Nadan Squid Roast / Kerala Koonthal Roast

Nadan Koonthal Roast or squid roast is a Kerala style preparation of calamari, very spicy, and very traditional. Its dry fry, though you can also make it semi gravy.
 

Whenever I make squid roast, I think of Jayasree Anand, a friend I got because of this recipe, it all started with a facebook message from her asking me whether I know to make this and whether it is already in my blog. I gave her the recipe, and told her that I have not posted it yet here....little did I know that a great friendship began with this....and Jay, whenever I make koonthal roast, I think of you and smile.....thank you!

Koonthal roast is very popular in North Kerala, where I live...though the use of "kudampuli" is not so very popular here in Calicut, I sometimes add kudampuli when I make squid roast, I love using kudampuli for fish curry, but you can totally omit it incase you do not favor it....and yes, when I gave the recipe to Jayasree I did not mention adding kudampuli as most people do not like the different flavor it gives to the curry, especially if you are not used to it....if you are a bit on the sour side like me, you can add in a bit of tamarind juice...otherwise, you can totally omit it and increase one tomato.

Note: If you plan to use kudampuli, then one tomato will be sufficient, if not add one more.

I used Kashmiri chilly powder, if you are using ordinary red chilly powder reduce by half. Since, I am on the spicy side I used 3 tsp; adjust accordingly by reducing 1 tsp.

I used my clay chatti or deep pan to make this, you can use a nonstick pan or which ever you prefer.

Slow cooking is the rule here, so remember to keep the flame at the lowest.

Author: Nisa Homey
Preparation time: 30 min.
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients:
Squid: 500 gm.
Onion: 1 large, chopped.
Garlic: 5-6 cloves.
Ginger: 1 inch.
Green Chilies: 2.
Tomato:1 chopped.
Kudampuli: 2, shredded into pieces.
Red Chilly: 3 tsp (adjust according to your taste).
Coriander: 1 tsp.
Pepper powder: 1/2 tsp.
Garam masala: 1/4 tsp.
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves.
Coconut oil: 2-3 tbsp.
Salt to taste: About 1/2 to 1 tsp

Method:
Clean the squid and cut it into small.

Chop the onions, ginger, and garlic. Slice the green chilies.

Heat coconut oil in a chatti or pan (I used clay chatti) . Add in the mustard seeds, and once they start to crack add in the chopped onion, ginger, garlic, green chilly, and lastly curry leaves.....Add in salt. Put the fire on simmer, and let it simmer for 2-3 min....mix, on and off.

Once the onion starts to brown slightly.

Add in red chilly powder, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, and pepper powder.

Mix well until the raw flavor diminishes.

Add in the chopped tomatoes.

Mix well, and simmer for a few minutes until oil comes out and tomatoes are all mashed up and mixed nicely.

Add 1/2 cup water, squid, and kudampul if adding. It is said that squid takes a bit longer time to cook than fish, so some people like to pressure cook it. But I am just boiling it and then simmering it until the water is dried up.

After about 5-10 minutes, the water has almost dried up and now it has little gravy, at this stage I added few more curry leaves. If you like it in semi gravy stage, you can switch off the fire and use it....but I kept it a little more further, so that all the water is dried up and it is roasted....slow roasted...another 10 minutes or so on low flame.

This is my kind of squid roast.

Serve hot with rice.

Some more fish recipes:
Meen Peera, Fish Fry, Kerala Style Fish Curry in Coconut Milk