Fish Vinthalu (Meen Vinthalu) – A Traditional Kerala Christian Dish

About Fish Vinthalu

Fish Vinthalu (also known as Meen Vinthalu) is a bold, tangy, and spicy non-vegetarian curry from Kerala Christian cuisine. Its variations are Meat Vinthalu and the pure-vegetarian Bitter Gourd Vinthalu. Inspired by the classic Vinthalu (or Vindaloo/Vinagiri) style from Kerala’s Christian/Anglo-Indian cuisine, this dish traditionally uses meat like pork or fish, slow-cooked with vinegar for a sharp, tangy flavour. Tender meat, sometimes a mix of two meat types, is generally used for preparing this traditional dish. Fish and vegetarian variants are also prepared.

This dish traces its roots to the Portuguese “carne de vinha d’alhos” (meat in wine and garlic). When it was adapted to Kerala cuisine, some local ingredients also formed a part of this recipe. Portuguese-influenced Vindaloo has vinegar as an important ingredient, in which the meat/fish is cooked. No tomatoes, tamarind, or heavy vegetables are typically added—keeping it simple, pickle-like. In this post, I have added two methods of Fish Vinthaalu (Meen Vinthalu) Preparation with slight variations. Fennel seeds have been used in the second method, which is one of the key differences between the two recipes.

Fish Vinthalu – Method 1

Ingredients for Fish Vinthalu (Recipe 1):

1. Fish of any type with good flesh – ½ kg
2. Garlic – 1 bulb
   Ginger – 1 piece
   Fenugreek – ½ small spoon
   Cumin seeds – ½ small spoon
   Mustard – 1 small spoon
   Cinnamon – 1 small piece
   Kashmiri chilli powder – 4 big spoons
3. Oil – 4 big spoons
4. Onions – 2, chopped
5.  Tomatoes – 2, chopped
6. Water – 2 cups
   Salt – For taste
7. Vinegar – 1.5 big spoons
   Sugar – 1 big spoon

How to prepare Fish Vinthalu (Recipe 1))?

1. Clean fish and cut into pieces.
2. Make a fine paste of ingredients no: 2.
3. Heat oil in a pan and fry onions till they turn brown. Filter the oil and keep it aside.
4. In the remaining oil, sauté the paste (ingredients no: 2), and when the oil appears, add tomatoes and sauté again.
5. Add fried onions to it, enough salt and water and allow it to boil.
6. Now put the fish pieces in it, and cook well.
7. When the fish is well-cooked and the gravy thickens, add vinegar and sugar and turn the flame off.
8. You can serve with rice or chappatis.

Courtesy: Vanitha Magazine, July 1-14, 2017

Fish Vinthalu – Method 2

Ingredients for Fish Vinthalu (Recipe 2):

1. Fish – ½ kg
2. Chilli powder -1.5 small spoons
   Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
   Garam masala powder – ¼ tsp
   Pepper powder – ½ small spoon
   Fenugreek – ½ tsp
   Garlic – 6 cloves
   Fennel seeds – ½ small spoon
   Salt – For taste
3. Coconut -1
4. Oil – As required
5. Onions chopped – 2
   Green chillies chopped into round shapes – 3
6. Tomato – 5
   Vinegar – 1 small spoon
   Coriander leaves chopped – A little

How to prepare Fish Vinthalu (Recipe 2)? 

1. Cut the fish into small pieces.
2. Make a fine paste of ingredients no: 2.
3.  Take half the amount of this paste and marinate the fish pieces.
4. Allow it to rest for half an hour.
5. Fry fish in hot oil. Never overcook it.
6. Extract ½ cup of the first milk and 1.5 cups of the second milk from the coconut.
7. Heat oil in a pan, and sauté onions and green chillies.
8. Make a fine paste of tomatoes without adding water, and add it to the sauteed onions.
9. Sauté it for a while, and when it boils, add the second coconut milk and the fish.
10. Cook the fish until the gravy thickens and heat it by adding the first extract of coconut milk.
11. Turn off the flame just before the gravy starts boiling.
12.  Add ingredients no: 7 to the Vinthalu and mix well.

Courtesy: Vanitha Magazine August 15-31, 2010

Read a few more delicious non-veg fish side dish/curry recipes here. Click on the images in the gallery to read.