Dried Nethili/smelt-fish (karuvadu) Chammanthi podi (dry Chutney) is one of the tastiest preservable side dish for fish lovers. The dish is well known as a handy side dish option for bachelors during hostel life. Made by blending dry netholi (can be any dried fish- but netholi gets that authentic flavor) with ground coconut and a few masala ingredients. This chutney can be preserved for at least 2-3 weeks outside refrigerator.
Ingredients
- Unakka nethoili (pre-cleaned) : 200 Gm
- Coconut : 3 Cup
- Pepper cones : 2 Tbl-Sp
- Dried red chilli : 20 (Adjust)
- Curry leaves : 2 sprigs
- Tamarind : small lemon size (Adjust)
- Salt for taste
Method
- Dry roast the netholi, until crispy; keep it aside.
- Heat a pan and add the coconut along with pepper-cones and roast it till golden brown.
- Once the coconut is getting brown, add the dried red chillies and curry leaves; fry it till golden brown.
- Take the coconut from the pan and allow it cool completely.
- keep the roasted netholi into a mixer and make powder – not too fine; keep it in a bowl.
- Then add the coconut along with tamarind and salt and make a coarse powder.
- Now add the coconut mixture into the netholi powder and mix it well with a spoon/hand.
- Finally add all these into the mixer and pulse it about 2-3 seconds for getting everything even.
- Store the chutney powder in an airtight container .
