Fish in Mustard Sauce

Although Fish is known to be a very popular food in Bengal/Orissa. However, it is also one of the specialities in Bihar/Jharkhand. In fact on special occassions it is a ritual to cook fish curry as it is considered auspicious and is said to mark a good times and bring luck. A varieties of fish are eaten in Bihar. Rohu, katla, jhinga/chingri, mangur etc. The gravy of the fish curry varies mostly on the type of fish being cooked. Both in Bengal and Bihar, the most comnmonly eaten fish is Rohu, which can be cooked in a blend of spices. I am posting a fish curry recipe here which is cooked with mustard paste as the basic ingredient in the gravy/curry

Fish Curry

Ingredients
Fish(rohu) - 1kg
Onion - 2 (medium sized)
Tomato(cubed) - 2 (medium sized)
Dried Whole Red Chilly -2
Mustard seeds - 5 Tbsp
Garlic Paste - 4tsp
Coriander Powder - 2tsp
Turmeric Powder -1/2tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2tsp
Salt as per taste
Red Chilly powder as per taste
Oil for frying (I use mustard oil)

Method
Soak the mustard seeds for half an hour and grind into a paste
Alternatively, you can dry grind the mustard seeds first and then soak in water Clean the fish pieces and drain out excess water.
Mix together with 1 tsp salt, a pinch of turmeric powder and 1 tsp garlic paste
Leave to marinade for a while
In the meantime, slice the onions and grind into a paste.
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan/ kadahi
Add the fish pieces to this, 2-3 at a time
Fry till both sides of the fish turn golden
Repeat till all the fish peices have been fried
Keep the fried fish pieces aside

To Make the curry
Heat 4tbsps of oil in the kadahi.
Splutter with Whole red chilly,mustard and fenugreek seeds (1/2 tsps of each)
Add the mustard paste and fry for sometime.
Add the onion paste and salt
Add coriander powder, turmeric and garlic paste
Fry the mixture till the oil starts leaving the base of the pan
Now add the tomatoes and fry for sometime (2mins)
Cover and cook till the tomatoes blend with the mixture
Now add water to this mixture and let it simmer
Add the fish pieces and simmer for around 5 mins
The fish curry is ready
Serve hot with plain white rice

Colcasia leaf Curry/ Arbi Kacchu Leaf Pakodas and Curry

On my trip to the local vegetable market this weekend, I found Arbi leaves at the grocer's. The look of the leaves was fresh so I decided to try my hands on the Kachhu patta pakoda/curry that I had eaten a couple of times long back. I did remember that it tasted good and had some idea as to how to make it. With the limited veggies option in the market and even limited options of what would be welcomed by dear hubby, I brought this home and try after all.
The taste was good. I brought it for my packed lunch at work and everyone who tasted it seemed to love it

Ingredients

Arbi/colcasia leaves - 6
Tomatoes - 2
Gram Flour - 5Tbsp
Turmeric Powder/Haldi - 2 Tsp
Garlic Paste - 2Tsp
Ginger paste - 1Tsp
Coriander Powder - 1Tsp
Mustard Seeds - 2Tbsp soaked in Water
Salt

Preparation:
Grind the soaked mustard seeds
Chop the tomatoes
Clean the leaves in hot water

Method
Add 1/2tsp each of salt and red chilly powder to the gramflour
Make a thick batter of the gramflour
Place the leaves on a flat vessel and apply the batter on top of it
Place another leaf over this and roll the two
Insert tooth picks or use thread to tie the rolled leaves
Repeat this with the remaining leaves
Steam cook the leaf rolls for 15 mins
Take out the leaf rolls.
Remove the toothpicks or thread
Cut the roll into pieces (See pic)
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan
Deep fry the pieces
The pakodas are now ready to be served hot with sauce/chutney

When you are done eating the pakodas proceed to make the curry with the rest of the pakodas

For the Curry
Heat 2tbsp oil in a pan
Splutter 2 whole red chillies, mustard and fenugreek seeds
Add the mustard seed paste to this and fry for sometime.
Now add the garlic paste to this
Fry the mixture till the color starts to turn light brown
Add salt and turmeric powder
Also add the chopped tomatoes
Cover and cook till the tomatoes turn soft
Fry till the mixture looks well blended
Add water and boil for 5 mins
Add the fried pakodas to this and turn off the stove
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot rice

Pua

I am reposting this recipe for the event here with some variations to my earlier post. This is a typical recipe right from my state. A must on the festival of holi. This was a common delicacy at my parents home and Mom used to often make it- be it whatever festival. Holi, Diwali, Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja, Independence day - yes! as kids we used to clebrate independence day too back at home...I guess since all of us were "Sweet Toothed", Mom wouldn't hesitate to make such things any day.
Ask any Bihari and he/she would associate Pua with holi. There are a variety of "Puas" made on the eve of holi. My mom made puas in different ways.
However, the one here is a very simple and quick recipe

Ingredients
Maida - 3cups
Milk - 4 to 6 cups
Sugar - 1 cup
Bananas - 4
Khoya -100 gms
Green Cardamoms(crushed) - 8 crushed
Grated Coconut - 250gms
Saunf(crushed)- 3tsp
Raisins(chopped) - 3tbsps
Cashews(crushed) - 3tbsps
Oil for Frying





Method
Mix all the ingredients together blending well.
The consistency should be like a dosa batter
Leave for an hour.
Heat oil in a shallow base pan/wok
Using a ladle pour a little of the batter into the oil.
The Pua should be shaped round like a puri.
Fry on low flame till golden in color
Turn each side using a spatula.
Line a flat dish with kitchen towels
Remove the puas from heat and place on the dish so as to absorb excess oil
The pua can be served hot or cold.

To Serve
You need Rabri, walnuts, almonds, cashews and raisins
Place the puas on a dish
Top with rabri and sprinkle with nuts and raisins (check the pics above)

Combining the pua with Rabri is a slumptuous option. :) My favorite is refrigerated Rabri and Pua.

Note: The oil used for frying puas should be hot in the beginning but you must remember to reduce flame as soon as you pour the batter to the pan else the shape does not come. Do not use the spatula to turn the puas unless the puas look cooked on the other side.

Chilly Chicken

Chilly Chicken

Chilly Chicken is a favorite of mine. For one it is easy to cook or so I feel and second it does not leave you with the oily spicy feeling that most chicken prepations of mine may. I can eat it any day and time and what's more I like it more with roti/paratha rather than with fried rice or noodles. I am posting a quick chilly chicken recipe that I made recently.

Ingredients:

Chicken - 250 gms (boneless & cut into small pieces)
Ginger Garlic paste - 2tsps
Cornflour - 3tbsps
Onion - 1 large (cut into 2 inch cubes)
Capsicum - 2 medium sized (cut into 2 inch cubes)
Ginger - 2Tbsps (very finely chopped)
Garlic - 3Tbsps (very finely chopped)
Green Chilly - 4 (slit)
Aji no moto -1tsp
Crushed Pepper -1tsp
Crushed Red Chilly flakes - 1tsp
Refined Oil - 4tbsps
Salt to taste
Soya sauce -2Tbsps
Chilly sauce -1tbsp
Tomato sauce - 3tbsp

Method

To Marinade
Wash and clean the chicken
Mix togerther the garlic ginger paste and chicken pieces
Add 1tsp each of salt and pepper
Leave for around an hour

To Fry
Heat oil in a pan
Mix the cornflour, salt and pepper
Roll the chicken pieces in this and fry on medium flame till golden

For the sauce mix
In a bowl mix the remaining cornflour, tomato, chilly and soy sauce.
Add a pinch of salt and 1 cup of water to the sauce mixture

In the remaining add teh aji no moto
Add the chopped ginger and garlic
Add the chopped capsicum, onion and slit green chillies.
Saute for some time (app 8-10 mins)
Add the crushed red chillies and pepper
Now add the sauce mix and cook on low heat
Add the chicken pieces and let it come to a boil.

Shanthi of shanthi krishnakumar's cook book honoured me with this award. I am just too happy! She is an awesome person and a great cook. You would know after reading all the food entries in her blog. They look absolutely lovely and Lipsmacking. Thank you so so much, Shanthi.