There’s something unmistakably comforting about a plate of warm vellayappam or puttu, gently soaked in the creamy gravy of a Karimeen Mappas. For many in Kerala, especially in Christian households along the backwaters, this isn’t just food – it’s the kind of breakfast that feels like a quiet celebration. No spices screaming for attention, no bold colors. Just subtlety, warmth, and that unmistakable taste of home.
Mappas isn’t a fiery curry. It’s soft-spoken, made with coconut milk and a light blend of spices, cooked slowly until the flavors settle into each other. The star of it – karimeen, or pearl spot – soaks in that gravy beautifully. It holds its shape but flakes off at the touch of a spoon. The gravy itself is silky, slightly tangy, and full of the aroma of curry leaves, coconut oil, and the sweetness of slow-cooked shallots. It’s the kind of dish that doesn’t rush you – you eat it slowly, mop up every drop, and always go back for one more appam.
Growing up, mappas was a dish that always meant Sunday mornings or special guests. Not too spicy for breakfast, but rich enough to feel special. I remember my grandmother making it for Christmas mornings – soft appams stacked on a plate, karimeen gently layered in a clay pot, and the dining table full of that creamy, coastal fragrance.
What makes mappas unique is its place in Kerala’s Syrian Christian food tradition. While the rest of Kerala leaned towards tamarind/ Cambogia -rich fish curries or red chili-heavy gravies, the Christian kitchens evolved a style that used coconut milk generously, and preferred subtlety over heat. Mappas is part of that legacy – alongside stew, ishtu, and fish molee. The technique is slow, the flavours are balanced, and there’s a certain elegance in how everything comes together without trying too hard.
Though it’s most commonly served for breakfast with appam, dosa, or puttu, it fits beautifully into a lunch plate too – especially with soft white rice or even chappathi. The best part? It tastes even better after a few hours, when the fish has settled into the gravy – as if it’s found its place.
Even now, whenever I see fresh karimeen in the market, I think not of fiery fry or pollichathu first – I think of mappas. Of quiet mornings, coconut milk gently simmering, and the soft hush of a curry that says everything without saying much at all.
Kerala Karimeen Mappas
Ingredients
Instructions
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Karimeen Mappas or Kerala Pearl Spot curry is a typical Kerala curry often served as a breakfast side dish. It’s easy, tasty, and a must-try item.
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First of all clean the fish, make vertical cutting marks. It will help the masala to stick to the fish
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For preparing marination masala, we will mix 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon Chilly powder, 1 teaspoon Black pepper powder, Salt, and a tablespoon Lemon Juice to a paste
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Cover fish with masala
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Next, we will fry the fish 70%. Rest will be cooked in curry.
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Now we will prepare the masala for the curry.
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We will grind, Shallots, Garlic, Ginger, 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon Chilly powder, and 1 teaspoon Coriander powder with some water
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We will prepare the curry now, For that, you can heat some fresh oil or the same oil we used to fry fish
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Add a big onion sliced. Saute it for some time. Next, add Greem chilies and curry leaves
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When the Onion becomes semi-translucent, add tomatoes.
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When everything cooked well, add the Masala paste and enough salt.
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We will cook the mix till the water content evaporate little and the mix becomes a little dry
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Add Thin coconut milk (Randaam pal) and mix well. Let it boil
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When it starts to boil, add fried fish. Do not use Ladle or any spoon to mix it. The fish will break into pieces
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You can twist the pan with had to mix it. Close the pan with a lid and cook it for some more time
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We will add the Thick coconut milk (Onnam Pal) just before removing the curry from flame
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We will finish the curry by pouring some coconut oil over it.
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Karimeen mappas is ready. Enjoy it with Appam, Puttu, or Dosa