Ingredients:

• 1 can sardines, deboned and sauce removed

• 1 tbsp fish curry powder

• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs

• 1 tsp chilli powder

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp curry leaves flakes

• 1 egg

• A pinch of salt

• 1 tsp mixed spice (fenugreek, cumin & mustard)

• 1 onion, thinly sliced

• 2 sprigs curry leaves

• 1 green chilli, halved

• 1 tomato, cut into wedges

• 1 potato cubed

• 2-3 tbsp fish curry powder

• 1-1.5 cups tamarind water (1 golf-sized tamarind pulp soaked and broken up in water, then strained with a sieve to remove seeds)

• 100 ml coconut milk

Method:

1. In a bowl, add the deboned sardines, fish curry powder, breadcrumbs, chilli powder, egg, curry leaves flakes, salt and pepper. Mix well together and roll them into balls.

2. Shallow fry these balls and set aside.

3. Saute mixed spice, onions and curry leaves till onions are translucent.

4. Then add the tomatoes, green chilli and cubed potatoes. Saute for a few minutes before adding the fish curry powder.

5. Toast the curry powder before adding in the tamarind water. Let it simmer gently until the potatoes cook.

6. Once the potatoes are cooked, add the coconut milk and let that boil for a bit before adding the fried sardine balls.

7. Carefully stir the curry (you don't want to break these balls up) and season to taste.