Sura puttu, also known as fish puttu or meen puttu, is a popular South Indian seafood dish. It is made with tender and flaky shark (sura) meat and flavoured with simple ingredients and grated coconut.
Sura puttu is enjoyed throughout the year and is popular in coastal regions where fish is a staple among locals. Also, the availability of fresh fish in certain seasons makes it a popular dish among seafood lovers.
I’m a huge seafood fan, and if you are too, then you should try out my fish recipes like Spicy Prawn Masala Curry, Nethili/ Anchovy Fry, Sankara Meen Curry/Kuzhambu,Red Snapper Curry etc on my blog.
This sura fish puttu is perfect to pair with rice varieties such as Chicken fried rice, Hariyali Mutton Biriyani, Vegetable Fried Rice, Vegetable Pulao Recipe etc. Check out my other tasty and popular rice varieties too!
Ingredients for fish puttu
- sura meen ( shark fish )
- onion
- garlic cloves
- green chillies
- ginger garlic paste
- curry leaves
- coconut ( grated )
- mustard seed
- urad dhal
- chana dal
- oil
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions to make sura puttu/ fish puttu.
- In a pan, add water and bring it to a boil. Then add sura/shark fish and let it cook.
- After two minutes, check the fish. The fish meat should be flaky. Let it cook for two more minutes to achieve it.
- The sura/shark fish is cooked perfectly, with the skin almost falling off the meat.
- Drain the fish in a colander until all the water is completely drained.
5. Peel the skin of the sura fish as shown.
6. After peeling the fish’s skin, rinse the pieces in running water to remove any sandy residue (shark fish skin tends to have grainy residue).
7. After peeling the skin off the fish pieces, crumble the fish into small pieces and keep it aside.
8. In a pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and dal to the oil and let it splutter and turn golden brown.
9. Now add in chopped onions and saute until it turns translucent.
10. Add the crushed garlic cloves and green chillies and continue sautéing for two minutes.
11. To make puttu more aromatic, add ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell disappears.
12. Add curry leaves and turmeric powder to enhance flavour and colour in sura meen puttu.
13. Now goes in fish scramble.
14. Gently mix as the fish is already cooked, and we do not want the sura puttu to become mushy.
15. Finally, add in grated coconut. Adding coconut is optional.
16.Mix until the coconut is evenly distributed throughout the sura puttu.
You can serve the delicious flaky sura putt/fish scramble with different types of rice or just some hot steamed white rice.
Substitutions for sura puttu/ fish puttu
Kingfish, mackerel, tuna, and salmon are great options to swap instead of shark in puttu.
When substituting sura ( shark ) with another type of fish in puttu, it’s important to consider the flavour and texture of the fish.
Don’t hesitate to try different types of fish to find the one that suits your taste preferences best.
You can swap shallots in place of onions. Use two cups of shallots if you swap with onion.
Variations
- Spicy – add chili powder to the green chilies to add more spiciness.
- Kid friendly – to make kids favourite, avoid green chillies completely also you can add small coconut pieces instead of grated coconut.
Storage
These sura puttu don’t stand well if you freeze it. Cook and eat the same day for its freshness.
Top tip
Cook sura meen or shark fish for no more than 5 to 6 minutes. Over-cooked fish becomes mushy and the consistency will not be perfect for making puttu.
FAQ
Is sura meen (shark fish) good for health?
Sura (shark) meat contains protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and other nutrients. It is also a delicacy as it is an expensive fish to procure.
As Sura (shark) fish contains high levels of mercury, avoid consuming it during pregnancy as it can pose risks to the developing fetus and affect the baby’s nervous system.
Adding sura puttu to the diet of lactating mothers can provide essential nutrients and support breastfeeding.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite rice dishes to serve with sura puttu/ fish puttu/ meen puttu.
If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know your feedback in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Happy Cooking!
Recipe Card👇
Sura Puttu/ Fish Puttu/ Meen Puttu
Equipment
Ingredients
- 750 g sura meen ( shark fish )
- 2 onion ( medium sized)
- 6 garlic cloves
- 3 green chillies
- ½ teaspoon GingerGarlic Paste
- 2 sprig curry leaves
- ¼ cup coconut ( grated )
For tempering
- 1 teaspoon mustard seed
- 1 teaspoon urad dhal
- 1 teaspoon chana dal (bengal gram)
- 4 tablespoon oil ( sunflower oil )
Instructions
- In a pan, add water and bring it to a boil. Then add sura/shark fish and let it cook.
- After two minutes, check the fish. The fish meat should be flaky. Let it cook for two more minutes to achieve it.
- The sura/shark fish is cooked perfectly, with the skin almost falling off the meat.
- Drain the fish in a colander until all the water is completely drained.
- Peel the skin of the sura fish as shown. After peeling the fish’s skin, rinse the pieces in running water to remove any sandy residue (shark fish skin tends to have grainy residue).
- After peeling the skin off the fish pieces, crumble the fish into small pieces and keep it aside.
- In a pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and dal to the oil and let it splutter and turn golden brown.
- Now add in chopped onions and saute until it turns translucent.
- Add the crushed garlic cloves and green chillies and continue sautéing for two minutes.
- To make puttu more aromatic, add ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell disappears.
- Add curry leaves and turmeric powder to enhance flavour and colour in sura meen puttu.
- Now goes in fish scramble. Gently mix as the fish is already cooked, and we do not want the sura puttu to become mushy.
- Finally, add in grated coconut. Adding coconut is optional. Mix until the coconut is evenly distributed throughout the sura puttu.
Notes
Nutrition
Asokan
The best sides for rice. Just love it!
JAYANTHY
Thank you!