Mix and make a paste of the chilly powder, fenugreek powder and turmeric powder in little water and keep aside.
Heat oil in a claypot or a in deep pan at medium heat and splutter the mustard seeds and a couple of fenugreek seeds. Add the ginger, garlic, pearl onions, green chilly,curry leaves and saut? until they turn golden. Now add the chili, fenugreek, turmeric paste. Saut? for a minute or two, taking care not to burn it, till the oil starts appearing on the surface. Now add the Kudampuli pieces, salt and stir. Now add some water. Bring it to boil, leave it boiling in medium flame for a few minutes and add the fish pieces. (Be careful not to add too much water).
Swirl the clay pot to mix everything and cook at medium-low flame. It usually takes less than 20 - 25 minutes to cook fish. Gently rotate/ swirl the chatty/pan in between, stirring may break the fish pieces.
Cook until the fish is cooked well and the gravy thickens. Add a few curry leaves and some oil before you switch off the flame; this adds extra taste and aroma.
This curry tastes best after one day. If you are planning to leave the curry for longer, don't add onions/shallots.
Serve with rice or kappa, some have it with Chappathi too ?
