This is a traditional way to welcome new member in our family, be it welcoming new bride or groom or welcoming or wishing good luck to the newly or would be mother in the family. So, when my bro and sis-in-law came to visit us with their new born, I made this for them to make the visit memorable. Here, chital or clown fish is slow cooked in a rich gravy tempered with aromatic masalas and a masterpiece is born !!!
Ingredients
Chital Peti - 3
Mouri / Saunf - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Green chilli - 5
Kashmiri chilli powder - 1 tsp
Ginger Paste - 1 tsp
Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - a pinch
Whole garam masala
Bay leaves
Curd - 3 tbsp
Hing - a pinch
Kishmish - 1 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Oil - as required
Salt, turmeric
Whole dry red chilli - 1
Sugar - 1 tsp
Smear salt and turmeric to the fishes and fry till golden brown. Add oil and 1tbsp ghee to the same pan. Add mouri/fennel seeds, bay leaf, whole garam masala, dry red chilli and hing to the oil. Let it splutter.
Then add the ginger garlic paste, chopped green chilli and fry well. Next add the cumin powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt and sugar and the kashmiri red chilli powder. Sprinkle some water and mix well. Fry till oil surfaces. Add the curd and continue frying till oil comes out.
Next add 1 cup of hot water and mix well. When water starts boiling, add the fish pieces and cook over low heat with cover.
After 5 minutes, add the remaining ghee and kishmish. Cook for 5 more minutes with a heavy lid ( cooking in Dum). When oil surfaces, switch off the heat. Sprinkle garam masala powder and keep covered. Serve with plain rice.
'Bati Chorchori' is mixture of different ingredients taken in a big bowl or 'Bati' and cook it covered over very low heat for a prolonged time so that the flavors of its gredients get mixed with each other and lend a distinct taste. I heard the origination of this dish from my Grand Mom that, in ancient Bengal, women used to cook for the male members of the family all the lovely delicious dishes and when everybody had their share of eating, most of the time, very little is left for the ladies working in the kitchen. So they mix whatever is available, small fishes, leftover veggies, etc and put it on the heat with some oil and water. That is the way this delicious dish is born. Many varieties of Bati Chorchori is cooked in our family having mostly some non-veg element in it. But we have some veg version too, like I made this 'Borir Jhal'. It can be made with different kind of small fishes, even with prawns like this 'Chingri machher Bati Chorchori'. My Mom makes an Egg version too. Some days back, I got these fresh Mourola fish, and decided to go for Bati Chorchori, I have some small prawns sitting on my refrigerator which I was not able to utilise, since the quantity is very small, so throw them into these Mourola dish, and it has got some lovely flavor. The most important ingredient of a bati chorchori is Mustard Oil, which lends a sharp kick on the tongue.
Ingredients
Mourola Fish - 200 gm
Small Prawns - 2-3 tbsp
Potato - 1, chopped thinly
Onion - 2, chopped thinly
Mustard Paste - 2 tbsp
Green Chilli Paste - as per taste
Salt, Turmeric
Mustard Oil - 2 tbsp
Mix all the ingredients in a big bowl or heavy bottomed pan with some sprinkle of water, if required. Keep covered for some time ( 30 minutes or so.)
Now put it on very low heat with a lid and let it get cooked. It will take time but does not need your attention. You will have a lovely smell after some time. When everything is cooked, (check the doneness of the potato), and things are mixed with each other, switch off the heat and keep it on standing time for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves. You may add a tsp of mustard oil at the end. Goes best with plain rice.
Assam, the beautiful state of North-East India has an incredible range of culture, awesome wildlife, the teas, oldest oil refineries, famous Kamakhya temple and of course, the Assamese cuisine, which is characterized by very little use of spices but strong flavors. This Masor Tenga (Tangy Fish Curry), an indispensable part of a proper meal in Assam, is a light and tangy dish, and is one of Assam's signature preparations. The key ingredient in a tenga is the use of a souring agent like lemon or tomato which lends the dish a tart tangy taste. I being a fish addict, when saw this recipe in one of a popular website, could not stop myself and recreated the same in my kitchen some days back. It can be best enjoyed with plain rice.
Ingredients
Rohu Fish - 4 pieces
Small Ripe tomatoes - 4-5, chopped
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder
Green chili - 1, slit at the mouth
Lemon juice - 2 tsp or as per taste
Mustard oil
Chopped coriander- 3 tbsp
Salt according to taste
Sprinkle the fish pieces with turmeric powder and salt and leave to marinate for 15 minutes.
Heat oil in a deep pan and fry the fish until lightly browned. Set aside. Heat one tablespoon mustard oil in a separate pan. Tip in the fenugreek seeds. When the seeds turn brown remove them from the oil. Add the green chili followed by the chopped tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes have started to mash and release their liquid.
Add salt and turmeric and stir well. Add water,.
Gently slide in the fried fish pieces, simmer for ten minutes. Reduce heat and add the lemon juice; according to taste and remove from heat immediately.
Stir in the chopped coriander and serve with steamed rice. Note: I have added 1/2 tsp of sugar to this to adjust my taste bud. Actual recipe didnot ask for it.
A different way to cook Loittya / Bombay Duck. Simple and Yummy.
Ingredients
Bombay duck - 500 gm, halved
Salt, turmeric
Lemon juice
Onions - 2
Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Garlic chopped - 1 tsp
Ginger Paste - 1 tsp
Green Chilli - 6 - 7 or as per paste
Coriander Leaves - a bunch
Marinate the fish with salt, turmeric powder and lemon juice for ½ - 1 hour.
Make paste of one medium sized onion and finely chop another medium sized one. make paste of 4 green chilies with the coriander leaves and take 2 whole green chilies with slit at the mouth. Heat mustard oil, put the chopped garlic first, add the whole green chilies with slit and stir.
When fried a little, add the chopped onions, stir till golden brown. Then add the onion paste and ginger garlic paste and stir. Add the coriander paste, and fry well till the raw smell goes off.
Add the fish pieces carefully.
Shake the pan so as to cover the fishes with the masala mixture. After some time, turn the fishes carefully, shake the pan. Sprinkle very little water if the contents in pan becomes dry, otherwise not required since the fish usually releases lot of water.
Add the remaining ginger paste spreading around the pan. Shake vigorously,cook on low heat, if possible turn the fish pieces carefully in between. Adjust the salt. Add chopped coriander leaves. Serve with plain rice.
Got this recipe from one of my online friend, who had some Afghani Raan somewhere and tried to simulate the taste in his kitchen, then posted the recipe, which I have again adjusted according to my taste, and the result was awesome. We had it as a special dish on Holi, the festival of colors, accompanied with a simple non-spicy Peas Khichdi. The spicy taste of this dish blended well with the mild taste of peas khichdi and it was a perfect 'Jugalbandi' or Duet. We ended up with Thandai flavoured Mousse, another Holi special, with a twist. What a lovely lunch for a festive day!!!
Ingredients
Mutton - 1 kg (Meat from raan)
Hung Curd - 100 gms
Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
mint leaves paste - 3 tbsp
Ginger paste - 1.5 tbsp
garlic paste 1.5 tsp
green chilli paste - 1tsp
Ghee/Butter - 1 tbsp
For Gravy:
Onion Paste - 2 tbsp
fried onion - 2 tbsp
Garlic paste - 2 tbsp
ginger paste - 1 tsp
green chilli paste - 1.5 tsp
Hing - 1 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp
Ghee/White Oil - As required
Mix all the marination ingredients nicely and add to the mutton and rub well. refrigerate overnight.
On a thick botton flat type pan, heat white oil. Add Onion paste. saute till transluscent in high heat. Add ginger garlic paste, green chilli paste and saute for a few minutes. Add the mutton pieces without the marinade. Mix well. Turn on the heat. cover cook in medium heat for 5-7 mins.
Add the Marinades. Mix well. Sprinkle few drops of water (if needed). Add 1 tbsp of ghee and sprinkle garam masala powder. Mix well. Turn down the heat to lowest flame.
Keep cooking till oil separates.
Add hot water depending on your gravy requirement. The gravy should not be too runny. Pressure cook till the mutton is just tender. Keep aside. Now take a clean pan and add 1 tbsp of ghee. Add star anise and the hing.
Then add the cooked mutton and mix well. Let it simmer for some time. Adjust the seasoning.
Once the meat are all done and oil is separating. turn off the heat. Sprinkle chopped green chilli.
Sprinkle fried onions and fresh mint / pudina leaves and serve.
Here in Bengal, we have our very own nearest sea beach at Digha and Mandarmoni, which takes just 3-4 hours to reach. We have spent quite a lot of our weekends there when we have lesser responsibilities and not enough money to plan a lavish holidays. So, it was just packing your back-pack on a friday night, take a early morning bus and reach there, book a room in a descent hotel and then go and jump into the sea. Then there was sea food, and a good nap in the afternoon. Oh,, gone are those days!! In the evening, we used to go to the local market and bought fresh fishes and sometimes crab. There are a number of stalls on the beach, where you can approach, they will cook your fish for a very nominal charge. I have had the most delicious crab preparations there, with very few ingredients. I really donot know the secret of such a good taste, may be it is because of the fresh ingredients, or the sea breeze, or the holiday mood, or whatever, but I never forget that awesome taste of fish and crab dishes I had there. Tried to simulate that taste with this crab masala, which is not at per with them, still it is not bad either.
Ingredients
Crabs - 3
Medium Onion - 4, chopped
Garlic Paste - 2 tsp
Ginger Paste - 2 tsp
Salt, turmeric
Sugar - a pinch
Green Chilli - 6-7, or as per taste
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Leaves - a handful
Boil the crab pieces with salt and turmeric in two cups of water for 5 minutes. Remove and keep the stock.
Add mustard oil in a pan. Then add slit green chilli, and after a stir, add the chopped onions with a pinch of sugar and salt. Fry till golden brown, then add the garlic paste and half of ginger paste. Mix well.
Add turmeric, salt, cumin powder and fry well. Next add the boiled crab pieces and mix well with the spices.
When oil separates, add the reserved stock and mix well. Add the remaining ginger paste and stir carefully.
Boil over low heat till gravy thickens. Adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle chopped coriander and serve hot with plain rice.
