Katla maacher patla jhol / A light Kaatla fish curry

(Vegetarians can make this with a mix of vegetables like  potatoes + brinjals + cauliflower. )

I have been sitting for the past ten minutes, trying to write a post.
But can't.
Too many things on my mind.
The days are rushed; loads of chores to be done with.
Settling down feels difficult. My mind is still in Amritsar.
The jovial people; the wonderful food; the beautiful mustard fields.
I just can't get over the wonderful days I spent there.

But now it has be back to reality.
And I am facing a block. Can't write anything.
And I have to make second post on my travel blog and that too is stuck.
So I'll just go ahead with the recipe of this simple jhol that I made a few weeks ago.

There are days when I do not have the time or energy to lay a proper table and click a proper photograph.
But in the hurry, when a certain dish turns out good, I know I have to share it with my readers.
So when this jhol came out so beautifully light yet flavourful, I had to make a post on it.
If not for others, at least for my own self.
For I rustle up things on the go and forget the recipe later.
So I clicked a few hurried photos and here they are.

I apologise of they are not too appealing. But this jhol will appeal to you.
That I know for sure.

Need :

 Katla fish pieces - 2, cleaned and marinated with salt + turmeric
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green cardamom / Choto Elaach - 1, broken
Cinnamon / Dalchini - 1 small piece
Whole red chilli - 1
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Tomato - 1 medium, chopped
Potato - 1 medium, cut into slices
Mustard oil - 3 tsbp
Haldi / Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Red chilli powder - ½ tsp
Fresh coriander leaves - chopped

How to :

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed kadahi / wok.
When it reaches smoking point, slide in the fish and fry well on low heat till both sides are well browned.
Remove and keep aside.

In the rest of the oil, add the green cardamom + cinnamon + whole red chillies.
Then ad the chopped onion.
Fry well on low heat till the onion starts to brown slightly.
Now add the ginger paste + garlic paste + turmeric + red chilli powder + salt.
Fry well till the masala turns dry and oil starts to leave the sides.
Add the chopped tomatoes and fry till they turn soft and mushy.

Now add  water. Check for salt and add if necessary.
Bring to a boil.

Now add the cut potatoes.
( If you want to, you can fry the potatoes first and then add now.
I do not. )

Cover and cook till the potatoes are done.

Now add the fish + coriander leaves.
Cover and simmer for around ten minutes. 

Remove from heat and serve hot.
Goes best with steamed rice.

Enjoy!!

Kaatla maacher jhol Aloo Phulkopi diye / Katla fish cooked with Cauliflower and Potatoes

 (Vegetarians can skip the fish  and make this with potatoes and cauliflower. )

We had just shifted to Bangalore and I was on the lookout for good fish shops.
Since we lived outside the city limits, it was quite a task.
Friends, both online and offline, pitched in.
But somehow, things were not falling into place. And so even after two months of settling down, I was still clueless regarding where to get fresh fish from.

Until one day.
I was in the non vegetarian section of a super market, waiting to get my mutton cut and packed, when a lady walked in and ordered some chicken.
The man offered her some fish too, but she declined. The man smiled at her and said he knew where she gets her fish from. "They do have good fish, but please try some from here too".
Apparently she was an old customer and they made small talk while I stood there, all ears.
Later I waited for her near the billing counter and as soon as she stood in line, I abandoned B to deal with things and went up to her.
On my question, she smiled and said "Why did you not ask me there?!"
And went on to give me the names of shops I can get mutton and fish from.
I told her I am new to the place and will not be able to remember all the names at a time.
"Send a message."
"Huh?"
"Send a message to yourself. Write down and send it to yourself."
The bulb lit up.
I wrote down every single word and sent a message to myself.
And to be on the safer side, to B too.

I bought fish from the place mentioned by the lady ... which happened to be just around 6 kms from our home ... for a few months. But  it was the same routine as before.
Only Rohu. Or prawns.
I wouldn't touch all the other kinds of fish available there for the simple reason that I wasn't in a mood to experiment more than what life had been doling out to us in those days.
Anything new to me drew a panic attack.
So I settled with that one kilo of good ole Rohu and did not look beyond it.

Not until one day, when we were on one of our aimless drives ... finding out new places, especially Bangalore's lakes.
We had stopped at one of the lakes, parked the car and went inside the gateway to have a look at the vast mass of water. The lake spanned such a large area that the banks on the other side were hardly visible.
It was mid morning and we decided to have a stroll, taking in the air coming in from over the waters.
A few steps ahead and we saw a small group of people. They seemed to be waiting for something. Some were restless and were walking up almost to the edge of the water.
And then we saw them.
Boats. Fishing boats. 
There were at least five of them. Coming towards the shore in full speed.
As soon as they reached the bank, they started to empty their catch by throwing them on to the shore where there were men piling them up to be sold.

Fish! Fresh fish! As fresh as they can be.
Still alive, jumping up and down, gasping for air.
It was a pitiful sight.
But the Bengali in me quickly overcame it and was immediately transported to the days at Dadu's house.
One of the huge ponds would be full of helps, drawing a huge jaal or fishing  net from one end to the other.
And the numerous fish, huge flecks of shining silver in the sunlight, would be jumping inside it.
Only the required ones were picked and the rest, especially the baby ones, were let loose again.

The loot from the boats were huge too. There were Rohu. And baby Rohus.
There were big sized Katla. And baby Katlas too.
And Puti. And Tyangra. And Parshe. And Crabs too!
I fell in love with fish all over again!

And from there, the banks of the wonderfully full, huge water body that we call a lake, started my journey of cooking Kaatla at home. The fish that I got from there used to be so sweet it took me back home. That taste compared only to the fish I had eaten at home. Frozen fish doesn't even come close to it.
I had my fill of Kaatla at Bangalore before I returned last year.
And came back to my beloved city to discover my fish wala has started selling big sized Kaatla too!!

I loved to eat the pieces of kata maach as a child ... almost every Bengali child does ... due to the big sized bones, I guess, which are easy to pick, ... especially the peti or the belly side pieces.
Another thing I absolutely loved ... and still do ... is the thick fat in those pieces.
I love them.
A plain bhaja or fried piece? Great!
Soaked well in a jhol? Even more better.

This recipe has ginger and garlic paste ... a rarity in my recipes.
I have added aloo and phulkopi/cauliflower ... as well as some tomato and fresh coriander leaves ... to get that feel of winter meals.

Need :

Katla pieces - 4, cleaned, washed and marinated in turmeric powder and salt
Potato - 1 medium, cut lengthwise
Cauliflower - around 8 medium sized florets, washed
Tomato - 1 medium, cut lengthwise
Ginger paste or grated - 1½ tbsp
Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1 medium, cut into long slices
Turmeric / Haldi powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Water - enough for gravy
Mustard oil - 3 tbsp 
Fresh coriander leaves - washed and chopped

How to :

Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil in a thick kadahi, till smoking point.
Let in the fish pieces and fry lightly.
(You can refer to this post on how to fry fish.)

Add the rest of the oil to the same kadahi.
When hot, add the sliced onions and fry well.
Now add the garlic paste and the ginger paste. 
Fry well on high heat.
Add haldi powder, red chilli powder , salt and water.

When the water starts to boil, let in the cut cauliflower and potatoes, cover and cook.
(If you want, you can fry the vegetables earlier and add now.
I don't as I like them to soak up the flavours of the gravy.)


When the vegetables are done, add the sliced tomatoes.

Check for water and add if needed.
Check for salt too.

Add the fish pieces , the garam masala powder and the coriander leaves.
Cover and simmer for some more time or till desired consistency of gravy.

Serve hot with steamed rice.
A dash of freshly squeezed lemon juice and some green chillies on the side .... makes for a perfect Bengali lunch of fish and rice. 

I had made a salad to go with it.
Nothing much. Just tossed some sprouted moong with some chopped onions + green chillies + pomegranate seeds + chopped apple + lemon juice + a dash of mustard oil + freshly ground black pepper powder + salt.
Done!!

Enjoy!!

Shorshe Katla Bhaape / Kaatla fish steamed with mustard paste

After a whirlwind weekend, and a hectic Monday morning, I finally get to sit down to make a post. The wind is whistling outside, the sky dark and looming. A streak of lightning flashes once in a while.
I can hear the low rumble of thunder too. Not loud and crackling ... but a low growl. Taking its time and giving the lightning its time.
The stage is set.

In a moment, the wind will turn crazy. Fast , furious and merciless. Heavy with collected dust and sand, it will blow away anything that comes in its way. It will blow away the weak leaves, bend the branches and soft trees to a side. The leaves on the trees will be upturned ... showing their lighter side, usually hidden from view.
Then it is the thunder's cue to join in.
The low rumble will grow into loud claps ... almost trying to keep up with the wind's fury. And lightning can't stay away too. Tearing the sky into two, there will be flashes of glorious light ... sometimes white, sometimes pink. Blinding the eye ... yet mesmerising.

Now comes the rain.
First in big droplets ... preparing all for the next show.
Then in torrents. On the parched soil.
First washing the wind of all dust and grime. Then the rest of the world.
Cleansing, soothing, cooling rain.
Soothing the world. Wiping away the last traces of the day's unbearable heat.
The dark clouds loom closer.
The wind, the rain, the thunder and the lightning ... all dance in perfect sync.
And I watch.

Ever since I have come here, I have not missed the Kalboishakhi ...nature's daily, summer afternoon ritual.

Like I am not missing my fishwala any more.
Because I'm getting used to the freshest fish I can ever get, except for back at home ... where the fish came from our very ponds.
Here, I'm having a very similar experience . With so many lakes around, it is no wonder that a lot of fishing goes on. The boats come in very early in the morning, with live fish. All we need to do is pick our choice, get it cleaned and bring it home.
And the taste! Ah ... what can I say. The sweetest fresh water fish I've had in a long, long time.

Last week I bought some fish. But no Rohu. There was just Kaatla. Of all sizes.
So I had to bring one home.
Since I haven't cooked Katla much, I was wondering if the same recipes would work on it as on the rohu.
Gave out a call on FB. Friends happily supplied  a variety of options of what to do with it ... all of which I have every intention of trying out. Thanks guys ... you are the best.
I zeroed in on Arpita Mookherjea Srivastava's suggestion of " Sorshe bataa paste lagiye steam kore try koro...odbhut laagbe...! "
Odbhut it was ... a great tasting steamed fresh fish, that was so soft it almost melted in the mouth ,in a buttery, creamy gravy of mustard and coconut.


I had some mustard paste in the freezer and some coconut paste, in the freezer too. I tend to add coconut to most mustard dishes so this helped. And I couldn't resist adding a potato ... sliced.


Need :

Katla fish pieces
Mustard paste - I used white and black mustard seeds
Coconut paste - I grind freshly grated coconut
Turmeric powder

 Mustard oil
Fresh green chillies
Potato - sliced
Lemon juice 
Salt

How to :
Marinate the fish pieces with salt, turmeric powder, mustard oil, mustard paste, coconut paste and lemon juice.
Arrange them in an airtight, preferably steel, box.
Take a big sized kadahi or pan and fill it with water ... that will come up only till half of the box that holds the fish.
Place a tight/ heavy cover on it and place on heat.
Cook for around 20 minutes or till the fish is cooked properly.
(When the water starts to boil, the steam sealed inside will cook the fish).

Remove cover and serve hot.

This goes great with steamed rice, with a slice of lemon and a green chilli on the side.

Enjoy!!


Other recipes with the Shorshe or Mustard paste 

Shorshe potol ( Vegetarian ) 


Shorshe Sheem ( Vegetarian )  Shorshe Bhindi ( Vegetarian )

Shorshe Ilish 

Shorshe Rui 

Rui macher kalia jhol / Rohu fish in spicy gravy

(I've been getting a lot of mails and comments complaining about the centre aligned posts.
 So am going back to the common left aligned. Do let me know if this is ok with you. )
I loved the centre aligned though. :-( . 

 My!
The whole month has flown by ... with me getting to make only two posts. Can't blame myself ... have been caught up with a whirlwind of backlog chores. As well as preparing the house ... and myself ... for the visiting family. Bhaiya, Bhabi and their son were here and spent a week with us ... which flew by in no time.
Now that I get to catch my breath, only for a few days albeit, that I visit my own blog like a new visitor.
And see the almost empty March.

Even if I do have a draft full of snaps and recipes waiting, I did not get the time at all.
Even today, when the couch beckons and lazing around seems a priority ... I really need to get my solitude back ... in my mind ... I decide to make a post after all.

This jhol is adapted from Bong Mom's Maacher Kalia.
I made some changes ... mostly to cater to my convenience and added more water to make a thinner gravy.
Loved it and have been making rui jhol this way most times.
You can decrease the amount of water and make it the Kalia too. No difference in flavours or taste.

Need :
3 Rohu fish pieces - cleaned and fried lightly in mustard oil
1 Tomato -grated
1 Onion  - ground to paste
Ginger and garlic paste - around 1 tbsp
Fresh coriander leaves - cleaned, washed and chopped
Turmeric powder - a pinch 
Jeera / cumin seeds - a pinch
Red chilli powder - a little
Whole red chillies - 2
Salt - to taste
Mustard oil ... or the oil left over from frying the fish
Water
(Bong Mom adds potatoes ... I sometimes do too ... but did not have any this time)

How to :

Heat oil. Add the jeera. When it starts to splutter, add the whole red chillies ... break them into half first and the onion paste. Fry well for a while.
Then add the ginger+garlic paste. Keep frying.
Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and fry till oil leaves the sides.
Now add the tomato and fry some more.
Add enough water and salt.
Bring to a boil, simmer for a while.
Add the fish pieces and adjust salt.
Cover and cook for a while.
Sprinkle the coriander leaves just before removing from heat.

Great with plain, hot rice.
Enjoy!!


Another way of my Rui Macher jhol ( with Panch phoron! ) is here.