Teach somebody to fish, and they'll eat for a lifetime. Teach somebody to fry fish well, they'll eat deliciously for a lifetime.
Vijaya Selvaraju is a worthy teacher. The One World Kitchen host is sharing how she makes meen varuval in this episode of "Say It. Make It. Eat It."
Meen varuval is a staple of South Indian coastal cooking, a quick dish that calls for fresh grouper fish massaged with spices. Born in south India and raised in Cameroon, Selvaraju spent much of her life in Scarborough, Ont.
Fish is king in meen varuval. Selvaraju recommends looking for clear-eyed and smooth-skinned fish, that smell like the ocean. Glazed eyes, slimy scales, and pungent fish aroma would be signs the fish has gone bad.
Vijaya Selvaraju’s meen varuval will take less than 10 minutes to make, and even less time to scarf down. Follow along with the embedded videos to find out how.
Meen is pronounced like "mean." Varuval should be said like "var-uh-vall." The first syllable rhymes with "far" and the second syllable rhymes with "full."
The fish is usually served with rice and tomato soup, but Selvaraju loves polishing hers off with the crispy bite of a sweet onion salad, with lime and salt.
Turmeric gives the fish a vibrant flavour and will probably stain your hands a distinctive yellow.
"But that's like the badge of honour," Selaraju points out. "You made your meen varuval. You now know how to pronounce it. So wear it with pride!"
Get a glimpse behind the scenes of this SME episode:
"Say It. Make It. Eat It." is an AOL Canada Originals series that celebrates the multitude of cuisines from around the world that are loved by Canadians from coast to coast. Renowned chefs from the country's top restaurants and online food celebs show you step-by-step how properly say, make and enjoy some of their favourite dishes — and they'll fill you in on why these dishes are close to their hearts. Get ready to cook and dine like a pro, Canada.
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