This dish definitely bowled me over!! I came across the recipe in Vanitha (a Malayalam magazine) and thought would try it out, since the author mentioned it would sit for atleast a week. I was happy, since that would mean I need to cook one side-dish less for rice. So happily I went ahead and made it...phewww...it got over in the first meal itself...but yeah...my kitchen stank of sardines for 3 days!!!
For boiling
Sardines - 5-6
Vinegar - 1 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup
Salt - as per taste
For frying
Small onion, thinly sliced - 1 cup
Ginger - 1 inch piece, crushed
Garlic - 4 cloves, crushed
Curry leaves - 3 sprigs
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 2 tsp (as per your spice level)
Coconut oil (any oil) - 4 tbsp
Method
1. Clean and wash the sardines thoroughly. Boil it with water, salt and vinegar as mentioned above. Once the sardines are cooked, remove the excess water. Then take the sardine (one at a time), hold it by its tail and just shake a little bit..the flesh alone will fall to the plate. Discard the bone. There will still be small bones left in the flesh, but thats fine. Once the flesh is fried in oil, they become crispy and and can be eaten. Repeat the process for rest of the sardines. Keep the flesh aside.
2. In a non-stick pan, add all the oil. When its heated, add sliced onions, ginger, garlic and curry leaves. Let them get sauteed till they becomes almost brown in low flame.
3. Add the turmeric powder, chilly powder and saute for a minute or so.
4. Add the sardine flesh and give a thorough mix. Add salt as per your taste. Let the mixture get cooked/fried in a low flame till its nicely browned as shown in the pic.
Enjoy with some steaming rice..they are so addictive...
hi Indians have a similar style but don't boil or use vinegar, take out sardine out of the tin and frying without oil in a non stick pan then once brown add to the base. add a chopped pepper into the onion gives it a nice taste goes well with sardines. this dish with daal and a wedge of lemon is best combination, try it sometime.
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