Raus (Rawas) Macher Tok Jhol

Summers are in and last few days was quite happening for me. Today since back to normal life, wanted to make a simple Bengali style fish dish with raw mango for lunch. This dish goes well with hot steaming rice. 

I have used baby rawas. It’s a tangy medium curry dish. 

Ingredients 

4 pieces of Baby Rawas whole cleaned and marinate with 1/2 tsp of Turmeric and Salt

1 medium size Onion sliced 

2 medium size Potatoes cut into wedges 

6 to 8 wedges of peeled Raw Mango 

2 Green Chillies slit

1 tsp chopped Coriander 

1/2 tsp chopped Garlic 

1/2 tsp Nigella seeds

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1 1/2 tsp Sugar 

Salt to taste

6 tbsp + 1/2 tsp Mustard Oil

Method 

Take a pan, add 6 tbsp oil. Once the oil heats up then add the fish. Fry the fish until golden brown from both the sides. Remove the fish. In the same pan add nigella seeds, chopped garlic, green chillies and sliced onion. Stir and sauté it till the onions becomes light brown in colour. Add the potatoes, stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add the mango wedges and stir once more. Add 2 cups of water,  turmeric powder, chilli power, sugar and salt. Stir and cover the pan. Open the lid and check if the potatoes are tender.  Add the fish, add 1/4 cup of water. Cover and let it cook for another 2 minutes. Open the lid and drizzle 1/2 tsp Mustard oil  and garnish with chopped Coriander leaves. Enjoy it with hot steaming rice. 

Tawa Maachli

This a simple fish recipe which can be served as a side dish. Any fish of your choice can be used. I have used about 1 kg Rupchand / Indian Piranha Fish here. I prefer to use coconut oil as it gives a flavour and enhances the aroma while cooking. 

For Marnation 

1 whole medium size Fish cleaned

1 tbsp Garlic paste

1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder

1 tsp Spicy Chilli powder

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

2  tbsp of Kitchen king masala or any Fish Masala

Salt to taste 

2 tsp Tamarind paste

2 to 3 tbsp Water 

1 tbsp Oil 

Method 

Take a small bowl. Add the garlic paste, Kashmiri chilli, spicy chilli, turmeric powder, Kitchen king masala, tamarind paste, water and oil. Mix all the ingredients together. Apply the masala paste on the fish. Keep it aside for 1 to 2 hours. 

For the Tawa Maachli

Ingredients 

Marinated Fish

3 to 4 tbsp Oil

Some Curry leaves 

Method

Take a rectangular skillet. Add oil. Let it heat. Add the curry leaves and let it sauté for few seconds. Add the marinated fish. On a medium low flame cook the fish on both the sides till done. Serve it hot with sliced tomato, cucumber and onions. 

Chingri Macher Matha diye Kochu Saag Batta..

Prawn head and Colocasia leaves Paste....

 I love traditional dishes. Many of the authentic dishes or traditional home recipes are not available in any restaurants. It’s when some one personally shares them, we get to know. These recipes are not showy but one must taste them to experience it. Recently my love for these kind of traditional simple home cooked recipes have got more rooted in me.. 

This is one such recipe I am going to share with you which is my recipe connecting to my roots. 

 I had some prawn heads left with me after making  the prawn pickle for order. I didn’t feel like throwing them as I personally love to chew the prawn heads and I feel it’s more tastier than the prawn. I also had a bunch of Colocasia leaves in the fridge. So taking these two ingredients, put together... this recipe was created... 

Ingredients 

500 grams Prawn head after cleaning the prawns.. 

(Cleaned, marinated with salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. And fried in Mustard oil.) 

1 bunch of Colocasia leaves chopped without stems

1 medium size Onion chopped 

2 to 3 or more Green chills chopped 

1 tsp Garlic paste

1/2 tsp Ginger paste

1 tsp Tamarind paste

1/2 tsp Nigella seeds / Kalonji 

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Cumin powder

2 tbsp + 1/2 tsp Mustard Oil

1 roasted dry whole chilli for garnishing.. 

Method 

Take 2 cups of water in a wok and add 1/2 tsp salt and colocasia leaves and let it cook till the water begins to bubble. Switch off the flame and drain the water out from the leaves. Keep it aside. Traditionally the Prawn heads and the Colocasia leaves should have been ground on a shil batta, but I have used a chopper. So first grind the prawn head and then add the leaves and grind them together again. As we don’t want fine paste, it’s better to use a chopper or a food processor. Add 2 tbsp oil in a wok. Let it heat up. Add the kalonji. As the kalonji begins to crackle, add the green chillies, ginger paste and garlic paste. Sauté it for few seconds. Add the onions and let it cook for 2 minutes or till the onions become light pink in colour. Add the prawn head and colocasia leaves paste. On a low flame, stir and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the cumin powder, stir for few seconds. Add the tamarind paste and stir for few seconds more. Now add the salt. Stir and continue to cook for another 2 minutes or till the paste starts to leave the sides of the wok. Remove the paste in a bowl, garnish with roasted whole red chilli and drizzle 1/2 tsp Mustard oil. Later you can crush the red chilli and sprinkle on top. This paste taste even better the next day. Server it with hot steaming rice... 

 P. S. You can add 2 tbsp fresh coconut paste at the end after you add salt and mix it. The coconut flavour will enhance the taste of the fish. 

Manji Pulimuchi

Pulimuchi is a sour and spicy Mangaloren Style masala gravy dish cooked with fish or chicken.

The gravy can be dry or semi dry as per one’s choice. This is a finger licking dish that can be served with Rice or Neer dosa.

Here I have used Pomfrets.

For the Masala Paste

Ingredients

20 or more Red Guntur Chillies as per the spiciness required - Soaked in water for 30 minutes

2 Onions chopped

16 Garlic Cloves peeled

1 small Ginger chopped

1 Green Chilli

1 1/2 tsp Tamarind Paste

10 Pepper Corn

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tsp Coriander seeds

Salt to taste

Method

Grind the cumin, coriander and pepper till it is in powder form. Grind the onion, ginger, garlic, green chilli and 1/2 of the red chilli along the powder into a fine paste. Add the remaining red chillies, tamarind, salt and little water and grind the all ingredients together into a thick fine paste.

For the Pomfret Masala Gravy

Ingredients

4 medium size Pomfret marinated with Turmeric and Salt for 15 minutes

Few Curry Leaves

Masala Paste

1/2 cup Coconut Oil

Method

Take a flat pan. Add the oil and heat it. Add the masala paste, stir fry it for 2 minutes. Add the curry leaves. Continue to stir fry for another minute. Spread the masala on the pan. Place the pomfrets in the masala. Apply some of the masala on the top part of the pomfret too. Cover and let it cook for 5 minutes on a low flame. Remove the lid. Turn the pomfrets. Cover and cook the pomfrets father till the oil from the masala releases and the pomfrets are done. Serve the Pomfrets with Neer Dosa.

For the Neer Dosa Recipe click on the link given below....

http://www.suskitchenbysumitra.com/2017/11/neer-dosa.html

Vavval Meen Varuval / Tamilnadu style Pomfret Fry

This spicy fish fry is good to be served as an appetizer or starter. The fish is marinated with the  ground paste. It is shallow fried and served hot. 

For the Ground Paste

Ingredients

10 Big Garlic cloves

4 Byadgi Chillies

4 Guntur Chillies

12 to 15 Curry Leaves 

2 tbsp Roasted Split Grams 

1 tsp Pepper Corn

1 tsp Coriander Seeds

3/4 tsp Cumin Seeds 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

3 tbsp Lime Juice 

Salt to taste 

Method 

Grind all the above ingredients together. Add 1/2 cup water and further grind the ingredients into a smooth fine paste. 

To Fry the Fish 

Ingredients 

8 pieces of medium size whole Pomfret cleaned and give cuts on both the sides of the fish

Ground Paste 

Oil for shallow frying 

Method 

Apply the ground paste on both the sides of the fish. Let it marinate for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a pan. As the oil is hot, gently place the fish in the oil. Fry on both the sides till golden brown in colour on medium low flame. Remove the fried fish on an absorbent paper towel. Serve it hot with onion, tomato and lime.

Fish Caldino / Caldin ( Mild Fish Curry )

It's a Goan dish. It's a mild yellowish colour curry which is served as a side dish. This curry can be made with any vegetables or fresh fish. Surmai, pomfret or prawns are used to make this curry.  The curry though mild, is quite flavorful.

This can be served with hot rice or pav.

To make the Caldin Juice

Ingredients

1 fresh Coconut grated

4 Garlic cloves

2 Cloves

1 small piece of Cinnamon

10 to 15 Black Pepper Corn

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tbsp Coriander Seeds

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Tamarind Paste

2 cups of warm Water

Method

Blend all the above ingredients together in a blender along with the warm water.  Strain this through a strainer to get a thick Caldin juice. Add 1 cup of water to the residue and strain out a thin juice. Keep it aside.

For the Curry

Ingredients

3 medium Pomfret sliced and cleaned 

1 medium size Onion chopped 

1 medium size Tomato chopped 

1 tsp Ginger minced 

2 Green Chillies slit

1/4 tsp Sugar 

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Oil 

Method 

Take a wok, add oil. Let it heat. Add the chopped onions, sauté it till translucent. Add the chopped tomato, ginger and green chillies. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the thin juice and let it simmer. Apply little salt on the fish. Add the fish into the wok. Let it simmer for a minute. Turn the fish. Add the thick juice and continue to simmer. Add the salt and sugar. Let it simmer till the fish is cooked. Serve hot with steamed rice or with pav.

Chingri / Prawns Maacher Malai Curry

This dish is an authentic Bengali delicacy and is made for occasions. It's a gravy dish. You can enjoy this dish with hot steaming rice. Big size prawns / Galda Chingri are cooked in coconut gravy. 

Ingredients 

8 pieces Chingri Maach / Big size Prawns

( Cleaned,  deveined and marinated with Salt and 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder for 10 minutes )

1 1/2 cup Coconut Milk 

( Take 1 1/2 cup grated Coconut and add 1 cup water, grind it. Strain and squeeze the milk out from the coconut paste ) 

1 small Onion paste

1 Tomato paste

1 tbsp Garlic - Ginger paste  ( 2 Garlic and a small piece of Ginger )

2 Green Chillies slit

1/4 tsp Garam Masala powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

3/4 tsp Cumin powder 

1 tsp Sugar 

Salt to taste

2 Cloves 

2 Green Cardamom 

1 small piece of Cinnamon 

2 Bay leaves

2 tbsp Curd

1/4 cup Water

1/2 cup Mustard Oil 

1 1/2 tbsp Ghee

Method 

Take oil in a wok, heat it up to a smoking point. Reduce the flame. Add the prawns and sauté them for a minute. Remove them and keep it aside. In the same oil, add a tbsp of ghee. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom. Let it crackle. Add the ginger - garlic paste, stir for a minute. Add the onion paste, continue to stir, add the sugar. Sauté the onion till it changes it's colour. Add the tomato paste, stir and add the cumin powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder and green chillies.  Continue to sauté. Add the curd. Stir it. Add salt and sauté it till the oil releases from the paste. Add water, stir it. Add the prawns, stir and cover the wok. Cook it for a minute. Add the coconut milk, cover the wok and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ghee and sprinkle the garam masala powder. Switch of the flame. Serve it hot with hot steaming rice. 

Achari Machli Bhappa...

This is a fish preparation, very easy to make, spicy and scrumptious. You can serve this dish as a starter or have it as a side dish with hot steaming rice. The fish is marinated in fresh homemade achari masala. We all have left over oil from the pickle, and we discard them, but I use it up in creating other dishes, so here I have used achari oil from the pickle which gives extra punch to the dish. 

Ingredients

1 medium size around 500 grams whole Fish - Indian Salmon / Rawas,  Barramundi / Bhetki or Snapper / Rani Machli

2 tbsp Garlic and Green Chilli paste (4 Garlic and 3 Green Chillies)

6 Garlic cloves crushed

Juice of 1 Lime

1 small Tomato for Garnishing

Few Coriander Leaves chopped

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Coriander seeds

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1/2 tsp Fennel seeds

1/2 tsp Carom seeds

1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds

6 Red Chillies

1 1/2 tsp  Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Pickle Oil

 

Method

Clean the fish well, the fish has to remain in 1 piece. Give 3 slits on the fish. Keep the fish on a foil paper. Apply salt and 1tsp turmeric powder on the fish and keep it aside for 10 minutes. Meanwhile add mustard seeds, coriander seed, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, carom seeds, fenugreek seeds 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 4 red chillies into a grinder and grind the seeds into a powder. That makes our achari powder. In a small mixing bowl add the achari powder, lime juice, garlic - chilli paste and oil, mix it and let it stand for 5 minutes, apply the achari paste properly all over the fish, push the crushed garlic into the cuts of the fish and add 2 dry chillies. Cover the fish with the foil paper. Leave it to marinate for 30 minutes to an hour. Steam the fish in a preheated oven for 20 minutes at 200 degrees celsius or you can steam it in a steamer till the fish is cooked. Garnish it with coriander leaves and tomato. Serve it hot.

Garlicky Creamy Spicy Tuna Pasta....

A quick meal for a lazy day. Any type of Pasta can be used in this recipe. Instead of Tuna, boiled shredded chicken can be added. Absolutely love the flavour and it is very easy to make. 

Ingredients 

250 grams Spiral Pasta boiled and drained 

1 canned Tuna flakes or fresh Tuna boiled and shredded 

1/2 cup Fresh Cream 

1/4 cup Marinara Sauce 

1 tbsp Garlic chopped 

1 Jalapeno Green Chilli chopped

1 Pickled Red Jalapeno Chilli Chopped 

1 tbsp Green and Black Olives chopped 

1 tbsp each Cheddar and Mozzarella Cheese grated 

1 tbsp Butter 

1/2 cup Starch Water from the Pasta which was boiled 

Method 

Take a wok, add butter, let it melt. Add the garlic and the green  jalapeño. Sauté it for few minutes.  Add the cream and let it simmer for a minute. Add the marinara sauce and mix it with the cream. Add the pasta and the tuna flakes. Toss it. Let it cook for a minute. Add the starch water. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the liquid reduces. Before serving garnish with red jalapeño, olives and grated cheese. 

Shabji Diye Rui Maccher Patla Jhol

 

This is an old traditional dish prepared particularly when any member of the house is sick or if you want to cool your stomach down or prepared if anyone is in a hurry or travelling. This dish is loaded with vegetables and fish. It has a thin gravy / Patla Jhol. If you are unwell make this dish with less spices, more liquidy and avoid deep frying the fish. In Bengali cuisine as each dish has a different style of cutting the vegetables, in this dish the vegetables has to be cut big in size, in wedges or in big pieces and all the vegetables cut has to be in the same proportionate size. Any seasonal vegetables can be added like pointed gourd, raw banana, cauliflower, carrot, French beans, flat beans, potato,tomato, drum stick, raw papaya etc. Urid dal bori is fried and is also added to the Jhol.

Normally the spices are freshly ground into paste, but here I have used freshly ground powder. This is a very quick one pot meal served with hot steaming rice and lime wedges. Absolutely a comfort food... 

This recipe is a must try....

Ingredients 

8 pieces of Ruhi Maach 

1 big size Potato cut into wedges lethwise or big cubes

1 medium size long Brinjal cut into half and made into big pieces 

6 pieces of medium size Cauliflower florets 

1 Carrot cut into half lengthwise and then made into pieces 

1 Raw Banana cut into half lengthwise and then made into pieces

6 Flat beans cut into half horizontally 

1 tomato cut into wedges lengthwise 

1/4 cup Green Peas 

2 Green Chillies silted lengthwise 

1 tsp Ginger paste 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1 tsp Coriander powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Panch phoran 

2 Bay leaves 

1/2 cup Mustard oil for frying the fish and cooking

Method 

Apply 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and salt to the fish and keep it to marinate for 10 minutes. Take a wok, add oil. Let it heat well. Add the fish into the oil and fry it on both sides till brown in colour. Remove and keep it aside. Remove the excess oil and leave 3 tbsp oil in the wok. Add Panch phoran, bay leaves and green chillies. Wait till the Panch phoran crackles. Add the ginger paste and sauté it for a minute. Add all the vegetables, stir and sauté it for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the salt and all the powder spices. Stir and cook for another minute. Add about 1 and 1/2 litres of water. Stir, cover and cook till the vegetable are almost tender. Now add the fried fish. If you are adding fried boris add it with the fish. Cover and cook for another 2 minutes. Serve it hot with hot steaming rice and lime wedges.

Garlic Coriander Baked Fish with Coconut Milk...

This dish is adapted from Thai cuisine... It's a baked dish and without oil. So definitely a healthy dish. Serve this dish with green cucumber, tomato and rice and enjoy the flavour of garlic, coriander and coconut.

Ingredients

500 grams  Fish Fillets

2 Garlic cloves minced 

1 small bunch Coriander leaves cleaned

1 inch Lemon grass stalk

4 to 6 Bird Eye chillies 

2 tsp Red Chilli flakes

Salt to taste 

3/4 cup Coconut Milk

1 tbsp Honey

2 tsp Fish Sauce 

2 tbsp Lemon Juice 

Method 

Take a chopper, add the coriander, garlic, lemongrass, chilli flakes, fish sauce, lemon juice, honey, salt and coconut milk. Pulse it  3 to 4 times. Take a oven proof baking dish. Place the fish into the baking dish. Pour the mixture on the fish and mix well. Add the chillies. Bake it in a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes at 200 degrees celcius or until fish is cooked well. Garnish with coriander leaves, cucumber slices, tomato slices and lemon slice.

Macher Bhappa Cake / Fish Cake Steamed.....

This is an excellent recipe to have with evening tea or as a starter. The fish is boiled and mashed with boiled potatoes and vegetables and then set in a steamer or steamed in any vessel till it sets. This recipe is a heirloom recipe from my aunty’s kitchen and recreated in my kitchen. It has a touch of Bengal as Kasundi is used in it.  It's a very healthy recipe as there is very less oil content which has come from Kasundi and greased container. For the bread crumbs, I have used whole wheat bread crumbs, you can also roast or crisp the leftover rotis to make the breadcrumbs.
For people who eats egg... you can substitute the fish with soya granules.
I am sure you will love my recipe as much as I did making it. I am sure you will try it out.

Ingredients
1 cup / 250 grams  Any Fish boiled, deboned and mashed ( Bhetki, Prawns, Kathla)
1 big size Potato boiled and mashed
1/2 cup finely chopped any colour capsicum
1 small Onion finely chopped
1 tsp Garlic minced
1/2 tsp Ginger minced
1/2 to 1 tsp Green chillies minced
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Pepper crushed
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/4 tsp Baking powder
1/4 cup Bread Crumbs
2 Eggs beaten
2 tbsp Kasundi ( Mustard Sauce )
1 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
1/4  tsp Mustard oil just to grease the container

Method
Take a mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients together very well, except for the oil. Take a greased baking pan. Pour the mixture in to the container and spread it. You can steam it in a steamer or take a wok, add water, place a napkin at the base. Place the container with the lid on. Cover the wok and steam it for 20 to 30 minutes or till the mixture has set. To check, insert a tooth pick. Cool it down. Cut it into pieces and serve it with more Kasundi.

Bhetki Macher Kanta Chorchori...

Bhetki or (Barramundi) is quite a popular fish. We Bengalis have many preparations made from Bhetki. The small size is used to make jhol or jhal. And the big size ones are cut into fillets and made into cutlets, paturi, chops, fish fingers etc. Moreover even the remaining bone along with some flesh and head are also not wasted and it is made into Kanta Chorchori. You will not find this delectable dish in any of the restaurants. It is a very simple traditional dish cooked at home. Simply have it with hot steaming rice and it is divine... 

Ingredients 

Bhetki head and bones cut into pieces marinated for 5 minutes with 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder and salt.

1 tsp Garlic and Ginger paste 

2 Green chillies slit 

2 big size Onions sliced 

2 big size Potatoes cut into wedges 

1 Tomato cut into wedges 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Coriander powder 

1/4 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/2 tsp Sugar 

Salt to taste

1 small stick Cinnamon 

1 Green Cardomom

2 Cloves

1 Bay leaf 

1/4 cup Mustard Oil 

Method 

Take a wok. Add mustard oil. Heat it till the smoking point.  Reduce the flame. Fry the bone and the head till golden brown in colour. Remove it from the wok and keep it aside. In the same oil add the cinnamon, green cardomom and cloves. Let it crackle. Add the bay leaf and the green chillies. Add the onions and sauté it till light brown in colour. Add the ginger - garlic paste. Sauté for a minute. Add the potatoes. Stir fry the potatoes for a minute. Add the tomato. Stir it. Add the salt, sugar, turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder. Stir it and add the fish bones. Stir and add 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook till the potatoes are cooked and the water has evaporated. Server it hot with hot steaming rice.

Doi Maach...

This is a fishy delicacy from Bengal. This dish is prepared during occasions. It's a bit sweet and sour in taste. Spiciness is adjusted as per requirement. This dish is served with hot steamed plain rice or polau.

For Marnating and Frying the Fish...

Ingredients 

1 kg Ruhi or Katla pieces preferably cut from a big size fish

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Turmeric powder

Mustard Oil for deep frying the Fish

Method 

Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric powder and let it stand for 15 minutes.Heat mustard oil in a wok till smoking point. Reduce the heat and fry the fish till light brown in colour from both the sides. Remove the fish and keep it aside while the gravy is prepared.

To Make the Doi Mach...

Ingredients 

Fried Fish

1 tbsp Ginger paste

1 tbsp Garlic paste 

1/2 tbsp Chilli paste 

1 medium size Onion paste 

3 Green Chillies slit

1 cup Curd 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1 tsp Cumin powder

1 tsp Coriander Powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala powder

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1 tsp Sugar to taste

Salt to taste 

2 Bay Leaves

3 Cloves 

1 small stick Cinnamon 

2 Green Cardomom 

Mustard Oil (Use the same Fish Fry Oil) 

Few Coriander Leaves chopped for garnishing

Method

Take the same wok in which the fish was fried. Reduce the oil to 4 tbsp. Heat the oil. Add cloves, cinnamon, green cardamom. Let the spices crackle. Add the bay leaves and green chillies. Sauté it for few seconds. Add the onion paste, ginger paste, garlic paste and chilli paste. Sauté it for 3 to 4 minutes till the rawness of paste is gone. Meanwhile add the turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder, sugar and salt in the curd and beat it. Add the beaten curd into the wok. Sauté it for another 3 minutes. Add the fried fish into the curd gravy. Let it simmer for a minute. Add a cup of water. Cover and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Garnish it with coriander leaves before serving. 

Malvani Surmai Curry

Malvan is a town in Sindhudurg District, it lies in the southern most district of Maharashtra. Since it is on the coastal belt, the main occupation is fishing. It has its own style of cooking. The staple diet of the local people is fish curry and rice.

Coconut is used in abundant in various forms as grated, dry grated,fried, coconut paste and coconut milk.

Some of the spices like dried red chillies, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cumin, cardamom, ginger, garlic, etc. are used in the paste. Kokum, dried kokam,tamarind, and raw mango are used to give a sour flavour to the curry. Malvani masala powder is made with 15 to 16 types of dry spices. This masala is grounded into powder and stored in jars to be used when required.

For the Coconut Paste

Ingredients

2 small Coconut grated

2 Onion chopped

8 Garlic Cloves

4 small Ginger pieces

6 Byadagi Chillies

6 Degi Chillies

1/2 tsp Pepper Corn

1 Cinnamon stick

4 Cloves

4 Green Cardomom

1 tbsp Cumin seeds

1 tbsp Mustard seeds

2 tbsp Poppy seeds

1 tsp Fennel seeds

1 Star Anise

1/2 tsp Turmeric

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Oil

Method

Take a pan, add oil. Heat the oil. Add the 1/2 tsp Pepper Corn, Cinnamon stick, Cloves, Green Cardomom, Cumin seeds, Mustard seeds, Star Anise and Fennel seeds. Sauté it till it crackles. Add the garlic. Sauté till it lightly changes its colour. Add the onions, sauté it till light pink in colour. Add the chilies, sauté it for a minute. Add the poppy seeds and sauté it for another minute. Add the coconut and sauté it till it light golden in colour. Switch the flame off. Cool it. Add the ingredients in the grinder, add water and grind it. Open the grinder lid and add salt and turmeric powder. Grind it further to a smooth paste.

For the Malvani Curry

Ingredients

1 kg Surmai fish cut into pieces

Wet paste

6 garlic crushed

4 Green chillies cut into 2 pieces

6 Kokam pieces

1 tsp Mustard seeds

2 Spring Curry leaves

1 Star Anise

3 tbsp Mavani Masala powder

Salt to taste

1/4 cup Oil

Method

Take a flat base pot or pan. Add oil, let it heat. Add the mustard seeds and star anise. Let it crackle. Add the garlic, green chillies and curry leaves. Sauté it for a minute. Add the wet paste. Sauté and cook it till the oil starts to separate out from the paste. Add the salt and Malvani masala. Stir and cook for another minute. Add 1 liter water. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. Add the Kokam and let it simmer for another minute. Add the fish pieces and let it cook for 10 minutes or till the fish is cooked. Switch of the flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve with hot steaming rice.

Maccher Dopiaza / Fish Dopiaza....

Dopiaza means 2 onions. It is a  South-Asian Curry dish. This dish was accidentally innovated in the kitchen of Mugal Emperor Akbar. This dish is very popular in countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and is adapted as per the communities living in that place. 

The onions are used in two stages. It is prepared with a large amount of onions, once caramelised and another with onion paste. This dish is usually made with non vegetarian ingredients mainly meat,but now a days vegetarian Dopiaza is also made. A souring agent is added to the dish.The other ingredients which are used are meat, onions, ginger and garlic paste, whole spices and powder spices. 

Here I have made Fish Dopiaza in Bangladeshi style. I have used Katla Fish. Any other fish like Rui, Prawns,Telapia,Bhetki can be used to make this dish. I have used tomatoes, but it can be replaced with curd or both can be used in equal proportion. 

Ingredients

8 pieces of Katla Fish marinated with 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder and Salt. 

1 tbsp Ginger - Garlic and Green Chilli paste 

1 small Onion paste

3 medium size Onions cut into thick sliced 

2 medium size Tomatoes cut into thick sliced or 1/2 cup Curd or 1 Tomato and 1/4 cup Curd 

2 Green Chillies silt

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Coriander powder 

1/4 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/4 tsp Pepper powder 

1/4 tsp or more Red Chilli powder as required

1/2 tsp Sugar 

Salt to taste 

2 Cloves

1 Green Cardomom

1 small stick Cinnamon 

5 to 6 Peppercorn 

2 Bay leaves 

Mustard Oil for Frying the Fish 

4 tbsp Oil taken from the same oil in which the fish was fried 

or Ghee for the Gravy 

Method 

Take a pan, add oil and heat it till the smoking point. Reduce the heat. Fry the fish pieces till light golden brown in colour. Remove the fish pieces and keep it aside. Remove the excess oil from the pan leaving 3 tbsp of the oil or ghee can also be used. Add the cardomom, cinnamon, cloves and pepper corn. Sauté it till it crackles. Add the green chillies and bay leaves. Sauté it for another few seconds. Add the sliced onions, sauté it for a minute, add the sugar. Sauté it till the onions become pink in colour. Add the onion paste and ginger - garlic - chilli paste. Sauté it for 2 minutes till the masalas starts to separate from the oil. Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder,coriander powder, pepper powder, garam masala powder and salt. Stir and cook for a minute. Add the tomatoes or curd, stir and cook for 2 minutes till the tomatoes become mushy. Add a cup of water and let the gravy simmer for a minute. Arrange and place the fried fish in the gravy. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the fish pieces and cook for another 2 minutes. Serve it hot with hot steam rice or paratha. 

Cơm Chiên / Vietnamese Prawns Fried Rice....

Fried rice is one of the very popular dish originated from China, it is very commonly sold on the streets of Asia. In some Asian countries, there are some small restaurants, street vendors and cart hawkers that only serves fried rice. To make the fried rice, leftover rice is generally used as the moisture in freshly cooked rice will cause it to steam instead of fry. It is stir-fried in a wok with oil to prevent sticking. The oil is seasoned with garlic and onion for flavouring before adding the rice and other ingredients to it, which is then stir-fried together in a wok. Other ingredients like egg, meat,seafood, vegetables, salt, pepper, different types of sauces are added as per the choice. It is popularly eaten either as an accompaniment to another dish, or as a course by itself. Popular garnishes that are added into the Fried rice are sliced cucumber, tomato or sliced chilli sprinkled on top of the rice.

Here is my adaptation to the recipe. I have added some green sorrel leaves to it along with other vegetables for a change.

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups of Cooked Rice

1 Onion chopped

1 small size Carrot chopped

1 small Capsicum chopped

1/4 cup Green Sorrel Leaves

2 Green Chillies chopped

1 tsp Ginger minced

1 tsp Garlic minced

1 tbsp Red Chilli sliced

2 Eggs

10 medium sized Prawns cleaned

3 tbsp Fish sauce

2 tbsp Rice Vinegar

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Pepper powder

1/2 tsp Sugar

4 tbsp Sesame Oil

Method

Break the eggs in a bowl. Sprinkle salt and pepper and beat it. Take a wok, add  1/2 tbsp oil, heat it. Add the egg,cook it and make a fried scramble egg. Remove it and keep it aside. Add another tbsp of oil in the same wok. Let it heat. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on the prawns,mix it. Fry it till it is cooked. Remove and keep it aside. Add the remaining oil in the same wok, heat the oil. Add the chopped onion, garlic and ginger mince. Stir fry for a minute on high flame. Add the capsicum, carrot, red chilli and the green chillies. Stir fry it for 2 minutes. Add the green sorrel leaves and stir it for few seconds. Add the rice, stir fry it for a minute on medium flame. Add the salt, pepper powder, sugar, fish sauce and the rice vinegar. Stir it for another minute. Leaving few pieces of prawns and fried eggs for garnishing, add the rest of the prawns and fried egg pieces in other wok. Stir for it for another minute or 2 until all the ingredients are well co-operated. Garish with the remaining fried egg pieces and prawns. Serve it hot.

Jamaican Jerk Fish Wrapped in Banana Leaf and Steamed.....

When yesterday morning one of my friend shared with me a Jamaican Jerk Chicken recipe..... I instantly fell in love with the easy recipe. The spices in this dish are full of flavours... enough to linger around your tastebuds.. I decided to make it.. with a twist...

I have adapted the recipe as per my convenience and experimented it with fish.. wrapped in banana leaf and steamed it..... This dish can be served as a starter.

For the Jerk Spice

Ingredients

1 tsp  Garlic powder

1/2 tsp Onion powder

1 tsp Hot Chilli powder

1/4 tsp Pepper powder

1/8 tsp Cinnamon powder

1/8 tsp Nutmeg powder

1/8 tsp Clove powder or 2 Cloves

1/2 tsp All Spice powder  ( I did not use the powder... but I have the all spice plant at home so substituted it by roasting 3 leaves and grinding it)

1/4 tsp Chilli flakes

1/2 tsp Brown Sugar

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Dried Thyme

1/2 tsp Dried Parsley

Method

Mix all the above ingredients and blend it in a blender.

For the Steamed  Fish

Ingredients

Any whole Fish.. I used 3 medium size whole Pomfrets cleaned and slited

Jamaican Jerk spice

Salt to season

3 tbsp Olive oil

Juice of 1 Lime

Banana Leaves cut into rectangular shape

Method

Take the fish. Rub salt and lime juice and let it stand for 15 minutes. Mix the Jerk spices with olive oil. Rub the Jerk spices and let it marinate for 2 hours or more. To make the banana leaf more pliable, slightly warm up the banana leaves over low flame for few seconds. Apply oil on the lighter side of each leaf. Place the fish on the leaf. Add the marinated juices on the fish. Wrap the fish in the banana leaf. Heat up the pan. Brush some oil in the pan. Cook it covered on medium high flame for 10 minutes on each sides. Serve it hot with lime slices.

P. S. Instead of steaming the fish you can grill it too.