Tilapia Fish-ball curry

This is a dish I learnt from my wife, who has a mastery on it. This is an absolute bliss for fish lovers. The recipe is simple but a bit lengthy. The fish-balls are savory themselves. You can even serve just the fish-balls as appetizer and skip the gravy. I couldn't stop myself from hogging few of them before proceeding with the remaining dish.Try it out at home and you will definitely add it to your special menu.

I have used Tilapia fillets but you can use any fish fillet.

Ingredients:

For fish-ball:

• Tilapia fillet                – 300 grams
• Onion                          - 1 medium, finely chopped
• Potato                         - 1 large, boiled
• Bread slice                   - 1
• Coriander leaves          - 1 Tbsp chopped
• Ginger                         - 1 tsp finely chopped
• Garlic                          - 3-4 cloves, finely chopped
• Green chili                   - 3-4, finely chopped
• Besan                           - 1 Tbsp
• Turmeric powder          - a fat pinch
• Salt                              - to taste
• Oil                                - 3 Tbsp

For gravy:

• Bay leaf                       - 1
• Cinnamon                    - 1" stick
• Cardamom                   - 2
• Cloves                          - 4-5
• Onion                          - 1 large, finely chopped
• Green chili                  - 3-4, finely chopped
• Ginger paste                - ½ tsp
• Garlic paste                 - ½ tsp
• Red chili powder          - ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder         - ½ tsp
• Cumin powder             - 1 tsp   
• Hung curd                    - 2 Tbsp
• Garam masala powder  - ½ tsp(this is a mix of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom)
• Salt                             - to taste

1. Cut the Tilapia fillets into small pieces. Put in a microwaveable bowl, add a little water and cook in mircowave (3-5 minutes) till the fish is cooked. Alternatively you can steam the fish and cook. Strain water and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add the onions, green chili. Cook for few minutes.
3. Add the chopped garlic, ginger, a fat pinch of turmeric powder and a little salt. Cook till the raw smell of garlic fades away.
4. Add chopped coriander and cook for another minute. Allow it to cool.

5. In a large bowl, take the peeled boiled potato and mash them well.
6. Add the cooked Tilapia pieces and the cooked onion masala that we just prepared.
7. Mix besan, a little salt. Crumble the bread slice into the mix.

8. Now mash and mix everything well to form a good dough. Check that the binding of the mix is proper, else they might fall apart while frying. Adjust the besan and bread to get a perfect binding.

9. Make small round balls of equal sizes.

10. Heat oil in a pan. When hot add the fish balls gently to the oil and keep frying in medium heat from all sides till they turn brown in color. 

11. Remove from pan and place in a kitchen towel. These fish-balls taste really yum. I could not stop myself from hogging few right at this point itself. :)

12. For the gravy heat oil in pan or use the remaining oil. When heated add the whole spices(bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves). When the aroma of spices come out add chopped onion and green chili and cook till the onions turns translucent.

13. Add ginger paste and garlic paste. Cook till the raw smell fades.
14. Add the powdered masalas(turmeric, red chili, cumin). Cook for a minute.
15. Add curd and mix very well and keep cooking till oil separates.

16. Add one cup water and cover the pan with a lid and let the gravy come to boil.
17. Add salt, garam masala powder and mix well.
18. Add the fish balls and mix well so that the fish balls are covered with gravy.
19. Cover and cook for another few minutes.

20. Remove from stove. Serve with hot rice or roti.