Difficulty: Easy | Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins| Yield: 6-8 Servings
INGREDIENTS
500-600 gms Fish (12 pieces)
1 Large Onion
½ tsp Garlic Paste
1 tsp Ginger Paste
2 tsp Coriander Powder
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
½ tsp Red Chilli Powder*
½ cup Yogurt**
1 tsp Kasoori Methi
¼ tsp Methi Whole
¼ tsp Garam Masala Powder***
6 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
- Clean and wash the fishes. Add about 1½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp turmeric powder and mix well. Marinate the fish aside for about 15 mins.
- In the meanwhile make a paste of the onions.
- Once the fishes are marinated, heat about 4 tbsp oil in a pan and lightly fry the fishes.
- Leave them aside.
- Add the remaining oil into the pan.
- Add the whole methi and then the oinion paste. Add the onions immediately after the methi. In case the methi gets burnt the whole preparation might get a bitter taste.
- Fry the oinions till they are dark brown in colour.
- Add the ginger and the garlic paste and fry for another minute or so.
- Now add the coriander, red chilli and the remaining tumeric powder. Add a little water along with these.
- Also add some salt at this stage.
- Fry till oil separates, then add some more water again. Repeat till the water has evaporated once more.
- Now add the yogurt. Make sure the yogurt is smooth before adding. Whip it if necessary.
- Stir and simmer for a minute or so.
- Again add about ½ cup water and add the fishes to the gravy.
- Cover with a lid and on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes.
- Uncover and add the kasoori methi and the garam masala powder.
- Stir and check seasoning.
- Dry up the excess water, if any, at this stage by increasing the heat. The gravy should be of a thick consistency, not too dry and not too liquidy.
- Remove from heat and serve with plain rice, jeera rice or peas pulao.
NOTES
* Add as per taste.
** If the yogurt is too sour, add ¼ cup.
*** Garam Masala includes equal proportion of cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon grinded together
Difficulty: Difficult | Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 10 mins| Yield: 4-6 Servings
INGREDIENTS
2 Medium Pomfrets (300-400 gms each)
100 gms of Coriander Leaves
4 tbsp Grated Coconut
2 Green Chillies*
2 Medium Pods of Garlic (1½ tsp Paste)
2 small Lemons
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Oil
DIRECTIONS
- Clean the pomfret without cutting it.
- Now we need to make a slit in the pomfrets very delicately from just below the head.
- The incision has to be made lengthwise and right above the bones. That is, the bottom part of the flesh would remain attached to the bone and the top part separated from the bones. The incision should be deep enough to reach the stomach cavity and also cover the whole fish till the tail. But please be careful so as not to make a slit through and cut the stomach as well! Also note that only one such slit is required, i.e., you should not repeat the same for the other side of the fish as well.
- Once you make the slits for both the pomfrets, apply the juice of the lemons and about 2tsp of salt to the pomfrets. Leave aside for about 10-15 mins.
- Now wash and clean the coriander leaves. Remove mostly all the stems, leaving the tender ones with the leaves.
- Make a smooth paste of the coriander leaves along with the coconut, chillies and the garlic. Add as little water as possible so that the filling is not at all liquidy.
- Now divide the filling into two and stuff the mixture into the slits of the fishes. Stuff in as much of the filling as possible even though some of it might tend to come out with a little pressure. It'll only ensure you have a tastier preparation! :)
- Now heat a non-stick frying pan (or tava) and smear ½ tbsp of oil.
- Now place one of the pomfret and cook on medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes.
- Gently flip it over and cook the other side as well. Repeat the procedure for the other one as well. You may also use the oven for cooking the pomfrets. Use your oven settings accordingly, just remember pomfrets cook very easily. Whichever the mode used, grill or bake, make sure they are cooked and nicely browned on both sides.
- Serve hot with any suitable accompaniments of your choice.
NOTES
*This is normally good to taste if the filling is a little hot, but you can adjust as per your preference.
A Bengali Fish Curry
Difficulty: Medium | Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins | Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
350 – 400 gms of Fish* (4-5 Pieces)
1 Small Onion
½ Medium Sized Tomato
½ tsp Ginger Paste
½ tsp Garlic Paste
1 tsp Dhania (Coriander) Powder
1 tsp Haldi (Turmeric) Powder
1 tsp Chillie Powder
2 Green chillies
1½ tbsp Curd
1 Pinch of Garam Masala Powder**
5-6 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
- Clean and wash the fish pieces and rub ½ tsp of haldi powder and 1 tsp of salt into the pieces and let them stand for about 30 mins.
- In the meanwhile make a paste of the oninon, ginger and garlic separately. Also slice the tomatoes.
- Now in a pan add about 3 tbsp of oil and lightly shallow fry the fish pieces. Take the pieces out and leave them aside.
- Now add the remaining oil and add the onion paste. Fry the onions till it's colour turns dark brown.
- Add the ginger and garlic paste and stir for a min. Add a little water.
- Now add the dhania, haldi and chillie powder and again a little water. Stir and fry the masala. Once dry add a little water once more and fry the masala again. The frying of masala should be done 2-3 times adding a little water each time so that the masala cooks well and becomes a smooth paste.
- Now add the curd and the tomatoes. Mix them well and add a little salt at this stage. The salt will help to soften the tomatoes quickly. Cook till oil starts separating.
- Now add about a cup of water and then add the fish pieces. Slit the green chillies and add them as well. Season with salt according to your taste.
- Cover a cook for 2-3 mins.
- Remove cover, and cook on high flame till the excess water evaporates and oil stars to separate.
- Now sprinkle a pinch of garam masala and remove the pan from the heat.
- Garnish with some fresh green chillies and serve hot with steamed rice.
NOTES
* Generally, you can use any kind of fish which is big enough for cutting into big pieces. But ideally Carps are used for this preparation.
** Garam Masala Powder includes equal proportion of cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon grinded together.
Difficulty: Easy | Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 15 mins| Yield: 4 Servings
INGREDIENTS
4 Pieces Rohu/Bhetki/Illish
2 tbsp Mustard Seeds
3-4 Green Chillies
1/8 tsp Kalonji (Black Cumin)*
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
½ tsp Red Chillie Powder
1 tsp Yogurt**
4 tbsp Mustard Oil***
Salt to taste.
DIRECTIONS
- Clean and wash the pieces of fish.
- Apply ¼ tsp of turmeric and about 1 tsp of salt to it. Leave it aside for 10-15 mins.
- Wash the mustard seeds well. In a blender add a green chillie along with the mustard seeds and a little water. Blend it well to a smooth paste. When mustard is blended, at times it tends to become bitter. Adding the chillie will avoid this. But before using the paste always taste and ensure it is not too bitter before you use it in your cooking. Light bitterness may be there.
- Heat oil and fry the fishes till lightly brown. Remove from pan and leave it aside.
- In the same pan, add the kalonji and a green chilli (after making a slit in it).
- Once the kalonji starts to splutter, add the mustard paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and about a little water.
- Fry the masala till oil starts separating. Add salt and yogurt. Mix the yogurt well and continue stirring till the masala the water evaporates fully.
- Now add about a cup of water and let it come to a boil.
- Now add the fishes and cover and cook on medium heat for about 1-2 mins. The fishes should be done by then.
- Uncover, add the remaining green chillie and, on high, let the excess water evaporate.
- Once oil starts appearing on top, remove from heat and serve hot with steamed rice.
NOTES
*Has various other names as well
**Traditionally yogurt is not added, though this gives a nice taste to the gravy. You may do away with it also.
***Ideally mustard oil should be used to give the right taste and flavour. Nonetheless, use normal oil if you do not have mustard oil at home.
Difficulty: Medium | Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins| Yield: 12 Pieces
INGREDIENTS
125 gms Rohu/Bhetki*
4 medium Potatoes
1 medium Onion
1 tsp Garlic Paste
2 Green Chillies
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1 tsp Kasoori Methi**
2 tbsp Besan (Gram Flour)***
4½ tbsp Oil
Salt to Taste
DIRECTIONS
- Clean and wash the fish.
- Peal the potatoes and cut them into halves. (You make also remove the skin after boiling them)
- Boil the fish and the potatoes with a little salt.
- Take out all the fish bones and mash it well with the potatoes.
- Slice the onions and chop the green chillies.
- Heat 4 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the onions till golden brown.
- Add the garlic paste and fry it along with the onions for another minute or so.
- Now add the mashed fish and potatoes and the salt.
- Cook for a while till it is a bit drier. Initially the mashed fish and potatoes would tend to stick to the bottom.Once cooked, it should now easily come off bottom of the pan.
- Add the green chillies, garam masala powder and the kasoori methi.
- Stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let it cool.
- Divide this into 12 equal portions. Firstly, roll between your palms and then using slight pressure, flatten them into about 1½” discs. Repeat for the rest.
- Roll these tikias on the gram flour.
- Heat a frying pan and evenly spread the ½ tbsp oil on it.
- Place the tikias and cook on high till they are light brown in colour at the bottom. Then flip them and cook the other side as well for couple of seconds.
- Garnish with raw onions and green chillies and serve as snacks or starters.
NOTES
*You may use any other kind of fish which doesn't have too much bones (such as salmon).
**Replace with a pinch of methi powder, if you don't have kasoori methi. You may also do away with methi totally to get a slightly different flavour.
***Use normal flour if you don't have gram flour.
Difficulty: Easy | Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 5 mins | Yield: 3-4 servings
INGREDIENTS
6-8 Pieces of Illish [also known as Hilsa]
2 tbsp Mustard Seeds
4 tbsp Grated Coconut
5 tbsp Mustard Oil
6-8 Green chillies
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
½ tsp Red Chillie Powder
Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
- Clean the illish pieces and marinate it with 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp turmeric powder. Leave aside for about 30 mins.
- In the meanwhile, in a blender make a thick paste of the mustard seeds with 2 green chillies, adding water little by little. When mustard is blended, at times it tends to become bitter. Adding the chillie will avoid this. But before using the paste always taste and ensure it is not too bitter before you use it in your cooking.
- Along with this paste, add the grated coconut and 3 tbsp of mustard oil, and blend it once more to make a smooth paste.
- Mix the turmeric powder, chillie powder and a salt according to taste. Remember that enough salt has been mixed with the fishes already. Nevertheless, this paste should have salt slightly on the higher side as this preparation is a dry one and it would be fine when served with plain rice.
- Now take a stainless steel bowl with lid. Smear another tbsp of mustard oil insde the bowl.
- Mix the fishes in the mustard coconut paste and one by one arrange them into the bowl. Place a few green chillies on the top.
- Cover with the lid and pressure cook this for about 2 mins on high and 3 mins on low heat. Make sure that the lid is a tight fit and water doesn't get into the bowl from the bottom of the cooker.
- You may steam this otherwise as well. Or arrange the fishes in a micrwave safe bowl and mico cook it for 6-7 minutes.
- Once cooked add another tbsp of mustard oil on top of the fishes and garnish with a few more fresh green chillies.
- Serve with plain steaming rice.
