I am so excited to publish this post as its one of a kind in Pepper Delight’s journey. This is not a guest post, instead a recreation of one of my favorite chef’s recipes. And not just any recreation, one with the consent of a Celebrity Chef. For me, this is my fan moment! So, here I present to you my humble retake of Netholi Niravu (നെത്തോലി നിറവ്), a delicious dish created by one of the iconic Chefs from Kerala, Chef Suresh Pillai.

Chef Suresh Pillai who is fondly known as Chef Pillai, is currently the Culinary Director of Raviz Hotels & Resorts. He previously held the positions of Head Chef at Hoppers London, Sous Chef at Gymkhana London, and was also a contestant of MasterChef UK 2017. With more than 150K followers in Instagram, Chef daily entertains his fans with cooking stories and mouthwatering recipe posts. His elegant yet humble presentation of traditional and authentic Kerala dishes is a delight in itself to watch and swoons in everybody who visits his page. In fact, I personally start my day by looking at Chef’s Instagram stories first thing in the morning for some inspiration.

Apart from his professional life, Chef Pillai actively believes in doing good and giving back to his community through philanthropic initiatives which connect people via food. His #cookforkerala campaign in 2018 was one such example which helped raise funds for relief of flood affected victims in Kerala. Born and brought up in a village in Kollam, Kerala, to becoming one of the most recognized figures in the food industry through his sheer hard work, dedication and passion for food, is a feat in itself. One that we a have a lot to learn from and an inspiration for all aspiring chefs. To follow and know more about Chef Pillai, click here.

Recreating Chef’s Netholi Niravu is indeed an honor, and when he gave me permission to post this recipe, I was over the moon. This is one of the best flavorful recipes of anchovies you can ask for. Netholi / Anchovy fry is a very popular dish in Kerala, and one of my favorites from back home. It is prepared by marinating the fish with spices like chili, turmeric, pepper, ginger garlic paste, and then deep fried to make them brown and crispy. Chef’s Netholi Niravu is simple yet amazing, packed with the aromas of coconut oil, garlic pods, curry leaves, and the unique addition of spring onions takes the dish to a whole new level. I am referring it to as “unique” because this is the first time, I am seeing spring onions used in a Kerala dish, and boy did that make this simple fish fry delectable and a feast to the eyes.

You can use anchovies or smelt fish for this recipe. The dish tastes best when served with a side combo of steamed rice and turmeric tempered buttermilk.  Do try out this recipe and lemme know your feedback in the comment section below.

Interested in other Kerala style Fish recipes? Check these out;

1. Red Fish Curry / മീൻ മുളകിട്ടത് 
2. Fish Curry with Coconut Milk / തേങ്ങാപാൽ ഒഴിച്ച മീൻ കറി
3. Roasted Coconut Fish Curry / വറുത്തരച്ച മീൻ കറി
4. Fish Fry / മീൻ വറുത്തത്
5. Fish Molly / ഫിഷ് മോളി
6. Fish Biriyani 

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Anchovy Fry / Netholi Niravu

Netholi Niravu – Flavor packed Anchovy Fry with a Twist! A recipe remake from Chef Pillai’s kitchen … Made with Simple Pantry Ingredients, yet has all the Grandeur of a Signature Dish!!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, Kerala

Keyword anchovy fry, chef pillai, netholi fry

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Chef Suresh Pillai

Ingredients

• ½ lb നെത്തോലി / കൊഴുവ / ചൂട / anchovies / smelt (250gm - cleaned)
• 3 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp pepper powder
• A pinch of fennel powder
• 2 tsp rice flour
• Salt (as required)
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• Coconut oil (as required)
• ½ of a medium sized onion (sliced)
• 1-2 green chilies (slit)
• 2 whole garlic pods
• One small bunch of spring onions (chopped)
• Juice of one lime

Instructions

• Marinate anchovies with ginger garlic paste, chili powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder, fennel powder, rice flour and salt. Keep aside for 10 mins.
• Heat oil in a pan on a medium flame and fry the marinated anchovies along with one sprig of curry leaves. Fry until the fish is cooked on both sides, browned, and crispy. Transfer it to a separate plate and keep aside.
• Into the same pan, add sliced onions, green chilies, garlic pods and curry leaves. Sauté for 2 mins.
• Add back the fried fish into the pan and top with chopped spring onions. Toss well and drizzle lime juice on top.
• Serve warm with steamed rice or chapathi. You can store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on in a pan until hot.

Notes

1. Use of coconut oil is ideal for all Kerala recipes.
2. Adjust the quantity of chili powder and green chilies to suit your spice level.

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