Phulkopi diye Rui macher jhol / Rohu fish curry with cauliflower ....... a healthy winter staple

After a long while, I am back with a post. 
While I am active on instagram as well as facebook, I have been lagging behind when it came to posting here.

For the  simple reason that I have nothing to write at all right now. 
But there are recipes that I make and fall in love with .... and want to make a post here just for my own reference .... if not for anybody else. 

Like this fish curry that I made the other day. I had to make this light Rui maacher jhol, with cauliflower one last time before winter is officially gone. Both, to savour the winter flavours one last time and also because a follower had asked me for the recipe of my version of this jhol, sometime back.

Since I was off fish for a longish while, couldn't post immediately.

But I had not forgotten. So here it is today.

For the fish curry - 

Need : 

Rohu fish - fried in mustard oil 
Cauliflower florets 
Grated ginger 
Dry red chillies 
Potatoes - sliced 
Turmeric powder 
Red chilli powder 
Coriander powder 
Roasted cumin powder 
Tomatoes - chopped 
Coriander leaves - chopped 
Coriander stalks - chopped 
Water
Salt 
Oil to temper 

How to : 

Heat  mustard oil and temper with jeera and dry red chillies.
Add grated ginger and then the sliced potatoes and cauliflower florets.

Add turmeric powder and a little salt and then water.
Cover and bring it to a boil.

Then add coriander powder,  jeera powder, coriander stalks and tomatoes.

When it starts to boil, add the fried fish pieces, adjust salt and cover and cook for some more time.
Round off with a generous sprinkle of chopped coriander leaves.

Done 

I removed some for the vegetarian man before adding the fish. He enjoyed it with parathas for dinner. 

I  also made some Ucche bhaja  / stir fried bitter gourd ,

Notey shaak bhaja / amaranth greens, sojne daata aloo bhaja / drumsticks and potatoes stir fried,

on the side.

The dal was leftover from yesterday's meal.

I will try to post more meals henceforth. 
My followers have requested more quickcooking and easy meals. Hence I have started two hashtags , namely, #mealsunderthirtymins and #cookingunder1hour, and will be making posts on them more than single dishes. 
I will try my best to post here. 
But I will posting regularly on my instagram account. 
So do follow me there as well as on Facebook too. 

Take care all. 
Stay safe and stay home. 
Praying everyone gets the vaccine soon. 

Rohu fish curry with winter vegetables and raw papaya

"When I woke up after a week of high fever and a very bad throat infection, I realised that not only has the first day of the brand new year has passed by but also a whole week has gone by.
So like a good Bong I stepped into the kitchen to rustle up a maacher jhol / fish curry,to drown my sorrows in.
The good thing about this jhol is it is light, soupy and very nutritious with a whole gamut of winter vegetables thrown in.
And a sprinkle of fresh coriander leaves to add to that wintery feel,since back home we add coriander leaves to curries only during winters... when they are available abundantly.
The fish is a fresh water Rohu / Rui.
And the vegetables are green papaya, cauliflower,green peas and the favourite of all Bengalis ... potatoes.
I added a squirt of fresh lemon juice to spike up the taste level to suit my bland taste buds.
Comfort food at its best .... to warm a winter afternoon and to soothe a medicine battered soul."

 This is what I wrote on my Insta post as well as on my FB page along with the photo of my still steaming hot rui maacher jhol, that I cooked for myself this afternoon.
And then decided to make a post of it too.
After all, it is well into two weeks of the new year and I have not been able to drop in here ... not even to wish you all a happy new year.
So here I am, writing about what I can happily say the most soothing maacher jhol I have ever made.

Since I am still too weak to stand for long in the kitchen, I decided to add a good number of fresh vegetables to the curry .... so that I don't have to make different bhajas or side dishes.
To make the jhol more nutritious and to break down the protein for good digestion, I added raw papaya to it. Since I am not too fond of raw papaya, but do include it in my meals, I keep trying to find ways to slip it into dishes.
And since this jhol had all of my favourite vegetables, I did not mind a few pieces of papaya in it.

So here goes the recipe for this super light maacher jhol.
And you need not be ill to relish it.
Try it while you still get fresh winter vegetables in the market ... especially those sweet cauliflowers and green peas.

 Need :

Rohu fish - 4 pieces, fried ( refer here on how to fry them )
Ginger + garlic paste - 1 tbsp ( I had frozen cubes and used two )
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Potato - 1 medium, sliced
Cauliflower - a few florets
Fresh green peas - as much as you want
Raw papaya - 2 big slices, chopped
Fresh coriander leaves - chopped
Green cardamom - 2, crushed
Dry red chillies - 2, broken
Haldi / Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar - to taste
Mustard oil - 1 tbsp
Water - for gravy


 How to :

Heat the oil in a heavy kadahi / wok.

Add the crushed cardamom + red chillies.

Add the chopped onions and fry till almost brown.

Add the ginger garlic paste + haldi powder + red chilli powder + sugar.

Fry well till oil starts to leave the sides.

Add the vegetables and mix well.

Raise heat and add the water.

When it starts to boil add the salt, cover and cook till the vegetables are done.

Remove cover and add the fish pieces.

Add more water if needed and check for salt.

Add the garam masala and cover.

Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove cover and sprinkle the coriander leaves.

Serve hot with plain rice.

Enjoy all the goodness in one plate!!

Wishing you all a very happy new year 2018!

Macha Munda Chencheda / Fish head cooked with spices

 Too many people all around. Too much of noise. Too many talking together. Too much of laughter. Too much of cooking going on.
Complaints throng my head. I look around for a little solitude. And do not find any.
Voices float all around me ... someone calling out, someone laughing out, children shrieking as they play, family greeting the just arrived ones with much embracing, smiles, laughter and jokes.
House helps hurrying all around, trying to keep pace with the orders given.
There is an air of festivity all around.

I look on from the terrace on the third floor of our house. And finally turn away in disgust.
I am angry.
I do not understand this casual air around. This air of happiness spilling forth amongst people who have come to our house. I do not understand this feel of vacation among them.
I am so angry that I spend all my time in the little room on the terrace.

Ma, on the other hand is more welcoming. She is all around ... giving orders, looking into the guests' comfort, assigning rooms, everything.
I do not help. I do not want to be a part of any of this.
Given a choice, I would happily be back in my home miles away; would give anything to avoid this time here every year henceforth.

I know I am being unreasonable. I know everyone is trying to lighten the air, ignoring the real, morbid reason why they are here. But I can't help it.
I miss Bapi.
I look around and miss him all the more.
Bapi loved having people over ... be it relatives or friends or unkown guests.
When relatives dropped in for a day, he would arrange for the kitchen to be filled with all kinds of fish and meat and vegetables. He remembered each one's favourite and made sure it was there on the plate.
A variety of mangoes during summer, Ilish from Kolaghat during the rains, the best mutton and prawns, ... you just have to name it. And it is there.
He did not talk much himself but loved to have people, especially our huge family, around him.
Our house in the little hilly town, where Bapi, Ma and I stayed because of the proximity to Bapi's industry/factory, came alive, resonated with laughter and loud, boisterous talking whenever the family and Dadu and Thamma dropped down to visit or spend a day.

And now, when everybody is here, I look around but can't find Bapi. And feel angry all the more. 
I just want some quiet around me.
And my Bapi.
And his voice, calling out to me.

Back in Pune, I often cook Bapi's favourite dishes, pretending he has asked me to. And this fish head curry is one of them.
In Bengali, it is called the Macher matha diye chanchra, and usually has vegetables added to it.
Even the Odia version has vegetables most of the time. But this one is different.
This one is a replica of the chencheda from a restaurant ... one that Bapi took solace in when it was a pure veg day at home.
Since Bapi could never eat a pure vegetarian meal, and had to have a little fish on his plate, he would arrange for some of this chencheda to be delivered home and had his lunch with this on the side. I too loved this chencheda , but it was way too spicy for me then.

All I remember is the overwhelming flavour of garlic and the reddish oil floating.
There would be very small bits of potatoes, almost invisible.
But the flavours of the fish head and garlic would be intact. At times, I could see a small piece of the tej pata,  a little green cardamom and some  cinnamon at other times.

It has been so long since I tasted it last that I do not remember almost anything about it.
Except that it tasted heaven;y.
And Bapi loved it.
With the dominance of garlic, so common in Odiya food, this fish head chencheda stays on as one of my favourite dishes.

Need :

1 Rohu Fish head - fried and broken into pieces
Onions - 2, chopped
Garlic paste - 4 tsp
Ginger paste - 2 tsp
Tomato paste - 3 tbsp
Green cardamom - 1, crushed
Cinnamon - 2 small pieces, crushed
Tej pata / bay leaf - 2
Haldi powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Dhaniya powder - 2 tsp
Potato - 1, chopped into very small pieces
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Roasted jeera powder - 1 tsp
Mustard oil - 5 tbsp
Salt - to taste

How to :

Heat the oil in a heavy kadahi / wok.

Add the crushed garam masala and the tej pata.

Add the onions and fry till they turn pink.

Now add the ginger + garlic paste and the tomato paste.
Fry well.

Add the haldi + mirchi + dhaniya powder and mix well.
Fry on low heat till oil starts to leave the sides.

Add the potato pieces, salt and a little water.

Cover and cook till the potatoes are done.

Remove cover and add the fried fish head.
Mix well.
Add some more water for everything to come together.
Cover and simmer till it dries up.

Add the garam masala powder and the roasted jeera powder, give a good stir, cover and remove from heat.

 Serve hot with rice.

Bandhakopi diye Muri Ghonto / Cabbage cooked with Fish head

Or Bandhakopir chanchra maacher matha diye.
Whatever the name you call it by, it will stay the same ... fish head at its glorious best.
And this is my favourite way of enjoying the Rohu / Rui fish head.
No other way of the muri ghonto ... be it with the Cholar dal, the bhaja muger dal,  with the Pui shaak or the one made with rice, comes even close.
At least for me.

I prefer to make this more during the winters.
When the bandhakopi / cabbage is fresh. The green peas are fresh, tender and sweet.
And I can add a sprinkle of fresh coriander leaves for that wintery feel.
The advantage of using fresh cabbage is it will turn soft quickly when cooking and has a certain sweetness too. And not at all pungent like the ones we get off season.
That does not mean you cannot make this muri ghonto during other seasons too.
Of course you can.

I am not cooking much these days. All those travels and adventures have finally taken their toll and I am down with a case of acute bronchitis.
So, right now, the whole world seems like a miserable place to be in. My throat, sinuses and bronchi have suddenly come alive and decided that they have a will of their own.
And are acting very weird.
While I lie quietly, in high fever, and give in to their theatrics.
And dream of making so many posts that my blog smiles with joy.

But life says "Dream on."

You go ahead and enjoy today's recipe.

Need :


Rohu fish head - 1, cleaned and cut
Bandhakopi / Cabbage - 1 medium, cut into thin slices
Fresh peas - 1 cupful
Ginger + garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Jeera / Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Whole dry red chillies - 2, broken
Haldi / Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Dhania / Coriander powder - 1 tbsp ( optional )
Mustard oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder or Bhaja moshla - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar - to taste
Fresh coriander leaves - chopped, 2 tbsp

How to :

Marinate the fish head with 1 tbsp turmeric powder + salt.


Heat 1 tbsp mustard oil in a heavy kadahi / wok.
Fry the fish head till brown.
Remove, crush to break into a few pieces and keep aside.

Add the remaining oil to the kadahi.
Add the jeera + dry red chillies.

Then add the ginger + garlic paste and fry a little.

Add the turmeric powder + red chilli powder  and fry well.

Add the cabbage and mix well on low heat.
Cover and cook till it starts to release water.

Add the fish head and salt.
Mix well and cover.  Cook till well done.

Remove cover and add the peas + garam masala powder and + sugar.

Stir and mix everything well.
Cover and cook for 5 more minutes.

Sprinkle the coriander leaves and remove from heat.

Serve hot with rice.
Enjoy!!

Macher dimer jhuri bhaja .... Spicy, scrambled fish roe and the beautiful day of Mahalaya

 

"Baajlo tomar alor benu" ....
The night before Mahalaya, there would be much excitement about setting the alarm for early next morning, much discussions on the time to set it to and setting the radio to the perfect band width so that we do not miss even a single word when Akashbani starts with the melodious strains of Mahalaya the next day.
I would still need a nudge or two by Bapi to be fully awake. By then Mahalaya would have started and be on the song "Baajlo tomar alor benu ....", meaning "Your flute of light has started to play ... ".
Durga is coming .... and that is all that is needed for any Bengali child to look forward to.
I would snuggle in with Bapi, under a thick, soft kaantha that Ma would throw on us to ward off the crisp cold of the of early morning that brought the hint of winter with it.
And it wouldn't be long before I was fast asleep again, only to wake up and realise that it was already morning. And the radio has been silent for a long while.

This year, Mahalaya brought with it a new episode of my life. The time when we realise that there is much more to life than what we have been seeing for so long.
The day of Mahalaya is the last, and most important day of the Shraddh period, that is made of a fortnight. In Hinduism, it is believed that Parlok, or the land of the dead , comes nearest to Mrityulok, or Earth, during this time. And hence, it is easier for the spirits of our dead ancestors to come nearer to us.
So, everything that is needed to be done for their peaceful next life is to be done on this particular day.

People offer pujas and offerings are made to the poor, the old and the needy.
It is believed that whatever our nearest ones have left behind or need in their afterlife should be offered to the needy. That way it reaches them.

While, once upon a time, I would have never given a thought to such beliefs, right now I yearn from my heart to be able to do anything that will help my Bapi to be at peace, where ever he is.
After he left us, I had innumerable questions in my mind.
I read books, looked up writings and followed spiritual lectures. No, I was not crazy to follow anyone and everyone.
I did look for logic.
And was astonished how much knowledge our heritage and ancient Hinduism writings held.
Devdutt Pattnaik's books helped me learn a lot.

Another wonderful read was the Mahabharat series from 1 to 10 by Bibek Debroy. It opened up a whole new world of what the real and the next world hold.
This series is very unlike the actual story of Mahabharat ... it does not actually says the story in anyway.
Rather, it deciphers every character's actions and thoughts .... and along with that it gives a beautiful insight to what this world and the next world holds.
And what actions are needed to be taken by every human being to make his/her presence and actions/ karma worthwhile in this life or on Mrityulok.

I was totally fascinated by this series. Especially the 10th edition. It opens up the world of Karma or actions .... what should be done and why.
And with every single guideline, there is a logical explanation.

It took me the past one year to read through them. And helped me deal with my loss and bring a lot of faith back in me. I picked up numerous points from them and added them into my life.
One of them was giving out to the needy.
It may be the poor on the children, the ill, small children or destitute women.
Do everything you can for them.
Feed them. Cover them with clothes and blankets during the rains or in winter. Hand out small treats to the children in the streets.
Anything that is possible by you.

While I and B have always done small things like keeping biscuits and chocolates in the car and handing them out to the children begging on the streets, giving out old clothes and sheets and blankets before every rains and winter, I had never actually cooked and fed them.

After Bapi's demise, I became obsessed with this one thing. Every weekend I would cook up a simple meal, make packs and hand them out to the needy as we roamed the streets of the city.
And the peace that settles our hearts at the sight of a huge smile, or if we are lucky to go through that same road and  get to see the children sitting down and eating that food, is huge.
And priceless.
We always look out for the very old and infirmed, pregnant women and small children.
And believe me, our country does not lack in them.

So this Mahalaya, I did just that.
Cooked all of Bapi's favourite dishes, packed them up and set off.
And finally, rounded the day off with ice creams to a big group of little children of construction workers nearby.

We were still smiling as we prepared for bed, the happy screech of a small voice shouting "Kulfi!!!!!!!" still echoing in our ears.

Shubho Mahalay all!!
Have a wonderful Durga Puja!! And happy Navaratri too!

And while you are munching on that delicious food, do think of the little children selling balloons or toys outside. Hand them some munchies and see your festivities light up even more with their smiles. 

If you have been patient and reached here, you will be rewarded with a recipe that is awfully simple but is so flavourful, it will blow your mind away.
I had got a good amount of Rohu fish roe on one of my trips to my fish shop. And was tired of the same kind of Boras or even the ambols. I wanted to taste something different.
So, as usual, I turned to my friends and readers on my Facebook page.
And as usual, they were all very generous and shared some precious recipes with me.

The Macher dimer jhuri bhaja got the majority of votes and so I decided to keep the other recipes for another time and settle with the jhuri first.

Need :

Rohu fish roe
Turmeric powder
Lemon juice
Onions - chopped, use lots of them
Garlic - chopped, be generous with this too
Green chillies - chopped
Mustard oil
Salt
Fresh coriander leaves

How to :

Marinate the rohu fish roe with turmeric + salt + lemon juice ( this helps
hugely in taking away that fishy smell. )

Heat mustard oil and fry the onions + garlic + green chillies till they are nicely soft and golden brown.
Remove from the kadahi.

Add some more mustard oil and fry the marinated roe stirring constantly.

It will solidify quickly ... so break up the pieces and scramble well.
Add the fried onions etc and some red chilli powder.

Fry well for a while. ... till the roe starts to get slightly crispy brownish at the edges.
You will see the oil leaving on the sides.

Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and remove from heat. 

This is one of the best things that I have eaten in my life.
Mix it with boiled rice and you are in food heaven. I needed nothing else on the side ... not even dal.

Some pointers :

* Do use a little more oil than usual ... that oil mixed with rice is awesome.
The sweetness of the garlic comes through as a surprise in every morsel.

* Do not heat the oil to smioking hot when fry the roe .... keep it slightly raw ... add the roe when just warm .... that flavour of the mustard oil comes through in the end and just blows you away. :-)

Enjoy!!!

Pui shaak diye muri ghonto or Malabar spinach cooked with fish head

At one time, I had no idea of life's real deal.
I used to write a lot on pain but had no idea what real pain was.
Strangely, now that I have seen what life's real tough game is all about, what losing a loved one in the real sense is, I have nothing to write.

All words seem to have disappeared into thin air.
Just like fair weather friends.
All expressions void.
There is no way I can put forth anything ... just so that I can lighten my heart a little.
This is my blog, my space. I know I should.
But I can't.

Life. That is.

I had made this muri ghonto with some of the Pui or Malabar spinach that I had got from Bangalore, a few months back.
Since I had got two big bunches, I have been happily cooking up Pui dishes for a while.
After the bhaja, the jhaal, the bora,  and the posto pui, I still had enough to make a chanchra (post coming up soon ) and this muri ghonto.

I had a fresh Rohu head and with a generous amount of pui thrown in, it made a good ghonto.
I have added garlic this time and the ghonto turned out to have the exact flavours of any Odiya chencheda or ghanto. The flavours that are so familiar to me; which I have grown up enjoying so much.
Reminded me of our Oriya cook back home.

No more digressing to memories.
On to the recipe instead.

Need :

Head of Rohu fish - 1, fried with salt and turmeric and broken
Pui or Malabar spinach - 3 cupfuls, chopped, including some baby stalks
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies - 2, broken
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar - to taste
Cooking oil - 1 tbsp

How to :

Heat the oil in a kadahi.
Add the jeera + broken dry chillies.


Add the ginger + garlic paste and fry well.

Add the fish head and fry some more.

Add  the pui. Mix well.

Add salt + sugar. Cover and cook till the leaves are well cooked.


Remove cover and cook till all water has dried up.
Take care to stir from time to time.


Add red chilli powder and give a good mix again.

Serve hot.

Enjoy!!

And oh! signing off with a look of the throw that I had promised all of you on my page on fb.

Maacher Mudo diye Bhaja Muger Dal / Fish head cooked with roasted Moong dal

 After days of staying glum, the skies relented today.
Finally!
We have not seen the sun for the past three days or more. Dark clouds had blown in slowly and the sky was soon overcast and stayed that way.  The sun could not even peek through.
But boy! was it windy! And cold!
We stayed in denial for the first few days. After all, it won't be cold unless it starts to rain.
But no. Last evening we finally had to admit that it is indeed too cold, when we could not sit in the balcony for more than five minutes.
Shivering, we finally beat a retreat and shut the door and the windows.
And watched the trees going bonkers in the wild, wild wind from indoors.

And this evening, it finally rained.
Back home, Thamma would nod her head and say " Aaj snan purnima; brishti hobei hobe."
Snan purnima ... that full moon day when Lord Jagannath and his family have their ritualistic bath, which is a precursor to their falling ill and staying indoors for a fortnight.
After which they go to visit their aunt. This journey is the famous Ratha yatra.
Our older generation had such days to refer to when predicting changes in the weather.
Their words ring in my ears but I have major difficulty in predicting as correctly as they did.
Must be the change in weather globally. Or the difference in the weather conditions from that of my home state.

 I did feel confused with the weather patterns when I landed in Pune years ago. While the weather was wonderful all year through, I did feel confused at certain times.
Like, there would be instances when a summer evening would feel and smell just like an August evening back home. Or the days just after the rains would feel like early winter.
I used to go ballistic during February and March especially; the weather then would be exactly like those that usher in Durga puja, i.e late September or early October.
And the fact that we get our very favourite Shiuli flower, that blooms only during Durga puja back home,  anytime of the year, especially the monsoons, did not make it any easier for me.

It was only the winters that were the closest to what we get in our little hilly town back home.
Crisp air, clear and bluest of blues skies and the all enveloping fog.
I loved to stand on the steps of our pg, throw my head back and breath deeply to take in the evening air redolent with the smoke of wood fire ... taking me back home to winter evenings when the house help would start the wood fire oven for the night's cooking, supervised by Thamma.
My friends used to laugh at me. "She smells the air to see if winter is here."

Pune has changed immeasurably ever since.
The weather has changed. The city has changed. The traffic has changed.
But the evenings have stayed the same.
Especially monsoon and winter evenings.
Beautiful, cold and refreshing.
Which makes me feel like running back home; every evening.
Which is why I still feel at home; here.

Well, if only wishes were horses ....

If I can't go home, I bring home to me.
To my kitchen; my dining table.
And it soothes my homesickness a little.

Like this Mudi ghonto I made a few days back.
Rohu fish head cooked with roasted Moong dal.
Light, fragrant and very soothing in every mouthful, when mixed with plain cooked rice.
It is one of those fish dishes that does not need the heaviness of onion or garlic and is happy with the beautiful, fragrant roasted moong dal blending with the fish head and creating a flavour of its own

I make the other kind of Muri ghonto with rice and that does not have onions or garlic too.
And then, there is my Ma's Cholar Dal er Muri ghonto too.

 Need :

Yellow Moong dal - 1 cupful
Rohu fish head - 1, marinated with salt+ turmeric and fried
Tej pata / Bay leaf - 2
Dry red chillies - 2, broken
Grated ginger - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp 
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Jeera powder - 1 tsp
Roasted jeera powder - 1 tsp 
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Mustard oil - 1 bsp

How to :

In a heavy kadahi or pan, dry roast the dal till reddish brown and aromatic.
Take care not to burn.
Wash well.
Cook in water with salt and turmeric powder till just done.
Do not over cook or make it mushy.

In another kadahi or pan, heat oil.
Add the bay leaf, dry red chillies and grated ginger.

Mix all the powders in a little water and add.
Fry well till oil starts to leave the sides.

Add the fish head and mix well.

Now add the cooked dal and bring to a boil.

Add salt, cover and simmer for around five minutes.


Remove cover, add ghee and the roasted jeera powder.
The dal should be thick in consistency and not runny.

Cover, switch off heat and let it stand for five minutes.

You may add garam masala powder to it too ... I do not.

Serve hot with plain rice.
Signing off with a shot of my lunch plate.

Enjoy!!

Rui macher bhorta / Rui maach makha

This is one of my most favourite makhas.

With summer being so tough on us this time, we have light food everyday.
And lunches were mostly of curd rice and  paanto bhaat (rice in water).
Back home, the paanto or the paanta bhaat .... made from soaking cooked rice in water and eaten the next day or the day after ... gets wonderfully fermented and developes a taste of its own.
But I have found it very difficult to ferment it well here in Pune. Mainly because of the cool weather that Pune has.

But this year, when it reached 39 degrees in April, the first thing I did was buy a kilo of boiled rice grains ... the thick ones that we use back home for everyday meals.
And an earthen pot.
Thamma used to make panto in an earthen pot. Not only does it ferment well, it stays wonderfully cool too.

And, for the first time in all my years in Pune, I could eat the real paanto.
I have wanted to make a post but was not possible this year. Maybe next year ... what with this global warming and all, I don't think Pune will retain its 23 degrees anymore on any other on coming summers.
So, next time. 

Paanto bhaat needs a lot of accompaniments to go with it.
Fried vegetables, fried fish, fried saag(leafy vegetables), lots of makha .... of either boiled or roasted stuff, fried boris, etc. etc.
And this maach makha or the maach er bhorta has been a childhood favourite of mine.

Summer meant Dadu's house, the whole  brood of cousins, gorging on sweet mangoes with sleepy eyes after a long afternoon siesta, after a cooling and tummy stuffing lunch of Thamma's panto.
And what variety of dishes!
While the aloo makha would be omnipresent, sometimes with the boris mashed in, this maach makha or bhorta was a must too.
All of us loved it.

I specially loved it when one of the kakimas or Jethimoni or Ma ... to whosoever the task was assigned to to ... sat down with a huge plate of crispy fried big sized rohu or the katla.
She would bend her head in full concentration to pick the fish .... no bones should stay back.
Big sized fishes had big sized bones and hence are easy to pick. But one has to look for that stray fine bone too ... lest there is a mishap while eating.
 She would pick the bones and pile them on the corner of the plate.
And I would quietly sit and watch.
As soon as a big sized bone was kept, I would pick it up and chew on it. And keep watching again.
I especially loved the bones from the joints ... they had juice to suck on too.

The house help would provide the other things like the chopped onions, green chillies etc.
After all the bones have been picked, the entire thing will be mixed well, with a little pressure from the fingers to lightly mash it .... to get the flavours all mixed well.
Then there will be a generous amount of mustard oil doused over the whole thing and a final mix given to round it off.

How I miss those summer days ... Jethimoni sitting on an ason laid on the kitchen verandah, bent over the plateful of fish, working deftly with her fingers. And I sitting quietly beside her, watching with  fascination.
Both oblivious to the sounds coming from the rest of the house and the kitchen.
And later, came my most favourite part.
After everything is done, Jethimoni would straighten up, pick up the plate in one hand and just before getting up, smiling, would hold out her hand for me to lick it a little.
With a nod, she enquires " all ok?" and I smile back with round, shining eyes "daaaarun!"

Even today, when I make this maacher bhorta, I lick my fingers at the end, just before washing my hands ... and Jethimoni's smiling face and enquiring nod dances before my eyes.

You can make this bhorta even if it is not summer and even if you are not having the paanta bhaat for lunch. This makes a great side dish with the plain dal bhaat too.

Need :

Rohu fish - 4 big sized pieces, fried crisp (you can check out here )
Onions - 1 big sized, chopped
Green chillies - 3, chopped
Mustard oil - 2 tbsp
Fresh coriander leaves - chopped 
Salt - to taste

How to :

Break and spread out the fish pieces on a big sized plate.
Pick the bones carefully.
(If you are making the fish keema, the bones are easy to pick since they stand out when cooked. Not so here .... so be careful. Which is why only big sized pieces are used for this. )

Give a little mash ... just to get it together but not make it into a pulp.

Mix in the rest of the ingredients and mix well with a light hand.

If you want, you can fry some boris, crush them and add them too for that extra crunch.

Serve cool. 

Here is my lunch plate with the macher bhorta that I made the other day.
I had made the chana dal with lauki.
But this goes even better with the tauker dal or aam dal and rice.

Enjoy!!


Check out my similar preparations -

Rui maach er Jhura

Maacher keema 

Aam Shorshe Rui or Rohu fish cooked with Raw mangoes and Mustard paste

 This is a wonderfully light, almost soupy,  jhol that I made this morning.
Yes, this morning.
The beauty of this jhol lies in its simplicity. With nothing other than the flavour of slightly sour raw mangoes, it brings summer to you all over again, in a fresh new way.

I decided to make a post pronto so that you can try this while the raw mangoes are still available in the markets.
Since monsoon has been predicted to arrive by early next month, I know it is just a matter of time before we won't find raw mangoes any more ... not for one whole year at least.

It has rained heavily for the last two days ... the first day saw rain throughout the night.
The parched earth and plants and birds and everyone of us were waiting eagerly for it.
This year we did not see the rain in January .... we get a shower at least once then ... and neither in April.
I sorely missed the April showers.
But after the last two days, Pune is back to being wonderful, as before.
A lovely, perpetual breeze, bright mornings without the haze of the blinding sun and cooler nights are back. Even the birds seem chirpier now.

 And this light jhol, redolent with the tang of raw mangoes and mustard, was perfect for today's lunch.
With some plain rice.
You won't need anything else on the side with this ... I promise.

I have grated the mango here because I love the texture. You can use slices if you want to.

Need :

Rui / Rohu fish - 2 pieces , lightly fried
( I had cut pieces from a big sized fish, you can use small ones too )
Raw mango - grated, 2 tbsp ( make sure it is slightly sour )
Mustard paste - 1 tbsp
Kalo jeere or Nigella seeds - ¼ tsp
Haldi or Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Mustard oil - 1 tsp
Green chiliies - 2, slit
Salt - to taste
Water - for gravy
Some fresh coriander leaves

How :

Heat the oil.

Add the nigella seeds and green chillies.

Add the grated mango and the haldi powder.
Fry a little.

Add water and the mustard paste.
Add salt.

Bring to a boil and add the fish.

Cover and cook for some time.

Remove cover and sprinkle chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice.

Enjoy!!

Shorshe bata diye Rui mach er Kaanta jhaal

 

Almost a week into April and no posts here.
There was nothing to write about. And I was not in a condition to sit and write too.
The days passed by slowly, inundated with mashed food and numerous medicines.
Friends on fb rallied around and gave me numerous options of soft cooked food ... which made my days bearable.

Thankfully I am on the mend now.
Just a little weakness.
To keep myself busy, I fished out a huge lot of left over wool and started a crochet project.
It will take some time, so I will update my other blog with its pictures in leisure.

Also, I finished a dress I was making some time ago.

It was lying half done ... as I couldn't make enough time to sit down and complete it with patience.
Now that it is done ( you can check it out here ), I can't wait to try it out.
Maybe when I go out next. And it is not to the doctor.

Pune is already blistering in this early summer heat.
I can't even start to think of what will happen when it is late April and then May.
With family and friends' increased pressure on us, we finally gave in and brought an air conditioner home. We have always resisted buying one.
Contributing to global warming and carbon footprints has never been on our agenda ever.

And had never actually needed one too,since Pune has such a beautiful weather and we are blessed with a location that is still very green, we had never imagined that we would have to resort to this.
But slowly, the green is disappearing. The little stream near our home is now covered with filth, thanks to a local politician who has encroached upon the land and now has set up numerous hutments.
We have watched haplessly as we saw the beautiful jungle with lots of wildlife and birds disappear before our very eyes.

The kingfishers and herons and the hornbills do not come any more.
(I have some beautiful pictures here, in the earlier posts  .... they are all that I have of the place now).
Other birds hover around, looking for a little water, and cannot find their regular drinking place.
We have set up small pots of water  on our balcony for them.
But that is all we can do.
I hope other people are doing the same.

This recipe has been languishing in my folder for almost 2 years, or more.
Why had I not posted it ... I have no idea.
From the pictures, I guess they were clicked in winter. And I do make this quite often.
Yet, had never made a post.
So decided to post this today. And free them from the jail of my 'ToBePosted' folder.

The kaanta (fish bones) jhaal used to be made at my Dadu's house regularly. I think it was Thamma's or my Jethimoni's recipe.
It is made with the big sized fish bones or the bony parts of a big sized Rohu or the Katla.
Mostly the head, the neck and the tail parts are used ... so that the bones are easy to deal with and can be chewed on leisurely ... and yet there would be no fear of any getting stuck in the throat.

I have used parts of the head, tail and some of the bony parts of the peti of a Rohu fish or the Rui mach.

So ... here goes the recipe of how to make Rui mach er kaanta jhal.

Need :

Bony parts of the Rohu fish - around 250 gms, fried with salt + turmeric
Mustard paste - 3 tbsp
Potatoes - 1, medium, sliced into longish pieces
Onion - 1, medium, chopped
Kalo jeere / Nigella seeds - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 2
Mustard oil - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar - to taste
Water - to cook

How to make :

Heat 1 tbsp mustard oil in a kadahi.

Add the kalonji or nigella seeds + green chillies.

Add the onions + potatoes and fry well on high heat.

Cover, low heat and cook till potatoes are done.

Remove cover and add the fish pieces and some water.

Add turmeric powder + mustard paste + salt + sugar.

If needed add some more water.
Mix well.

Cover and cook till everything comes together and mixes well.

Remove cover, give a good mix and pour 1 tbsp of raw mustard oil all over.
Cover and let it stand for 5 minutes.

Serve hot with plain rice.

Enjoy!!

Rui mach er Jhura - spicing up the plain Rohu

The Mach er Jhura or Maach er Jhuri is an authentic  dish from far away Bangladesh.
Take a piece or pieces of any plain fish , add some beautiful masalas and spices is all that takes.
Also, since it is a jhuri / jhura, the pieces are not kept whole but pulled apart into a mince.
And fried till dryish.

When I was down with my injured hand and shoulder, thankfully long back, I did nothing but watch the telly.  The reason because I was simply not allowed or able to do anything.
It was during this time I watched a lot of regional cookery shows and picked up this recipe from one of them.
Most recipes call for boiling the fish first and then removing the bones.
But I lightly fry it first. The only reason is I cannot stand the smell of boiled fish.

I used to make this Fish Keema  whenever I needed to use it for stuffings.
But in this jhura, I have not used anything chopped but all pastes.
The result is you don't get a bite of onions or green chillies but you do get the flavours.
This Jhuri is spicier and has a good dose of garlic and red chillies.

The macher jhura can be made from any fish, small and big sized.
The small ones can be the Parshe, Pabda, the Loita or even the little Morala mach.
I prefer to use the bigger fish, mainly if using for a stuffing, like the Katla or the Rui or Rohu ... the main reason being I find it very difficult to deal with the smaller and finer bones of the former variety.

Need :

 Rohu fish or Rui mach - a few pieces, lightly fried in mustard oil
Onion paste
Garlic paste
Ginger paste
Green chilli paste
Haldi / Turmeric powder
Red chilli powder
Dhaniya / Coriander powder
Jeera / Cumin powder
Garam masala powder
Mustard oil
Salt - to taste

How to :

Pick the fish pieces for bones.
Keep the shredded meat aside.

Heat oil in a kadahi or wok.

Add the pastes one by one, stirring continiously.


Add the haldi powder and the red chilli powder.
Fry till dryish and oil starts to leave the sides.

Add the dhania and the jeera powder and the shredded fish.
Mix well.

Keep frying on low heat till everything comes together and there is no more moisture left.

Add the garam masala powder and another round of red chilli powder.

Remove from heat but do not keep tightly covered.

This goes great on the side with rice and dal.

I sometimes add some big sized bones to it too ... great to chew on during a meal ... as any Bengali would agree.

Enjoy!!

Rui maacher halka jhol / A light Rohu fish curry

There are illnesses and then there are illnesses.
And when an illness makes itself known, whether it is you or a loved one, you get a fresh new view of life.
Especially if it is family.
It is as if someone has held you by the scruff of your neck and has given a good shake, reopening your eyes to a fresh new outlook.
You see life from a different plane.
And your every day, mundane tasks and complaints look so very miniscule.

It is at times like these that you get comfort from the only real thing in life ... omnipresent and ever needed ... food.
Simple food. Comfort food. Light food.
Food that will settle inside you without so much of a thump.
Food that will lull you to a calm.
And help you see through the days that seem so dark that you almost start to doubt the adage of the light at the end of the tunnel.

It is this light jhol that I have turned to so many times ever since I made this for the first time fellow blogger Kalyan shared the recipe on Fb.
It is his Didu's recipe and like all grandmoms' recipes are, is very lovable.
This very loved fish curry and rice always helps to bring a sense of calm in me.

This is a very easy macher jhol recipe. In fact the easiest you can come across, ever, I guess.

Need :

Rohu fish - 4 pieces, cleaned and marinated with salt + turmeric
Potato - 1 medium
Parwal / Potol / Pointed gourd - 3 pieces
Haldi / Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Dhaniya / Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Jeera / Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Jeera / Cumin seeds - ½ tsp
Whole red chillies - 2, broken
Salt - to taste
Water - for gravy
Cooking oil - 1 tbsp ( I use mustard oil )


How to :

Fry the fish lightly. 
I fry fish to a crisp on both sides only when I am making the rich Kalia. For this curry, however, I just let it into the smoking hot oil, lowered the flame, turned it once and brought it out.

Cut the potatoes and the parwal in similar pieces.
Soak the red chilli + jeera + dhaniya + haldi powder in a little water.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed wok / kadahi.
Add the jeera + whole red chillies.

Add the vegetables and toss well.
Fry for a while on high heat.

Now add the soaked masala paste + water + salt.

Stir well.
Lower heat.

Cover and cook till the vegetables are done.
Remove cover and add the fish pieces and slit green chillies.

Cover and simmer for 10 more minutes.

 Your easy, patla maacher jhol is ready.

 Here is a shot my lunch plate with this light Rui macher jhol.

This curry goes best with plain rice.
Serve it steaming hot. All you will need is a squirt of fresh lemon juice and a green chilli on the side.

I did have some salad and a Aamer ambol too.


Enjoy!!

There is a crisis in the family and I'll be leaving shortly to be with them.
Hence will be away from my kitchen for a while.
But I'll be back next month with many more recipes.
Stay with me, dear readers.


Don't miss my list of  other recipes using the Rohu fish or the Rui maach -

Rui maach garam masala bata diye / Rohu cooked in garam masala paste

This recipe is a keeper.
It belongs to my cousin didi's  mother in law, who uses garam masala paste to make this jhol.
That is the difference from other recipes. The garam masala paste is added from time to time during the koshaoing or when frying the other masalas.
The aroma that comes out is divine.
I am absolutely in love with this particular macher jhol.
If you eat fish, then I am sure you will want to make this again and again.
For your own self, for family, for friends.

And the fish ... usually Rohu / Rui ... is fried  till firm and crisp on the outside.
Somewhat like the fish pieces served in a biyebarir macher jhol. 
And to do that, you don't have to deep fry them .... as usually done. Just fry them on a flat pan, with minimal oil, on low heat to crisp the sides.  (You can follow the post here. )

But that is where the similarity ends.
I will come back with the recipe for the biyebarir macher jhol sometime later. But for now, let us focus on this wonderful macher jhol in garam masala.
Not at all complicated.
And divinely fragrant. And flavourful.

Do add a pinch ... or more ... of sugar to this when cooking ... it complements the flavour of the cinnamon and the masala paste in whole.

Can't write much today. So just the recipe for you.

Need :

Laung / Cloves - 3
Dalchini / Cinnamon - 1" stick
Black cardamom / Elaichi - 2
Rohu fish - 4 pieces , washed and marinated in salt+turmeric powder
Onions - 2, chopped
Garlic - 8 cloves, chopped
Grated ginger - 1 tbsp
Tomato - 1 medium, chopped 
Haldi / Turmeric - ½ tsp
Red chilli powder - ½ tsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar - ½ tsp
Mustard oil - 4 tbsp

How to :

The masala :

Soak the cloves , the cinnamon and the cardamom overnight. 
Make a paste in your chutney grinder.
It will be coarse .... no matter how many times I run it, it stayed coarse.
If yours turns into a smooth paste, do use that in the recipe.
Otherwise do as I did - strain the paste with a little water at a time till the residue is drained dry.
If you want you can run it in the mixer again and strain it.

The curry :

Heat 2 tbsp of the mustard oil.
Fry the fish  on low heat till brown on both sides.
It should be firm and not soft like when lightly fried. 
Remove and keep aside.

Add 2 tbsp oil to the kadahi and add the chopped onions , garlic.
Fry well.
Now add the grated ginger, the haldi powder, red chilli powder and the sugar.

Fry till everything has mixed well and starts to turn dry.

Now add the chopped tomato and fry on high heat till it turns soft and mushy.
Keep adding a spoonful of the garam masala water while frying the tomato masala.
Do keep stirring constantly.

You will need around 2 or 3 tbsp of the masala water ... of course you can add more if you want to.

When the masala has been fried well and starts to turn dryish, on high heat add 3 cups of water.
Add salt.
Cover and let it boil for around 5 minutes, on low heat.

Remove cover and add the fish pieces.
Cover and cook for  around 5 more minutes.
Remove cover and simmer for 5 more minutes till the gravy dries up and reaches desired consistency.

I kept it dryish.
You can keep more gravy if you want to.

Serve hot.
Goes great with steamed rice.

Enjoy!!