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Karawala thel dala
කරවල තෙල් දාලා (karawala thel dala): salty dried fish stir-fried with onion, tomato and chilli
Every Sri Lankan market from Negombo to Trincomalee has a stall stacked with karawala, sun-dried salted fish, and when the larder is low or the rain keeps the boats in, a quick thel dala turns a small piece of it into something to wake up a plate of rice. Strips or small whole fish are fried until crisp, then tossed with plenty of onion, tomato, green chilli and chilli flakes until they are glossy, salty, smoky and hot. It is eaten in small amounts beside dhal, rice and a mild vegetable curry, or with kiribath and pol roti for breakfast, and it keeps for a day or two. Watch out for the classic fault of skipping the soak, which leaves the dish far too salty to eat. Chef's tip: fry the soaked fish until really crunchy before the onions go in; that crisp edge is what makes it addictive.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 7 oz dried salted fish (sprats, salaya or seer)cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 3 cloves garlicsliced
- 2 red onionsthickly sliced
- 2 green chilliessliced
- 1 tomatocut into wedges
- 1 tsp dried red chilli flakes
- 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 /2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp lime juice
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What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (6)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Soak 7 oz dried salted fish (sprats, salaya or seer) in warm water for 10 minutes, rinse twice and squeeze dry. Taste a flake; if still very salty, soak 5 minutes more.
10 minStep 2: Heat 4 tbsp coconut oil in a wok or frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the fish for 4–5 minutes, turning, until crisp and golden. Lift out onto kitchen paper.
5 minStep 3: In the same oil, fry 1 sprig curry leaves and 3 cloves garlic for 30 seconds.
1 minStep 4: Add 2 red onions and 2 green chillies and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until the onion is soft but still holds its shape.
4 minStep 5: Add 1 tomato, 1 tsp dried red chilli flakes, 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric and 1 /2 tsp sugar and toss for 2 minutes until the tomato just softens.
2 minStep 6: Return the fish to the pan, toss for 1 minute to coat, then turn off the heat and squeeze over 1 tbsp lime juice. Serve hot or at room temperature.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does karawala thel dala take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of curry leaves?
- Leave them out, or add a strip of lime zest (there's no true substitute).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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