Pearl fish comes with a coating of thick scales which has to be sliced off with a sharp knife, keeping the head and tail intact
Rub the fish on rough surface( on a cutting board) with salt, and clean inside out. wash with clean water and soak them in curd / lemon juice, to get rid of the any bad smell of the fish.
After half an hour take the fish out of the curd/lemon juice and wash in clean water.
Make slits through the fish diagonally.
To Prepare the Masala
Grind coarsely all the ingredients to be ground. Add the red chilly powder, turmeric and salt and little water to make the masala to a paste form.
Rub it allover the fish inside out.
Lastly keep the carry patha’s pasted to the fish too.
Keep inside the fridge covered for about half an hour for the masala to soak into the fish.
Take out and fry in coconut oil both side until it turn dark brown. Serve hot in plangton leaf.
To Make the Gravy
In the same pan, which fried the fish, take out the excess oil and let the remaining masala dust and oil, heat up.
Fry half-cup button onions, with curry patha.
The onions turn light brown, pour the gravy over the fish, which is served in a plangton leaf.
