Dhaba Style Rohu Fish Curry or Rohu FIsh Salan..!!!

What we Humans do???? It’s a big question and even having one of the brightest brains among all living species we actually end up doing the same stuff every day. Day after day the routine remains same. Having almost similar breakfasts in the morning then go to school or work, have almost similar lunches then same snacks and then the day ends with an equally unremarkable dinner. After having this routine continuously for 5 days we tend to go out on weekends to quench the thirst of our taste buds with some different cuisine. North Indians eat south Indian dishes and South Indians eat North Indian dishes and same with East and West Indian. Sometime we eat intercontinental like Chinese, Thai, Italian, and French or with ultimate boredom visit the freaking American food giants like KFC etc.

But one food which always fascinates us and which always pushes us to wanderlust in the highways is to eat some Dhaba Foods. They are always unique and each dhaba has its own signature method of cooking the regular day to day meals which makes it unique enough to lure us to visit them. We love to have the same chicken or fish curry there and it still makes our faces childlike happy after having them. But it is always not possible to go a Dhaba due to multiple reasons.

But you can change this dismal mood by bringing the Dhaba to your home. You can still have the same dish at your home and indulge your taste buds and your wanderlust mind. So let’s see how to make a Dhaba Style Fish Curry below:

So here comes the recipe for the Dhaba Style Fish Curry or Fish Salan :

Ingredients:

• Fish Fillets or Steaks : 5/6 pieces
• Ginger-Garlic Paste: 4 Tsp.
• Tomatoes: 2 Large (Chopped)
• Mustard Oil : 3 Large Table Spoon.
• Coriander Powder : 3 tsp.
• Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp.
• Red Chili Powder : 3 tsp (Change according to your tolerance)
• Salt : To taste
• Lemon Juice : Juice of a 1/2 lemon
• Coriander Leaves (Optional) : To garnish.
• Fenugreek Seeds :3/4 seeds only
• Mustard Seeds : a few
• Cumin seeds : 1 tsp.
• Water : 2 Cups

Process:

• Marinate the fish pieces with turmeric powder, salt and 1 tsp of ginger garlic paste along with little oil and lime juice and keep it for 10-15 minutes.
• Heat oil in a non stick pan and shallow fry the pieces for few minutes from both sides. Once done take out the fishes and keep separately.
• Heat oil in a separate wok and temper with cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds. When the cumin starts to splutter add the remaining ginger garlic paste, chopped tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes become mushy.
• Now add the turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder and salt and mix well. You may add little water to mix the spices well.
• Cook till oil starts to release from the sides of the wok. Pour 1 cup of water into the wok and cover it up and cook until all the species mix very well and the gravy becomes smooth.
• Now uncover and add the fish pieces and mix the spices with the fish very well. After cooking 3-4 minutes add another cup of water  from the sides of the wok. Cook for another 7-8 minutes in very low flame. Remember the curry doesn't have a watery gravy. Now check the seasoning and turn off the flame. 
• Add the lemon juice now and give a very nice stir carefully so that it can be mixed up with the gravy.
• Dhaba Fish curry is now ready to serve. Enjoy It with Steaming hot rice. 

                                                                       Enjoy Your Food..!!!

Bhetki (Spicy Barramundi Fish Curry With Baby Potatoes ) Macher Kalia !!!!!!

Being a non-fish lover I used to contemplate that cooking fish would be a dreadful job to do, during my former period of life before marriage. Then after being married to a emblematic fish lover I had no option other than cook the same whether I eat that or don’t. But I should acknowledge here that he always hesitates to buy fishes, he loves to eat, thinking of me. But nowadays when I see not only him, but also the little one of our family is a distinctive fish lover and loves to palate different types of fish items I never dither to buy different types of fishes and tryout various dishes with those.

Today I am going to share a very old-fashioned, traditional Bengali fish recipe of Bhetki fish  ( Barramundi ), Bhetki Kalia which I prepared using baby potatoes.But before that I should give a small description about the above mentioned  fish for my non-Bengali readers who are not familiar with the same.
The barramundi or Asian seabass should not be confused with the Barramundi cod or the Australian members of the genus Scleropages (which sometimes are referred to as barramundis). The fish is of large commercial importance; it is fished internationally and raised in aquaculture in Australia, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Israel, Thailand, the United States, Poland, and the U.K. Barramundi have a mild flavour and a white, flaky flesh, with varying amount of body fat.In Australia, it is an iconic table fish revered as a quintessential Australian brand.
In Bengal, locally caught bhetki (barramundi) is a popular fish among Bengali people, mainly dished in festivities like marriages and other important social events, cooked as Bhetki macher paturi, bhetki macher kalia or coated with suji (semolina) and pan fried. It is very popular among people who are usually sceptical to eat fish because of their tiny pin bones. Bhetki fillets have no pin bones in them.


However, let's come to the topic now. Here is the detailed recipe I am going to share today :


Bhetki Kalia , Spicy Bhetki Fish Curry with Baby Potatoes : 






Ingredients :

• Bhetki Fish Fillets :8-10
• Baby Potatoes: 6-8
• Onion Paste : 3 tbsp heaped.
• Ginger -Garlic-Dry Red Chili Paste (2-3 dry red chili): 11/2 tbsp.
• Tomato: 1 Large & Juicy (Finely chopped)
• Salt: To taste
• Sugar:1/2 tsp.
• Turmeric Powder: 2 tsp.
• Coriander Powder : 1tsp.
• Cumin Powder : 1 tsp.
• Garam Masala (Dry roasted and ground powder of 1/2" Cinnamon stick, 2 Cardamoms and 2 Cloves ) : 1/2 tsp.
• Mustard Oil : 4-6 tbsp.
• Yogurt : 1 tsp.
• Warm Water : 2  Cups.
• Fresh Chopped Coriander Leaves.
• Fresh Cream : 1 tsp.

 Process:

• Wash the fish fillets well and wipe them off with a kitchen towel or tissue paper. Marinate them with turmeric powder and salt and keep it aside for few minutes.
• Heat 2-3 tbsp of mustard oil in a deep bottomed vessel and fry the fish fillets till golden yellow and keep aside. Discard the blackish fried oil. 
• Wash and peel off the baby potatoes and fry them in a pan with little white or mustard oil along with little salt and turmeric powder. Keep these potatoes aside.
• Now take 4/5 tbsp of fresh mustard oil in the same vessel. Add the tomato cubes and sprinkle salt and cook until the tomato cubes becomes mushy.
• Now it's time to add the onion paste. Add it and cook until the onion paste gets mixed with the tomato & becomes translucent
• At this time add the turmeric powder, salt, sugar, coriander and cumin powder and cook till the raw smell goes off.
• Now add the ginger-garlic and dry red chili paste & the beaten yogurt and mix thoroughly. Add the fried potatoes at this time.Cook until the oil starts releasing from the sides of the pan.
• Now pour the warm water and cover the vessel and cook in increased flame until the potatoes become tender and cooked well.
• Uncover the vessel and add the fried fishes. Cook it in low flame for 5-7 minutes. Now taste the seasoning and add salt or  sugar if required.
• Adjust the gravy now. If required add little more warm water. This is not a very watery or a very thick curry. Add the garam masala powder and cover the vessel for a while so that the curry could absorb the smell. Turn off the flame now.
• Bhetki Kalia is now ready. Garnish it with cream and coriander leaves.
• Serve it with steaming hot rice and enjoy.

                                                                      Enjoy Your Food..!!!

Hilsa With Coconut & Poppy Seeds Paste...!!!Narkol Posto Ilish..!!!

One more luscious  Hilsa recipe I am going to share today. Monsoon is about to say bid adieu to the state still the Bangladeshi fish supplier is supplying us very good quality hilsa and this time I made a new recipe with it which I learned from one of my very good friend.


So, here is the entire process:




Ingredients:

• Hilsa/Ilish:4-5 piece
• Freshly grated Coconut paste:4 tbsp(no coconut milk or powder)
• Poppy seeds paste:2 tbsp
• Green chili:4-5,slitted
• Nigella seeds:1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder:1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Mustard oil:5 tbsp
• Hot water:1 cup

Process:

• Clean and wash the hilsa pieces and rub it with a little  turmeric powder & salt.
• Keep it for 5 minutes.
• Make a paste of freshly grated coconut and poppy seeds.
• Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a pan/wok.
• Fry the hilsa pieces slightly. Take them out of the pan and keep separately. You may discard the oil and pour it into a separate bowl for eating raw with steaming hot rice. That is another favorite of us, Bengali.
• Heat a tbsp of fresh oil..
• Temper with nigella seeds and slitted green chilies.
• Add coconut-poppy seeds paste.
• Cook it by stirring it continuously for 4-5 minutes.
• Add a cup of hot water when the nice aroma of coconut-poppy seeds paste comes out. Give few nice stirs.
• Add the hilsa pieces and chilies when the gravy starts boiling.
• Cook for another 3-4 minutes.
• Add a tsp of raw mustard oil on the top. You may add few more slitted green chilies if you want .
• Sprinkle little freshly grated coconut on the top and serve it hot with steamed rice.

                                                                Enjoy Your Food....!!!

Hilsha WIth Eggplant...!!! Ilisher Begun Jhal...!!!!

Ilisher Begun Jhal /Hilsha with Eggplant Curry is an exceptionally trouble-free, time saving and lip smacking preparation. When you have to arrange some foods very quickly for your guests with the least ingredients yet you want to satisfy their taste buds to the full degree, then blindly, go for this recipe. Surely you will be identified as a marvelous cook to your family unit and friends and acquaintances.

To be very honest, though I heard about this recipe a lot but I never dared to try it as eggplant is not my favorite vegetable. But this time for a change tried it and it was so scrumptious, so delicious that I regretted for not trying this before.

Here is the recipe for you all .


Ingredients:

• Hilha Fish Steaks: 5-6 nos.
• Egg Plants/Brinjal: 2 (long ones,slit length wise)
• Turmeric Powder: 2 tsp.
• Salt: To Taste
• Green Chili: 4-5 nos.
• Onion Seeds/Kalonji: 1 tsp.
• Fenugreek Seeds/Methi: ¼ tsp. ( Optional)
• Water: 1 ½ Cup ( preferably warm)
• Mustard Oil: 2 tbsp.

Process:

• Wash and pat dry the fishes. Marinate these with salt, turmeric powder and a little bit of oil and keep aside for 5-10 minutes.
• Cut the eggplants length wise and marinate these also with salt and turmeric powder.
• Now heat 1 tbsp of mustard oil in a pan an slightly fry the fish steaks and keep aside.
• Then discard the fried oil and add 1-2 tsp of fresh oil into the pan, heat it and fry the eggplants for a while. Keep the fried egg plants aside and discard the fried blackish oil.
• Take a vessel and heat 1 tbsp of mustard oil. Temper with onion seeds ,fenugreek seeds and the  green chilies. When the seeds start sputtering add the fried egg plants, stir for a while and add the water. Now add salt, turmeric powder and boil it for few minutes.
• Now add the fried fish steaks into it,lower the flame and cover the vessel. Simmer for few minutes until the fishes are done. Taste the season, if required add little more salt.
• Hilsha with egg plant is ready. Serve it with steaming hot rice. It is something you can never forget once you try. 

                                                                       Enjoy Your Food...!!!

Butter Fish...Makhanwala Machchli....Machchli Makhanwala....!!!!

Butter Fish or Machchli Makhanwali is my little one’s one of the most desired fish preparations. I sometimes make this especially for her and  serve with some pulao or rice dishes. The procedure is not very complicated .It just needs few more ingredients than the other simple fish  recipes and that’s all. Any type of fishes can be used in this preparation, especially bhetki( Lates) or Surmai ( King Fish)are the best options. But I prepare it with any of the fishes according to the availability .This time I made it with Katla and the taste was immensely good.

Here is the procedure:

Ingredients:

• Fish Steaks: 5/6 (Washed, Pat Dried)
• Salt: 1 tsp for marinating fish + Cooking
• Turmeric Powder: 1tsp + ½ tsp.
• Red Chili Powder: ½ tsp (Adjust according to your choice)
• Sugar: ¼ tsp.
• Oil: 1 tbsp .White oil.
• Butter: 2 tbsp.
• Ginger Paste:1 tsp.
• Onion Paste: 2 tbsp
• Garlic Paste: ½ tsp.
• Tomato Puree: 3 tbsp.( I used store bought tomato puree, you may prepare it fresh)
• Cashew Paste: 2 tbsp.(Soak 10-12 nos cashew nusts in half cup of warm milk for 10-15 minutes and blend it in a mixer grinder to  make a smooth paste).
• Poppy Seeds Paste: 1 tsp.
• Yoghurt: 2 tbsp.( Whisk the yoghurt properly with little water and a pinch of flour to avoid curdling)
• Water: 1 Cup (warm)
• Cinnamon Sticks: 1
• Green Cardamoms: 2-3 nos.
• Cloves: 3-4 nos.
• Sha jeera (Caraway Seeds) :1/2 tsp.
• Fresh Cream: 1 tsp. ( Optional)

Process:

• Wash and pat dry the fish steaks and marinate them for 10- 15 minutes with little salt, turmeric powder and a 1tsp of white oil.
• Now take a deep bottomed vessel. Heat the butter first and melt it and then add 1 tsp of oil into it. Mix and once it becomes very hot, reduce the flame and fry the fishes on both sides slightly. But don’t over fry them. You can keep the fish without frying but personally as I don’t like to cook raw fish I always  fry them before adding them into the gravy. Take them out of the vessel and keep aside.
• Now discard the remaining butter-oil mixture in the vessel. Add some fresh butter and once it melts add 1 tsp of white oil and make it hot. Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves and the cardamoms. Fry for 30 seconds. Feel the fragrance and then add the caraway seeds. Let it splutter for few seconds.  Then add the sugar, fry till brown.
• Add the garlic paste, make a quick stir and add the tomato puree. Mix well. Add the onion paste and mix thoroughly. Add the salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and mix well. After 3-4 minutes add the ginger paste. Stir well and add the poppy seed paste, whisked yoghurt and the cashew paste.
• Cook until oil starts releasing from the sides of the pan. Then add the a cup of warm water into the vessel ,give a very nice stir . Increase the flame little and let the gravy boil for few minutes.
• Now add the fried pieces of fish and cover. On low flame cook until the fish steaks become very soft ,tender and the gravy becomes thick and coats the fishes well.
• The butter fish prepared in this way is soft like cotton and almost melts in the mouth. You may pour a teaspoon of fresh cream on top and then serve with Pulao or rice dishes.

                                                                      Enjoy Your Food...!!!

Rohu Fish In Mustard and Poppy Seeds Paste ....!!!

Cooking fish as a most important side dish while preparing lunch or dinner for the family is almost an each day job of a Bengali home maker. The eminent saying “Machhe Bhate Bangali ( Fish and Rice make a Bengali ) “ is so very apposite for us, the people of Bengal. Here I must talk about the importance of poppy seeds, mustard oil and mustard seeds in fish or any other vegetable preparations. These three ,predominantly the former two  (poppy seed and mustard oil) are very exclusive and widely used ingredients in a Bengali Kitchen which have the capacity to turn the taste of any ordinary preparation into a very luscious one.

Anyway, let’s start discussing today’s topic. I am going to share a simple Bengali fish recipe now. Rohu/katla Fish In Mustard and Poppy Seeds Paste Gravy. A very simple yet a scrumptious preparation which would go perfect when served with steaming hot rice.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• Katla /Rohu Fish Steaks: 5/6
• Poppy Seeds Paste: 2 tbsp.
• Mustard Seeds Paste:1 tbsp.
• Green Chili:3/4
• Onion:2 medium ( thin sliced)
• Salt: To taste
• Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp.
• Red Chili Powder: 1 tsp ( adjust according to your tolerance)
• Tomato: 2 ( chopped)
• Onion Seeds( Nigella Seeds): 1 tsp . (Optional though)
• Water: 1 Cup ( Warm)
• Mustard Oil: 3 tbsp.

Preparation:

• Wash and pat dry the fishes. Now marinate them with ½ tsp turmeric powder, salt and 1 tsp of oil . Keep it aside for 5-10 minutes.
• Now heat 2 tbsp of mustard oil in a deep bottomed vessel and slightly fry the fish steaks on both the sides and take them out. Soak the extra oil using a kitchen tissue and keep aside.
• Then discard the fried oil and heat 1 tbsp of fresh mustard oil . Add the onion seeds and the green chili. Let them splutter from few seconds and now add the chopped tomatoes.
• Once the tomatoes become little mushy, add the sliced onions and fry until the onion slices become translucent. Add the poppy seeds paste and mix thoroughly.
• Mean while dissolve the mustard seed paste with little water and add into the vessel. Subsequently add the ½ tsp of turmeric powder, salt and red chili powder. Mix well and cook for few minutes. Then add a cup of the warm water into the spices mix dissolve thoroughly. Let it boil on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
• Now add the fried fish steaks into it and cover and on low flame cook until all the water gets absorbed  and the gravy comes to a thick consistency. Taste the seasoning. If required add little salt and mix. 
• Turn off the flame and pour ¼ - ½ tsp of raw mustard oil on top and serve with steaming hot rice,garnishing with fresh cilantro/coriander leaves.

                                                                                                              Enjoy Your Food...!!!

Hilsha In Poppy Seeds Paste & Mustard Paste...!! Sorshe Posto Ilish...!!!

Hilsa Fish ( Tenulosa ilisha) is a species of fish in the herring family ( clupeidae) and a popular food fish in South Asia. It is considered to be one of the  most wanted and scrumptious fish in the world.It is the most well-liked fish to Bengalis who call it “Ilish”and  found in Indian sub continent ,especially in Bangladesh. Not only that but also, Hilsa is the national fish of Bangaldesh.

The most astounding feature of this fish is that it is a sea fish but lays eggs in the large river (sweet water) especially in Padma-Meghna-Jamuna delta at Bay of Bengal during their breeding season,  in monsoon. For such nature it is regarded as Anadromous fish ( a zoological term) .During this time, these fishes are generally caught from the rivers.
However,Hilsa is also caught from the seas. But those caught from the sea are not considered to be as delicious as those caught from the rivers.
This fish carries a good economic value . Every year a huge number of hisa is caught and sold. It is very pricy in comparison with the other fishes.

Not only it is a favourite fish in Bangladesh but also it is an extremely high demanding fish among the Bengalis in West Bengal, India and all over the world. Therefore,monsoon has an inherent relationship with this fish and likewise we, the Bengali mull over the rainy season incomplete without  ilish.

We abundantly take the pleasure of rainy season with different types of scrumptious hilsha preparations. I already shared few other recipes of this fish and today I am going to share another one.
Hilsha in Poppy Seeds And Mustard Seeds Paste.
Lets start discussing the recipe:

Ingredients:

• Hilsa Steak: 5/6
• Mustard Seeds Paste: 2 tsp.
• Poppy Seeds Paste: 2 tbsp.
• Yogurt (unsweetened): 2 ½ tsp.
• Mustard Oil: 2 tbsp.
• Turmeric Powder: 2 tsp.
• Salt: To Taste
• Green Chili: 2-4 nos.
• Water:1 ½ Cup.

Process:

• Wash and pat dry the hilsa steaks.Rub them with little salt, turmeric powder and ½ tsp of mustard oil. Keep it aside for 5-10 minutes.
• Heat 1 tbsp of mustard oil in a wok and fry slightly both sides for the fish steaks and keep them aside. Don’t fry them for a long period of time for a better taste.
• Now take a bowl mix the poppy seeds paste,mustard seeds paste, salt, little turmeric powder, slitted green chili and the water and make a smooth batter.
• Now heat a separate kadhai or wok and pour the batter into it. Keep the flame medium and let it boil. After few minutes add the slightly fried hilsha steaks into the batter and lower the flame to minimum and cover the wok. Cook until fish steaks become soft and the gravy comes to your desired consistency.
• Check the seasoning. If required add little salt . You may pour ½ a tsp of raw mustard oil on the top of the gravy. Turn off the flame and serve with steaming hot rice garnishing with fresh cilantro or coriander leaves.

                                                                                                        Enjoy Your Food....!!!