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Friday, September 23, 2011

Pomfret macher jhol

IMG_7503

Our visit to the local Asian store Uwajimaya was pretty fruitful or rather fishful. We got some excellent Pomfrets. This is how I cooked them as traditional bengali fish curry.

Ingredients

  1. Pomfret - 2 large size cut into 4to 6 steak like pieces
  2. Tomato - 2 large
  3. Garlic Paste of 3 /4 cloves
  4. Fresh corriander leaves
  5. Green chili - 3/4
  6. Turmeric powder
  7. Chili powder
  8. Salt
  9. Kalo jeera / Kalonji

Procedure

  1. Wash the fish steaks and keep it dry. Now add turmeric powder and salt to it. Keep it aside for sometime.
  2. Take a frying pan and heat the oil. I prefer to use mustard oil but you can go ahead with canola or sunflower oil. Heat the oil till it starts smoking.
  3. Now add the fish steaks 1 or 2 pieces at a time and fry it till all the sides become light golden brown. Remove the steaks from the oil.
  4. Discard the oil which you have used for frying.
  5. Take oil in the kadai / frying pan and heat it.
  6. Temper it with kalonji and green chili.
  7. Add the chopped tomatoes and sprinkle little salt to it.
  8. Cook it in medium heat till the tomatoes become soft.
  9. Now add the garlic paste, turmeric powder and chili powder.
  10. Cook it till the raw smell of the garlic paste goes away.
  11. Now add water to it. Once the water starts boiling add the fried fish steaks and add salt and a pinch of sugar to it
  12. Add chopped coriander leaves and slit green chilies. Keep it covered for a minute and it is ready to be served with steaming hot white rice..

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Sorshe Mach (Fish With Mustard Sauce)

IMG_7495

Once my aunt came to visit us. My dad had got fresh Tilapia from the market in the morning and she decided to exhibit her culinary expertise by cooking this dish. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. Next day we figured out that she had used half an liter of oil to cook just 4 pieces of fish. While not particularly cardiac friendly, this is definitely going to make for one happy meal.

Sorshe mach, can be made with a variety of fishes. Common choices are Tilapia, Rohu, Catla. In the US I particularly use Tilapia as it’s easily available or Salmon. Couple of days back we went to a local Asian store where we bought some live Tilapia. The fresh fish and the fiery mustard made a great combination.

Ingredients

  1. Tilapia - 500 gms (Cut into 5 pieces)
  2. Onion - 1 medium sized (Thin sliced) 
  3. Mustard - 3 tb spoon
  4. Garlic - 2 big cloves
  5. Green chili - 5
  6. Turmeric powder
  7. Mustard oil - 1/2 cup
  8. Salt to taste
  9. Coriander leaf

Procedure

  1. Make a fine paste of mustard, green chilies, and garlic by slowly adding water in a grinder
  2. Clean the fish pieces and lightly rub salt and turmeric to it. Keep it aside.
  3. Take about 1/4th cup of oil in a frying pan and heat it till it starts smoking. Now reduce the heat and slowly add the fish pieces and fry  till it becomes golden in color. Take the fish out and keep aside.
  4. Now add  rest of the oil in the pan and heat it. Add the sliced onion and fry it in a low flame till it gets cooked . 
  5. Add the mustard paste you made and add turmeric powder into it.
  6. Sauté it for a while and slowly add little water.
  7. When the water starts boiling add the fried fish into the gravy and add salt to it.
  8. Allow it to boil for a while till the gravy becomes thick.
  9. Now add rest of the green chilies and fresh chopped coriander leaves.

Sorshe mach can be eaten only one way, with a pile of steaming white rice.