them for me everyday I was there- I miss them! Mathi fried is always my first choice in seafood back home (after fish head curry!!) but I'll settle for peera too.

 The cravings are not the kind that will get me to drive down to the Asian fish stores, buy fresh sardines, clean them, cook them - no thanks! By then I'd be stressed out by the smell, the imaginary scales on the kitchen walls and counters and worse still, if they're not fresh- there goes my property value- I'd never be able to get the smell of rotten sardines out of my house or neighbourhood for that matter...

However on a recent grocery shopping trip, I was surprised to find that the local Whole Foods carries fresh wild sardines, cleaned and looking good!! And here's what transpired shortly there after...

 

Mathi peera , came close to the authentic taste, no complaints on my end- cravings satisfied! For those of you not near a source of fresh sardines, there's always Costco to fall back on. I made peera pathichethe with the canned ones and they were just as good, in fact I thought they were moister given that its canned in Olive oil.

Costco Sardines- they're seasonal and local, may not be available at all locations. 

For a pound of sardines ( cut up into 2 or 3 bite sized pieces)

you'll need:

1.  a cup of grated coconut,
2. 4-5 cloves of garlic minced,
3. 1" piece of ginger minced,
4. 4-5 green chillies minced ( depends on the heat, I like the kick of spicy green chillies!),
5. 2 pieces of Kudam Pulli soaked in a little water,
6. curry leaves, salt to taste

Thoroughly combine everything with turmeric and cook covered on low for about 10-15 mins till the sardines are cooked through. I drizzle some coconut oil over it while its cooking but its optional. For sardines out of the can, I still give it 10 mins of cooking time taking care to not break up the pieces while combining/stirring and leave out the oil.

Learn more about the Kudam Pulli @ http://www.kudampuli.com/medicinal_properties.html