Bangude Pulimunchi is a traditional Mangalorean fish curry made with mackerel, red chilies, spices, and tamarind. This spicy and tangy Mackerel fish curry is easy to make, ready in 30 minutes, and tastes delicious with steamed rice or neer dosa. Here's my easy fish pulimunchi recipe with step-by-step photos and a quick video.
Bangude Pulimunchi is a popular Mangalorean fish curry from coastal Karnataka, especially enjoyed in the Mangalore and Udupi regions. In Tulu, "puli" means sour or tamarind, "munchi" means chilli, and "bangude" refers to mackerel. Pulimunchi gets its sour and spicy taste from tamarind and red chilies.
This is my mom's Bangude pulimunchi recipe. It comes together in about 30 minutes and tastes best with steamed rice, Mangalorean neer dosa, or red rice.
Unlike many Mangalorean fish curries, bangude pulimunchi does not contain coconut. The thick gravy gets its texture from the ground spices, onion, garlic, and tamarind. Love Mangalorean fish recipes? Try my Fish Masala Fry, Mackerel Curry, or this crispy Mackerel Fish Fry next.
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About this Bangude Pulimunchi Recipe
My mom always says fish curry tastes best when cooked in a clay pot, which heats slowly and evenly and helps bring out the flavors. However, you can also make this fish pulimunchi in a steel vessel, as I did in this recipe.
You can make this Mangalorean fish curry with different types of fish like bangude (mackerel) or sardine (bhutai meen). This fish curry is quite spicy, but you can adjust the red chilies to suit your family's preference.
To make it, I first toast the whole spices and then grind them with tamarind, onion, garlic, and a few other ingredients to make the pulimunchi masala paste. The masala is cooked until fragrant, then the mackerel is added and gently simmered until the fish is cooked through.
If you like this recipe, you may also like these South Indian seafood recipes
Ingredients Notes
The key to bangude pulimunchi is the balance of tangy tamarind, spicy red chilies, aromatic spices like coriander, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and curry leaves. Here's what you'll need to make this Mangalorean fish curry.
- Fresh bangda (Mackerel) fish: Fresh fish tastes the best. I used fresh Mackerel or bangda fish for this pulimunchi recipe. Frozen fish also works well. Thaw them properly before using them. You can also use Sardines (Tarle or bhutai meen).
- For Pulimunchi spice paste: I have used coriander seeds, cumin, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, carom seeds, peppercorns, turmeric powder, and dried red chilies.
- Tamarind: It is the main ingredient for Mangalorean fish masala. It provides a sour taste to the pulimunchi paste.
- Red chilies: You can use Byadgi red chilies or Kashmiri red chilies for the recipe. Deseed the red chilies to reduce their spiciness and add as per taste.
How to make Bangude Pulimunchi (Fish Pulimunchi) - with Step-by-Step Photos
1) In a heavy-bottomed pan, dry roast coriander seeds, cumin, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, carom seeds, and peppercorns over low heat until aromatic (image 1). Transfer them to a plate.
2) In the same pan, dry-roast red chilies on low heat until crisp (image 2). Remove them to the same plate. Let the roasted ingredients cool down before transferring them to a grinder jar.
3) Add roasted spices and red chilies, onion, garlic, ginger, tamarind, and turmeric powder to a blender. Add a little water and grind until smooth. Set this spice blend aside (images 3 & 4).
4) Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add onions, ginger, green chilies, and curry leaves. Stir and cook until the onions are translucent (image 5).
5) Add the spice blend and stir it into the mixture (image 6). Cook for one minute, then add salt (image 7). Stir and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the pulimunchi masala is well cooked. You'll notice oil starting to separate from the sides (image 8). If the fish masala/spice blend burns, lower the heat.
6) Add a little water to the blender jar, rinse it out, and then add the rinse water to the curry (image 9). Fish Pulimunchi is a thick curry, so add a little water and then check the consistency. If needed, add more. Cover and cook until the masala boils (image 10).
7) When the curry is boiling, reduce the heat, add the Mackerel fish, and avoid stirring with a ladle afterward. Gently rotate the pot to incorporate the fish into the masala (images 11 & 12).
8) Finally, add the curry leaves (image 13). Cook this Mackerel fish curry for 5 minutes on low heat. Bangude Pulimunchi is ready to serve (image 14). Enjoy it with rice.
Tips to make the Best Bangude Pulimunchi (Fish Pulimunchi)
- Pulimunchi curry is quite thick, so do not add too much water while cooking.
- After adding fish to the curry, please do not touch it with a ladle/spoon, as it will break the fish. Gently rotate the pot to incorporate the fish into the pulimunchi masala. For a visual guide, check out the bangude pulimunchi recipe video.
- If you are following this recipe, keep the ratio of tamarind and red chilies the same. If you are decreasing the quantity of red chilies, then decrease the quantity of tamarind too.
Recipe Card
Bangude Pulimunchi Recipe (Fish Pulimunchi)
Video
Equipment
- 1 Heavy bottom pot
Ingredients
- 500 grams fresh bangda (Mackerel fish) Clean the mackerel, remove the guts and gills, and rinse it well. Drain completely before adding it to the curry.
For Pulimunchi Spice Paste
- 4 teaspoon coriander seeds Dhania
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds Jeera
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds Sasam/Rai
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds methi dana
- ⅛ teaspoon carom seeds Ajwain
- ½ teaspoon peppercorns kali mirchi
- 25 dried red chilies (Byadgi or Kashmiri)
- 1 small onion roughly chopped
- 6-8 garlic cloves
- A small piece of ginger
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- lemon size ball of tamarind discard seeds
To Make Bangude Pulimunchi
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- a small piece of ginger, finely chopped
- 2 green chilies, slit (add as per taste)
- curry leaves
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed pan, dry roast coriander seeds, cumin, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, carom seeds, and peppercorns over low heat until aromatic. Transfer them to a plate.
- In the same pan, dry-roast red chilies on low heat until crisp. Remove them to the same plate. Let the roasted ingredients cool down before transferring them to a grinder jar.
- Add roasted spices and red chilies, onion, garlic, ginger, tamarind, and turmeric powder to a blender. Add a little water and grind until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add onions, ginger, green chilies, and curry leaves. Stir and cook until the onions are translucent.
- Add the spice paste and stir it into the mixture. Cook for one minute, then add salt. Stir and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the masala is well cooked. You'll notice oil starting to separate from the sides. If the masala burns, lower the heat.
- Add a little water to the blender jar, rinse it out, and then add the rinse water to the curry. Pulimunchi is a thick curry so add little water. Cover and cook until the masala boils.
- Reduce the heat. When the curry is boiling, add the fish and avoid stirring with a ladle afterward. Gently rotate the pot to incorporate the fish into the masala. Finally, add the curry leaves.
- Cook it for 5 minutes on low heat. Bangude Pulimunchi is ready to serve. Enjoy it with rice.
Notes
- Pulimunchi curry is thick, so do not add too much water to it while cooking.
- After adding fish to the curry, please do not touch it with a ladle/spoon, as it will break the fish. Gently rotate the pot to incorporate the fish into the masala. For a visual guide, check out the fish pulimunchi video recipe.
- If you are following this recipe, keep the ratio of tamarind and red chilies the same. If you are decreasing the quantity of red chilies, then decrease the quantity of tamarind too.
- Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sophia Mascarenhas
very delicious
Preeti
Glad you enjoyed.