Anchovy Aviyal

Ingredients

• 250 g anchovies (nethili), cleaned (நெத்திலி மீன்)
• 2 tbsp coconut oil (தேங்காய் எண்ணெய்)
• 2 green chillies, slit (பச்சை மிளகாய்)
• 150 g shallots, chopped (சின்ன வெங்காயம்)
• 1 small lemon, juiced (எலுமிச்சை)
• a quarter coconut fresh coconut, for the paste (தேங்காய்)
• 2 green chillies, for the paste (பச்சை மிளகாய்)
• 2 tbsp cumin seeds, for the paste (சீரகம்)
• 5 shallots, for the paste (சின்ன வெங்காயம்)
• quarter tsp turmeric powder (மஞ்சள் தூள்)
• as needed salt, 2 sprigs curry leaves, a little mustard seed (உப்பு, கருவேப்பிலை, கடுகு)
• 1 tumbler water (தண்ணீர்)

Method

1. Grind the coconut, green chillies, cumin, shallots and turmeric into a paste.
2. In a clay pot, combine the paste with the chopped shallots, slit chillies, salt and a tumbler of water and bring to a boil.
3. Add the washed anchovies and simmer until cooked and the gravy thickens slightly.
4. Squeeze in the lemon and remove from the heat.
5. Separately temper mustard seeds and curry leaves in coconut oil and pour over the aviyal.

Adapted from பேலியோ ஆரோக்கிய சமையல் (Paleo Arokkiya Samaiyal) by Rtn Kannan Azhagirisamy, page 28. Method rewritten in our own words; ingredient quantities follow the book, with gram weights estimated for the nutrition figures. The book thanks the Arokkiya Unavugal (Healthy Foods) Facebook group and tamilpaleorecipes.com.