Fish Quenelles (Dumplings) with Spaghetti Baked in Marinara Sauce....

Quenelles are popular in France usually made with fish,meat and at times are vegetarian too. They are light and fluffy dumplings and are made by adding eggs,cream and herbs into fish or meat. The oval shape of the dumplings are formed using a spoon. It is then poached in salt water and then baked or cooked in various types of sauce. It can be served with pasta or spaghetti...

Here is my recreation of the dish with ingredients available in my kitchen...

Ingredients

8 medium cubes of Any white Boneless Fish

2 Egg Whites

2 Whole Eggs

1/2 cup Fresh Cream

2 cups of Marinara Sauce

1 cup of Mozeralla and Cheddar cheese mix

Few leaves of Fresh Thyme

2 tbsp Olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 packet of Spaghetti

Method

Take a big pot of water and let it boil. Once it starts to boil add salt and reduce the flame and let it simmer. Take a food processor or chopper. Cut the fish cubes into smaller pieces and add it into the processor or chopper. Give couple of pulses. Add the egg whites, salt and pepper corn and blend it. Add the whole eggs, cream and thyme. Blend it once more. It will be a creamy batter. Keep it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Take a spoon full of the batter and try to give it a oval shape. Drop it in the simmering water. Poach it for 4 minutes and once done will float in water. Once cooked drain it out on an absorbent paper and keep it aside. Don't discard the water,  boil the spaghetti in the same water and drain the spaghetti. Take a baking tray. Add olive oil, 1 cup of marinara sauce and boiled spaghetti and toss it. Arrange the Fish quenelles on the spaghetti. Pour the marinara sauce over it. Sprinkle the cheese and bake it in a preheated oven for 15 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. Serve it hot.

Simple Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

1 kg ripe Tomatoes 

1 tetra pack Tomato purée 

2 Garlic cloves chopped 

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp freshly ground Pepper powder

1 Bay leaf 

2 fresh finely chopped Basil leaves

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Give a slit on the tomatoes. Blanch them in boiling water and as the skin starts to peel, remove them from the water, cool it in cold water and peel the skin out. Lightly blend them in a blender. Add the oil into the pan, heat it. Add the garlic. Sauté it until translucent. Add the tomatoes,tomato purée,bay leaf and salt. Simmer it on medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the basil leaves and pepper powder, reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 10 minutes until the sauce becomes thick. Sauce is ready to use.

Pomfret Tikka Masala Fry....

This dish can be eaten as starter or side dish. I have made this dish with my easy peasy homemade tikka masala powder. It is spicy and mouthwatering. Sprinkle with chat masala. Serve it hot with salad and lime.

Marinate the Fish - Stage 1

Ingredients

2 Big or Medium Size whole Pomfrets clean and slited sideways.

1 Lime

Salt to taste

Method

Marinate the fish with lime juice and salt for an hour.

Marinate the Fish  - Stage 2

Ingredients

Pomfrets

3 tbsp  Tikki Masala powder

Method

Apply the masala powder on the fish properly and let it marinate for 4 hours or more. 

For Frying the Fish

Ingredients

Marinated Fish

1/4 cup Rice Flour

Oil to deep fry the fish

Salad and lime to garnish...

Sprinkle of Chat masala

Method

Coat the fish lightly in rice flour and deep fry it in hot oil till cooked and crispy. Sprinkle with chat masala. Serve it hot with salad and lime.

Quick Homemade Tikka Masala Powder 

Ingredients 

1/4 tsp Coriander powder 

1/4 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Garlic powder 

1/4 tsp Ginger powder 

1/2 tsp Onion powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder 

1/4 tsp White Pepper powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/4 tsp Salt 

1 tsp Corn flour 

Method 

Add all the above ingredients in a grinder and grind it together, so that all the above ingredients blend well together. 

Paplet a Che Hirwe Kalwan.....

Pomfret cooked in Green Curry

It is a Konkani dish, cooked in green coriander paste. Green coriander leaves, green chillies, garlic, ginger, onion, coconut, tamarind and cumin seeds are use to make the wet paste. The pomfret is then cooked in the wet paste. This dish can be eaten with rice. 

I have adapted the recipe as per my convenience.

In this recipe I have not used Tamarind paste and have added a tomato in the gravy. 

For the Wet Paste 

Ingredients 

1 small bunch of Coriander leaves cleaned 

4 tbsp freshly grated Coconut or Desiccated Coconut 

1 small Onion chopped 

6 to 8 Garlic cloves 

1 small piece of Ginger 

4 or more Green chillies cut into pieces 

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Method 

Add all the above ingredients in to a grinder, add 1/3 cup of water and grind it in to a thick paste. 

For making the Pomfret Curry 

Ingredients 

2 medium size Pomfret cut into 2 pieces or you can make more pieces as per your choice 

1 Onion chopped 

1 Tomato chopped 

2 Green chillies slit and cut into pieces 

Few Curry leaves 

Few Coriander leaves chopped for garnishing 

1/4 tsp Mustard seeds 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

Wet paste  

3 tbsp Oil 

Method 

 Marinate pomfret with salt and 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder. Take a wok or a chatti. Add oil and heat it. Add the mustard seeds and let it crackle. Add the curry leaves and green chillies. Saute it for a minute. Add the chopped onion. Sauté the onions till translucent.  Add the green paste. Stir and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chopped tomato, salt and remaining turmeric powder. Stir and cook it another 1 minute. Add a cup and a half of water. Let it simmer for 2 minutes. Add the pomfrets. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve hot with hot steamed  rice.

Macher Roast / Fish Roast

Marcher Roast / Fish Roast 

This recipe is adapted from the book "Thakur Barir Ranna". I have recreated this recipe by adding whole garam masala and green chillies and made it as per my convenience... It is a semi dry dish. This is a very simple and easy to make dish. Even though there are no spice powder added in the recipe , yet it is so tasty.  It can be eaten with hot steamed rice.

 Ingredients 

3 Whole Tilapia Fish cleaned 

1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Chilli paste 

1 Onion made into paste 

4 Green Chillies slited 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tbsp Sugar

1 Bay Leaf

Whole Garam Masala crushed  (2 Cloves, 5 Pepper Corn, 2 Cardamom and 1 small stick Cinnamon)

2 to 3 tbsp White Vinegar or Curd 

3 to 4 tbsp Ghee 

Method

Marinate the fish with onion paste, ginger - garlic - chilli paste, salt and vinegar for about an hour. Take a flat bottom pan, add the ghee. Let it melt, add the whole garam masala and the bay leaf. Sauté it for few seconds till the garam masala crackles. Add the fish pieces into the pan, fry it till light brown in colour on both the sides. Remove it from the pan and keep it aside. Add the remaining marination into the pan, sauté it till light brown in colour. Add the green chillies and sugar, sauté it for a minute more. Add 3/4 cup of water and let it simmer till the gravy reduces a bit. Adjust the salt, stir it and add the fish. Cover and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Open the cover and turn the fish gently. Cook for a minute more. Serve it with hot steaming rice. 

Tilapia Mach Shorshe Bata Diye Jhal.. / Telapia Fish cooked in Mustard Gravy......

Tilapia Mach Shorshe Bata Diye Jhal.. / Telapia Fish cooked in Mustard Gravy...... 

I have a small pond next to my house, where the villagers come and fish sometimes. It's a bliss to have that pond as so many small birds comes and catches their feed. You can see the fishes playing in water. I can just spend some hours sitting in the balcony, just seeing the movements of the water. The sound of the birds that come to fish takes you to a different world, way from the urban life. Life away from the city is indeed a bliss. Some times the villagers sell their catch for the day. Fresh catch taste so different from the market fish, the fish just melts in your mouth, the taste is simply divine. The other day my husband got some tilapias from the villagers. I was thrilled as I love cleaning them. As he got the fish home, the high command order too followed... "Today please make Shorshe Bata Mach".... I said ok, but will keep some fish back for the fish roast.. We both agreed upon and here is the recipe for Sorshe Bata... 

Here I have used Sunrise Mustard for the paste. This is a rich gravy and hence any dish with mustard paste is called Jhal. You can make it just with mustard paste, but  I have added ginger, garlic, coconut, chillies and curd to enhance the taste.. Little poppy seeds too can be added. It can be had with hot steaming rice. 

For the Mustard Paste..

Ingredients 

3 tbsp Sunrise Mustard powder

1 big Garlic clove

1 small piece of Ginger 

4 to 5 Green Chillies as required 

3 tbsp Curd

2 tbsp fresh Coconut grated or Desiccated Coconut

Salt to taste 

Method

Add all the above ingredients in the grinder and blend it well. Keep it aside for 15 minutes. 

For the Macher Jhal.. 

2 Telapia Fish cleaned and cut into 2 pieces or can be kept whole

2 to 3 Green Chillies slit lengthwise 

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

Mustard paste 

1 Tomato cut into 4 pieces lengthwise 

1/4 tsp Kalonji /Nigella seeds 

1/2 tsp Turmeric paste

Salt to taste 

1/4 cup Mustard oil for fry the fish 

1/2 tsp Raw Mustard oil for garnishing 

Method

Take the fish and apply 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder and salt. Keep it aside for 10 minutes. Take oil in a wok, heat it up till smoking point. Reduce the heat, add the fish and fry till brown on both the sides. Remove the excess oil and leave 3 tbsp oil back in the wok, add kalonji and green chillies in the oil, let it crackle. Add the tomato and sauté it for a minute. Add the mustard paste and the remaining turmeric powder, stir it and cook it for 2 minutes on medium flame. Add 1 cup of water. Stir and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Add the fish and cook for 2 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and mustard oil. Serve it with hot steaming Rice... 

Malaysian Prawn Dalcha....

Malaysian Prawn Dalcha....

Malaysian Dalcha is an adaptation of the Indian Dalcha made by the Indian Muslim population living in Malaysia. It is made during gatherings or had in breakfast.... Basically it is made with mutton or chicken or can be made vegetarian too. 

It is made with split pigeon peas (Toor dal) and vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower, eggplant, carrot, turnip, french beans etc. It's a kind of Stew  with coconut milk added to it. 

Here I added Prawns to the vegetables available in my kitchen... 

Ingredients

250 grams medium sized Prawns cleaned 

1/2 cup Split Pigeon Peas washed and soaked for 30 minutes 

1 Onion chopped 

4 Garlic cloves cut into pieces 

2 Green chillies cut into pieces 

1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste 

1 tbsp Tamarind paste 

1 Potato peeled and cut into cubes 

1 small Carrot cut into cubes 

2 Drumsticks cut into pieces 

2 Tomatoes chopped 

Few Curry leaves 

2 tbsp Malaysian Curry Powder 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1 Star Anise 

1 small piece Cinnamon 

2 Cloves 

2 Cardomom 

6 Pepper corns 

1 cup Coconut Milk 

4 tbsp Oil 

Few Coriander leaves chopped for garnishing

Method 

Boil the split pigeon peas in 2 cups of water till cooked. Take a wok. Add oil. Fry the prawns in oil with 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder and salt. Remove it and keep it aside. In the same oil add the star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, pepper and cardomom. Let it crackle. Add the curry leaves. Sauté it for a minute. Add the ginger garlic paste. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the chopped onions,  garlic and chilli. Sauté it till the onions are translucent. Add the drum sticks, carrot and potato. Stir it for a minute. Add the tomatoes.  Stir it. Add the spice powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and tamarind paste. Stir it and cook for 2 minutes. Add 6 cups of water. Cover and cook till the vegetables are almost done. Add the boiled dal. Stir, cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the prawns and coconut milk. Stir and cook for 2 minutes more. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Malaysian Curry Powder 

Ingredients

4 tbsp Coriander seeds

1/2 tbsp Cumin seeds

1/2 tbsp Fennel seeds

1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds 

10 dried Red Chillies 

1/2 tbsp Pepper Corns 

1 medium size Cinnamon

6 Cardomom 

2 Cloves 

1 Star Anise 

1/2 tbsp Rice 

2 tbsp Tumeric powder

Method 

Dry roast all the above ingredients except turmeric powder till light brown on a low flame. Remove it from the flame and let it cool. Add roasted spices and the turmeric powder into the grinder and grind until it becomes a fine powder. Store it in a dry glass container.

Asam Pedas (Sour and Spicy Fish Curry)

Asam Pedas (Sour and Spicy Fish Curry)
It is an Indonesian, Malay curry dish. Vegetables like okra,  brinjal, potato and tomato are added in the dish along with the fish. Fish like mackerel, sting ray, prawns or sweet water fish can be used.

For the Wet paste
Ingredients
6 Shallots chopped
4 Garlic cloves
1 inch Ginger
2 stalks Lemongrass
1/2 tsp Shrimp paste
3 Candlenuts ( I did not have it so I used 5 Cashew nut)
6 Dry Red Chillies
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

2 tbsp Oil

 

Method
Grind all the above ingredients into a fine paste. 

For the Curry
Ingredients
6 pieces Rohu Fish marinated with 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder and salt.
2 Onions sliced
6 Okras cut vertically
1 Potato peeled and cut into wedges
1 small long Brinjal cut into wedges
1 Tomato cut into wedges
2 tbsp Tamarind paste
2 handful Laksa leaves (did not have so used coriander leaves)
Salt to taste
Wet paste
Oil to fry the Fish and make the Curry
2 cups of Water

Method
Heat the oil in a wok. Fry the fish until brown. Remove it and keep it aside. Remove the excess oil from the wok and let 2 tbsp of oil remain. Add the paste, saute it for 2 minutes. Add the potato, onion and brinjal.  Stir it. Add water and cook it till the vegetables are almost done. Add the tamarind paste, okras and green chillies. Let it simmer for 2 minutes.  Add tomatoes, salt and the fish pieces.
Lastly, put in the fried fish and coriander leaves.  Let it simmer for 2 minutes.  Serve it with hot steam rice.  

Spicy Raw Mango Coriander Prawn Curry with Veggies

Spicy Raw Mango Coriander Prawn Curry with Veggies 

This a a simple spicy sour veggie and prawn curry. Good for the summer taste buds. Do try it... 

For the paste 

Ingredients 

1/4 cup Raw Mango cut into pieces 

2 to 3  Green chillies 

4 Garlic cloves 

1 small piece of Ginger 

1/4 cup Coriander leaves

Method 

Grind all the above ingredients in a grinder in to a paste.

For the Curry 

Ingredients 

1 small bowl cleaned, deshelled medium size Prawns 

10 Okras cut into 4 pieces vertically and horizontally 

1 small size long Brinjal cut into thick strips 

1 small Potatoes cut into wedges

2 Green chillies slit 

Green paste

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

1 tsp Madras Curry powder 

2 tbsp Oil

Method 

Take oil in a wok. Heat the oil up. Add the okras and stir fry for 2 minutes. Remove it and keep it aside. Add the paste and sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the salt, turmeric powder and curry powder. Stir it for 2 minutes. Add the vegetables except okras. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of water.  Cover and cook it till the vegetables are done. Add the prawns and the okras cook it for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Chingri Macher Bhorta

Chingri Macher Bhorta 

Prawn Bharta 

This is  a very popular Bangladeshi dish. It is spicy mashed prawns dish flavoured with garlic, ginger, fried dry chillies and mustard oil. It is eaten with steamed hot rice. You can actually finish all the rice with this dish.. 
Ingredients
1 cup medium size Prawns deshelled and cleaned
2 Onions sliced
4 Garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp Ginger minced
2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped
3 Dry Red chillies
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Mustard oil

Method
Take a pan, add 1 tbsp oil. Heat it till smoking hot. Lower the flame, fry the red chillies till brown in colour, remove and keep it aside. In the same pan, add the garlic and ginger. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the prawns and sauté it till it is cooked. Remove it from the pan and cool it. Add it into the grinder and roughly grind it... some pieces of the prawns should be seen or the prawns can be chopped into small pieces. Take a mixing bowl, crush 2 chillies and add it in the bowl. Add the onions, coriander leaves, salt and mustard oil. Mix it well. Add the prawns and mix again. Garnish with some more coriander leaves and the remaining chilli. Serve it with hot steaming rice.

P. S. Instead of sautéing the prawns, boiled prawns can be also used. Fresh green chillies can also be used instead of dry red chillies. 

Lau Matar Daler Bora diye Ruhi Macher Jhol Ruhi Fish Gravy with Bottle Gourd and Split Green Pea lentils Fritters....

Lau Matar Daler Bora diye Ruhi Macher Jhol

Ruhi Fish Gravy with Bottle Gourd and Split Green Pea lentils Fritters....

 Usually bottle gourd and prawns or bottle gourd and bori is very famous among the  Bengali  dishes. This time I wanted to try a bit different dish. Tried to recreate this dish. This dish is eaten with steamed rice. Hope you will like it. 

 

For the Matar Dal Fritters 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup  Matar dal / Split Green Pea lentils  washed and soaked for 4 hours

Salt to taste 

1 small piece Ginger

1 Green Chilli 

1/2 cup Mustard oil

Method 

Grind all the above ingredients except the oil in a grinder. Don't add extra water. Mix the batter very well in one direction. Heat oil in a wok till the smoking point. Lower the flame. Add half tsp spoon of the batter. Add the batter 8 to 10 times in the oil, fry till brown in colour. Remove the fritters and keep aside.

For the Fried Fish 

Ingredients 

6 pieces of Ruhi Fish 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

Salt to taste 

Use the same mustard oil for frying the Fish

Method 

Take the fish and marinate the fish with turmeric powder and salt for 15 minutes. 

In the same wok, heat the oil.  Fry the fish until brown in colour from both the sides.

For the Gravy 

Ingredients 

Fried Fish 

Dal Fritters

1 small size Bottle Gourd peeled ( I have not peeled it ... Depending on the tenderness of the bottle gourd) and cut into chunks 

 2 Green chillies slit 

1 tbsp Ginger and Chilli paste

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

2 Bay Leaves

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 /2 tsp Cumin powder 

1 / 2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

Salt to taste 

2 tbsp Ghee

Method 

Take a wok. Add ghee. Let it heat. Add the cumin seeds and slit green chillies. Let the cumin seeds crackle. Add the ginger chilli paste. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the bottle gourd.  Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add 3 cups of water. Let it simmer. Add the salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder and garam masala. Cover and let it simmer till the bottle gourd is almost cooked. Add the  fish. Let it simmer for 2 minutes. Add the Matar dal fritters  and simmer for another 2 minutes. Once done. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp  Garam Masala and drizzle 1/2 tsp ghee before serving.

Ruhi Maccher Aloo diye Jhol / Light Gravy with Ruhu Fish and Potato

Ruhi Maccher Aloo diye Jhol 

Light Gravy with Ruhu Fish and Potato  

Bengalis love Jhol to have it with hot steam rice. Jhol are usually light, liquid gravy. Jhol can be made with fish, meat or vegetables. The Jhol ingredients can vary according to the recipe. Here today I have made Jhol with fish and potatoes. Other vegetables can be added as per the availability.   

For the Fish Fry

Ingredients 

5 to 6 pieces of Rahu Fish 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

1/4 cup Mustard oil 

Method

Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes. Heat the mustard oil till smoking point. Lower the heat. Fry the fish till brown on both the side. Take it out on an absorbent paper. 

For the Gravy 

Ingredients

Fried Fish 

2 medium size Potatoes cut into wedges 

2 medium size Tomatoes cut into wedges

2Green Chillies slit 

2 tbsp Garlic, Ginger and Chilli paste  ( 3 Garlic cloves, 1 small piece Ginger and 2 Green Chillies)  

1/4 tsp Nigella Seeds 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste 

2 tbsp Mustard Oil 

2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped

Method 

Use the same wok in which the fish was fried, take out the extra oil and keep 2 tbsp oil in the wok. Heat the oil, add Nigella seeds and green chillies. Saute it for a minute. Add the potatoes, stir fry for 2 minutes, add the ginger garlic chilli paste. Saute it for 3 minutes. Add the salt and turmeric powder, stir for a minute. Add the tomatoes. Saute it again for 2 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups of water. Let it boil and then let it simmer till the potatoes are cooked. Add the fish and simmer for 2 minutes. Switch of the flame. Sprinkle coriander leaves. Serve with hot steam Rice. 

Indonesian style Eggplant Sambal / Sambal Terong

Indonesian style Eggplant Sambal / Sambal Terong

 It has a tangy, sweet and spicy taste and is very delicious. It is very easy to make and it can be had with steamed rice. 

Ingredients

2 medium long  Eggplants cut into cubes 

10 Fresh Red Chillies chopped

6 Shallots chopped 

4 Garlic cloves 

1 tbsp Shrimp paste (Optional) 

1 tbsp  Palm Jaggery  grated 

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Tamarind paste 

1/4 cup Oil 

Method

Take a bowl and soak the tamarind paste in 2 cups of water. Keep it aside. Grind chillies, shallots, salt, shrimp paste, palm jaggery and garlic in a mortar and pestle or grind it in a grinder. Heat oil for frying in a wok, stir-fry the eggplant till light pink in colour. Remove from the wok and drain it on a paper towel. Add the paste.  Stir fry for 2 minutes, on medium heat.  Add tamarind water.  Let boil, for  10 minutes. Add the eggplants. Mix well and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve it with steamed rice.

Red Mullets Green Masala Fry

Red Mullets Green Masala Fry 

For the Green Masala

Ingredients 

1/2  cup Coriander leaves chopped 

2 Green chillies

1 small Ginger piece

6 Garlic cloves 

1 tbsp Lime juice Or Vinegar Or 1/2 piece of Lime marinated in salt.

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

1/4 tsp Sugar 

Salt to taste

 Method 

Grind all the ingredients together. 

P.S. I did not have fresh lime juice so I substituted lime juice with lime marinated in salt.

To Marinate 

Ingredients 

2 Red Mullets cut into halves 

Green Masala

Salt to taste

 

Method 

Apply salt on the fish and keep it aside for 10 minutes. Then rub the green masala on the fish and marinate the fish for 30 minutes.

To Fry

Ingredients 

Marinated Fish 

1 Onion sliced 

1/2 cup Rice Flour 

1/4 tsp Chilli powder 

Salt to taste 

Oil to Shallow fry

Method 

Take rice flour in a plate and add salt and chilli powder. Mix it. Coat the fish in the rice flour. Heat oil in a pan. Shallow fry the fish till golden brown on both the sides. Serve hot with sliced onions.

Red Mullets cooked in Garlicky Orange Saffron Sauce served with Butter Spinach Rice.....

Red Mullets cooked in Garlicky Orange Saffron Sauce served with Butter Spinach Rice.....

Butter Spinach Rice
Ingredients
4 cups of cooked Rice
1 cup Spinach chopped
1 tsp Garlic chopped
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Butter

Method
Take a pan, add the butter. Let it melt on low flame. Add garlic, saute it for a minute. Add the spinach. Sauté and cook for 2 minutes. Add the rice and salt. Stir fry it for 2 minutes. Keep it aside.

Red Mullet cooked in Garlicky Orange Saffron Sauce    

For Marinating the Fish and Frying the Fish
Ingredients
2 medium big size Red Mullet cut into halves
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Lime juice
1 tbsp  Butter
1 tbsp Oil

Method 

Marinate the fish with lime juice and salt. Keep it aside for 15 minutes. Take a pan, add butter and oil. Heat it. Fry the fish on both the sides until brown. Keep it aside.

Red Mullets cooked in Garlicky Orange Saffron Sauce
Ingredients
Fried Red Mullets
Juice of 2 Oranges
1 tbsp Garlic minced
1 Onion minced
1 tsp Orange Peel chopped
2 Pinches of Saffron
Salt to taste
1/4 tbsp of Sugar
1 tsp Pickled Red Chill sliced or Chilli flakes
1 tbsp Butter

Method
Use the same pan in which the fish was fried. Add the butter and melt it on low flame. Add the garlic and sauté it for few seconds. Add the onion and sauté it for 1 minute. Add the orange juice, let it simmer, add the orange peel chopped, saffron, sugar, pickled red chilli slices or chilli flakes and salt. Let it simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Add the fish and let the fish cook in the sauce for 2 minutes on each side.

To Assemble
Take a plate, arrange the rice. Add the fish in the centre of the plate. Pour in the remaining sauce on the fish and serve it hot.

Surmai Sukha Masala (King Fish semi dry gravy)

Surmai Sukha Masala (King Fish semi dry gravy)

For the Wet Paste
Ingredients
4 pieces of Surmai including Fish head
8 Garlic cloves
3 tbsp Coriander Leaves
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Chilli powder
1 tsp Tamarind paste
1 tsp Lime juice
Salt to taste

Method
Add all the above ingredients in the blender except fish, add 3 tbsp or more water and blend the spices into a paste. Apply  lime and salt on the fish and keep it aside for 10 minutes, after 10 minutes apply the wet paste on the fish and marinate it for 15 to 20 minutes.

For the Gravy
Ingredients
Marinated Fish
1 big size Onion chopped
10 to 14 Garlic cloves whole
4 Green chillies broken into pieces
1 tbsp Coriander Leaves chopped for garnishing
2 tbsp Oil

Method
Take a pan, add oil. Let it heat. Add garlic, saute it till light brown in colour. Add the chillies, saute it for a minute. Add the onion and fry till light brown in colour. Add the marinated fish, cook the fish on both sides for 5 minutes each, add 1/4 cup of water and cook on medium high heat till the gravy dries up and the oil from the gravy is seen. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice....

PiyajKoli

PiyajKoli
Piyajkoli in Bengali,  are the stem of the Onion buds, it  is a winter veggie and a delicacy of Bengal. It is very surprising that Onions are grown in Maharashtra, but these onion buds are not known and seen much in the markets of Mumbai. It is one of my most favorite vegetable and I wait for it eagerly. Very simple to cook and extremely delectable.

I am sharing  2 very easy recipes with Piyajkoli / Onion buds.   

Piyajkoli Bhaja / Stem of the Onion Buds stirred fried with potatoes...
Ingredients
2 bunch of Onion buds cut into 1 inch size pieces
2 Potatoes, peeled and cut into long stripes
2 Green chillies slit
1/4 tsp Nigella seeds / Kalonji
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Mustard oil

Method:
Take a wok and heat oil to smoking point and add green chilli and nigella seeds. Let it crackle. Add the potatoes. Saute it for a minute. Sprinkle some salt, stir fry and cook potatoes until they are half done. Add the stem of onion buds, turmeric powder.
Stir occasionally in between and cook on medium high flame till done. Serve with hot dal and rice.

P.S. Small size Prawns can be added to the stir fry...

Aloo ar Piyajkoli Diye Macher Jhol / Fish gravy cooked with Potatoes and Onion buds Stem....

For Marinating and frying the Fish
Ingredients
6 pieces of any Fish like Tangra (Cat Fish) or Rani (Red Mullets) or Barramundi (Bhetki) or any medium size fish...
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Mustard Oil to fry the fish

Method
Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric powder and keep it for 15 minutes. Heat oil in a wok. Fry the fish till brown on both the sides.

For the Gravy
Ingredients
Fried Fish
2 Big size Potatoes cut into wedges
1 Bunch bunch of Onion buds cut into 1 inch size pieces
1 large Tomato sliced
2 Green Chillies slit
2 Green Chillies paste
1 tsp Ginger paste
1/2 tsp Panch Phoran
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Mustard oil

Method
Heat mustard oil in a pan till smoking hot. Add the Panch Phoran and the slit green chillies, let the Panch Phoran crackle. Add the potatoes, saute and cook for 2 minutes, add the tomato, ginger, chilli paste, salt and turmeric powder. Stir and cook for 3 minutes on medium high flame. Add 2 cups of water, half cook the potatoes. Add the stem of the onion buds. Cover and let it simmer till the potatoes are almost done. Add the fish.. Cover and cook on medium heat till the fish is done and the potatoes are cooked. Serve with hot rice.

P.S. Brinjals can also be added to the gravy if wanted..