Bengal Fish Curry (Fish In Mustard Curry)

Bengal Fish Curry

Fish is a staple food in coastal areas of India. Being  rich source of Vitamin A fish is good for eyes, skin and hair. In Western and southern part of India fish is made in coconut gravy where as in west Bengal it is made in Mustard gravy. As I am partial to fish in Bengal mustard gravy so before fish in coconut gravy I am going to write the recipe for fish in mustard gravy, famous fish preparation of Bengal in India. This preparation has minimum amount of oil, low in calories, Mustard not only adds taste but is very good for digestion and blood flow, and of course it is yummy. Plain boiled rice is its best companion. That is why Bengalis refer the combo as Machi-Bhaat. It can also be had with Indian breads like Nan/kulcha/Tandoori roti/Chapati.

Preparation Time: 15-20 min.

Cooking Time:15-20 minutes.

Servings: 4 Large Servings

Ingredients Required For Making Bengal Fish Curry:

• 750 Gm Rohu/Surmai Fish cut to 1 cm thick round pieces.

Fish pieces for Bengal Fish Curry

• 100 gm. Onions
• 100 gm. Red ripe Tomatoes
• 2 Tea spoon Yellow Mustard seeds
• 1 Tea spoon Red Chili Powder
• 1/2Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• Salt to Taste
• 5-10 ml. Mustard Oil

For Marinade:

• 10 ml. Fresh Lemon juice
• 4 Teaspoon Garlic Paste
• 3 Teaspoon Ginger Paste
• 1 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder
• 2 Teaspoon Coriander seed Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Amchur (Optional)
• 1 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1/2Teaspoon Salt
• 2 Teaspoon Garam Masala
• 1 Teaspoon Yellow mustard seed powder

Fish and Ingredients for Marinade

Marinating the Fish:

• Wash the fish gently under flowing water.
• Pat dry with a cloth.
• Spread lemon juice evenly on each piece and allow to stand for 5 min.

Fish cleaned with lemon juice on it

• Wash in flowing water and pat dry again.
• Mix all the ingredients of marinade and apply liberally on both sides of the fish.

Marinade for Fish

• Keep the fish for marinating for 15 to 20 minutes only. It can be kept in fridge during marinating.

Marinated Fish

Cooking the Fish

• Sprinkle 1-2 ml. mustard oil on a thick non-stick pan and heat it.
• When the pan is hot keep the marinated fish on the pan and cook on low flame till light brown on both sides.

Marinated fish cooking on Pan

Fish Ready For Curry mixture

• Take care while turning the fish, it is delicate. So use broad spatula for turning the fish.

Making the Curry:

• While the fish is marinating and then being cook on pan start preparing the gravy mixture.
• Soak mustard pieces in water.
• Peel the onions and cut to pieces.
• Cut tomatoes to pieces.
• In a grinder take
• Tomato pieces
• Onion pieces
• Soaked Mustard seeds
• Grind to paste.

Ingredients for making paste for Curry

Paste of Onion-Tomato and Mustard seeds

• In a thick bottom wok take 2-3 ml. of mustard oil and heat till it starts smoking.
• Reduce the heat and add the paste of onion-tomato and soaked mustard seeds.
• Cook on low flame till all water evaporates and the mixture starts leaving the edges of wok.
• Add turmeric powder and red chili powder cook for just one minute.

Cooked mixture for mustard Curry

• Gently transfer it in wok with cooked gravy mixture coat the fish with cooked gravy mixture by turning the fish gently with broad spatula.

Fish coated with Curry mixture before adding water

• Cover and cook for 3-4 min. so that the Currymasala seeps into the fish and flavors of fish and masala mixes nicely.
• Turn once or twice while the fish is in wok.
• Add 300 ml. water and salt to taste. Bring the heat to high. When it comes to boil bring the heat to medium and cook for just 2 minutes.

Fish in boiling gravy 

• Take out the cooked Fish in mustard gravy garnish with cilantro leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.

Bengal Fish Curry

Tips:

• While following any recipe test the hotnes of chilies and chili powder as the same varies from one variety to another, then adjust the amount accordingly.
• Fish has its own saltiness and has some salt during marination so add salt carefully in the last when water has been added.
• The soaked mustard seed may not be converted to fine paste do not worry use it like that only.
• Do not overcook the fish it will lose its juiciness and will become chewy.
• Cook the fish in gravy for just two minutes as all ingredients are cooked. We just require bringing the flavors in the gravy and allowing them to seep in fish.
• Amount of water can be varied according to the thickness of gravy one wants.

Alternate Suggestions:

• Onions can be avoided from the gravy they are added to make the gravy thick.
• Mustard taste and zing will come out great if onion is not used. Tomatoes should be made to fine paste and soaked mustard seeds should be made to coarse paste when onion are not being used.

Chicken Pulav

Chicken pulav is almost similar to chicken biryani, except it is a short cut and when time is less but the family or friends want only non-veg food then this is most convenient. What does it matter if it is a biryani or pulav as far as it is lip smacking. I have lost the count of how many times I have passed chicken pulav as chicken biryani to my children. They lapped it up and were very happy and satiated. Does anything else matter with mother other than broad grin of satisfaction on the children face.!!!!

Preparation Time: 30min.

Cooking Time: 40min.

Servings: Makes 4 large servings.

Ingredients required for making Chicken Pulav:

• 500gm. Dressed Chicken
• 250gm. Rice
• 75gm. Onions
• 1 Tea spoon Garlic Paste
• 1 Tea spoon Ginger Paste
• 1 Green chili
• 1 Tea spoon Red chili Powder
• 1 Tea spoon Garam masala
• 2 Bay leaves
• 4-5 Cloves
• 2-3cm, Cinnamon stick
• 1 Black Cardamom
• 2 Green Cardamom
• 2-3 Petals of Star Aniseed
• Salt to taste
• 50ml Ghee/ cooking oil
• Water

Ingredients required for Marinade:

• 1 Tea spoon Garlic Paste
• 1 Tea spoon Ginger Paste
• 1/4 Tea spoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 Pinch of Nutmeg Powder
• 3-4 Tea spoons of Thick Curd (50gm. Approx...)

Direction To Marinate Chicken:

• Wash the chicken and drain water completely.
• Mix garlic paste, ginger paste, turmeric powder, nutmeg powder and curd.
• Beat the mix with a spoon/fork to creamy texture them nicely. Marinade is ready.
• Coat the cleaned chicken evenly with the with the marinade and keep aside for 30min.

Direction To Make Chicken Pulav:

• Cut onions into thin slices.
• Take ghee/oil in a pressure cooker and heat on high flame.
• When oil is smoking hot low the gas and add bay leaves, cloves, black cardamom, green cardamom, star aniseed, cinnamon stick and let them splutter.(just one min. will be required for all of it to be cooked)
• Add onion slices and cook for 4-5 min.
• When onion becomes golden brown add garlic paste and cook for 1-2min.
• Add ginger paste and cook for 1-2min.
• Add marinated chicken and stir to mix chicken and spices in cooker evenly.
• Cook for 5min. with occasional stirring.
• Drain rice and keep water aside.
• Add rice to the cooker and stir to mix properly.
• Add salt, red chili powder, garam masala and mix with gentle stirring.
• Add water which was kept aside after draining the soaked rice.
• Mix by gentle stirring and close the lid of cooker .
• Put the flame of gas on high till the pressure builds in the cooker.
• Lower the flame and cook for 10min.
• Switch off the gas and let the pressure in the cooker subside.
• Remove the pulav in a rice serving plate.
• Garnish with coriander leaves, ring lets of onion and tomatoes or by onion slices fried to golden brown color.

Yummy chicken pulav is ready to be eaten with thick curd/raita, salad, and pickle/chutney and of course papad.

http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2012/07/pahari-kheere-ka-raita-cucumber-and.html

http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2012/06/mango-pickle-north-indian-style.html

http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2012/06/tangy-mango-pickle-maharashra-style.html

http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2012/06/spicy-mixed-vegetable-pickle-less-oily.html

http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2012/06/hariyali-chutney-raw-mango-chutney.html

http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2011/10/green-coriander-and-mint-chutney.html

Tips:

• Wash the chicken properly. If possible by rubbing some lemon juice on the chicken.
• Take thick curd for making marinade.
• The above proportion of water is for Basmati rice, the requirement of water may change with the quality of rice.
• Best results are obtained with Basmati rice.

Suggested Variations:

• Saffola rice is a healthy less starchy rice so it can be taken instead of basmati rice. 
• Ghee can be replaced by olive oil. 

Sweet and Sour White Gravy (Coconut and Curd base)

This gravy has wonderful flavors of curd, coconut and curry leaves. It is apt for vegetables like cauliflower, mix vegetables/fish/prawns/chicken and goes quite well with paneer (cottage cheese) also. My personal preference is fish/chicken/prawns and vegetables to be cooked in it.

Preparation time: 10-15 min.
Cooking time: 15 min.
Servings: Enough for 1/2 kg of vegetables/ chicken/ fish/ paneer (Cottage Cheese).

Ingredients Required For Gravy 

• 1 Tender Coconut.
• 50 – 60 gm. Thick Curd.
• 1 Medium size Onion.
• 2-3 Cloves of Garlic.
• 2cm. Piece of Ginger.
• 2-3   Green chilies.
• 4-5 Curry leaves ( sweet Neem leaves).
• 1 cm. Cinnamon stick.
• 2-3 cloves.
• 1 Black Cardamom.
• 5ml. Cooking Oil.
• Salt to taste.

  Direction To Prepare Coconut Gravy

• Take the kernel of tender coconut and grate it.
• Grind it in a grinder adding water in small proportions, till it resembles a thick batter.
• Take the coconut paste in a sieve or thin cloth and squeeze till all coconut thick milk comes out.
• Collect it in a bowl and keep aside.
• Put the left over coconut left after removal of milk in grinder.
• Add 30-40ml. water and grinder.
• Take it out and squeeze to take out the milk. This time milk would be thin.
• Collect it in separate bowl and keep aside.
• Cut onion very fine.
• Make paste of ginger and garlic.
• Take oil in a thick bottom wok and heat.
• When its smoking hot reduce the flame and add cloves, cinnamon stick, black cardamom, curry leaves and cook for 1/2 min.
• Add green chilies and cook for 1/2 min.
• Add finely cut onion and cook till light golden in color.
• Add thin coconut milk ( the one which was taken out second time) and cook for 2-3 min. with constant stirring till it thickens.
• Add thick coconut milk (the one taken out first time) and cook for 2 min.with constant stirring.
• Add curd and cook for 1 min. with constant stirring.
• Remove from heat and add salt.
• Coconut gravy is ready for sauteed vegetables / chicken / fish / prawns to be added and cooked for 2min.

For Garnishing

• Take 2-3 ml of oil in a pan and heat.
• When smoking hot reduce the flame.
• Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds let them split.
• Add red chilies, curry leaves and asafoetida powder.
• Chilies will turn brownish and curry leaves dark green, wonderful smell of chilly, curry leaves, cumin, and mustard asafoetida will start coming.
• Spread the mixture over the vegetable / chicken cooked in coconut gravy.

Tip(s)

• Those who do not eat onion / garlic can omit onion and garlic.
• Add salt in the last to avoid splitting in coconut milk.
• Always separate thick (first ) milk and thin (second) milk.

Sukha Chicken/सुक्खा चिकन ( Chicken without Gravy)

Sukha Chicken

Dry chicken is taken as appetizer as well as well as main course. In main course it goes especially well with Tandoori roti / naan. Being less oily it is easier to digest and tastes very good. My personal preference next to tandoori chicken is sukha chicken. 

Preparations Time: 10 min.

Cooking Time: 40-45 min.

Servings: 4-5 large servings

Ingredients Required To make Sukka Chicken :

• 1 kg. Chicken dressed, washed, and cut to pieces.

Chicken for Sukha Chicken

 For Marinade:

• 50 gm. Ginger-Garlic past.

Ingredients for marinade

• 100 gm. Thick Curd.
• 10 gm. Turmeric powder. 
• 10 gm. Red Chili powder.
• 1/4 Tea spoon freshly grated Nutmeg. 

For Masala/Spice mix:

• 250 gm. Onion.( finely chopped )

Finely cut Onions

• 50 gm. Ginger- garlic paste.
• 100 gm.(2 medium size ) Tomatoes.( chopped).

Tomatoes

•  2 Bay leaves.

• 3-4 Cloves.
• 1 Inch piece of Cinnamon.

Spices for chicken

•  5-6 Black pepper

• 1 Black Cardamom

• Salt to taste.
• Red chili powder to taste.
• 1 ml. Cooking Oil if cooking in non-stick wok / 10 ml. if cooking in normal wok

 Direction To Marinate Chicken 

• Poke the chicken pieces with fork .
• Mix garlic, ginger paste, curd, turmeric powder, chili powder, nutmeg.

Ingredients for marinade mixed in a bowl

• Beat them with a spoon or fork to form nice creamy mixture. 

Marinade for chicken

• Rub the mixer nicely on the chicken pieces and coat them with the mixer.

Marinade mixed with chicken and kept for marinating

• Cover and leave for 5-6 hrs. ( It can be kept in fridge ).

Direction To Prepare Sukka Chicken

• Take a thick bottom wok, put 2 teaspoon of oil in it and heat on gas till smoking hot.
• Add cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves and black cardamom.Cook for 1/2 min.
   

  

  Spices being cooked till they splutter in 2 teaspoon of Olive oil

• Add finely chopped onions and cook till transparent.

  

  Finely cut onions added to oil and spices mixture

Onions cooked to transparent state

• Add ginger- garlic paste and cook for 1 min.
• Add finely chopped tomatoes, and cook till tomatoes turn just tender.

Onions added after adding ginger-garlic paste

Tomatoes cooked till tender

• Add marinated chicken, mix nicely.

Chicken added to cooked onion, tomato and spices mixture

Mixed and being cooked on low flame

• Add salt, red chili powder and mix.
• Cook on low flame with constant stirring for 5 min. Juices from chicken will come out.
• Cover and cook on low flame till all liquid dries.

Covered and being cooked on low flame

• Cook on low flame with regular stirring and sprinkling of very little water till the chicken becomes tender.

10 ml. Water sprinkled and being cooked on low flame

State after 5 min. of cooking (After sprinkling water)

• Add garam masala and mix.
• Cover and remove from gas.
• Keep it aside for 4-5min. so as to allow the flavor of garam masala to seep in the chicken.

Sukha Chicken

• Remove the cooked sukha chicken in a serving bowl and garnish with ringlet of onions, tomatoes, sprig of coriander / celery / parsley.

• Enjoy the sukha chicken with hot Nan, Tandoori roti, Roomali roti.

Sukha Chicken

 Tips:

• Cook in non-stick container otherwise oil requirement will become 10-15 ml.

• Let the liquid of marinade dry completely before sprinkling water first time.
• Do not add too much water at one go.
• Cook on low flame. If the heat is increased to high then masala will get burnt.

 Suggested Variations:

• Cut chicken pieces to bite size and serve it as appetizer.

• Oregano can be added to the marinade replacing nut meg for a change of flavor.

• Olive oil can be taken for cooking as it is healthy medium to cook.

Baked Samosas( less oily, low calory snack)

Baked Samosas

While fried samosas have got their own wonderful taste they are very high in calories, so  I dedicate this recipe to all health and figure concious people who love eating but get detered some times due to oil and clories involved in fried samosas.


Preparation time: 15- 20 min.

Baking time: 10 - 15 min.

Servings made: Total Samosa made from above material  10 - 15.

Ingredients Required For Baked Samosas 

• 200 gm.  Maida (Refined wheat flour) .
• 3 gegg's White (Yolk to be discarded)
• 10 gm.  Butter 
• 4 medium sized Boiled Potatoes 
• 2-3 teaspoons Par boiled peas 
• 1 teaspoon finely cut  Green chilies 
• 1 teaspoon Dry mango powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon Red chilly powder 
• 1 teaspoon Garam masala 
• 1 teaspoon Coriander leaves finely cut 
• Salt to taste
• 50 ml. Milk 

Directions to prepare Baked Samosas

• Mix butter and maida nicely till it resembles bread crumbs.
• Beat egg white and add it to the butter maida mixture with continuous mixing and kneading.
• If required add little milk to it while kneading. 
• Knead the mixture to a soft but firm dough. Make sure the dough is firm, other wise the samosas will not be crispy.
• Keep the dough covered for 5 min.
• Mash potatoes to small pieces (not to pulp).
• Take1 tea spoon of oil in a wok and heat the oil, add cumin seeds let them splutter. 
• Add the following and cook for 5 min., mixing them continuously:
• Potatoes
• Peas
• Dry Mango powder
• Turmeric
• Green chilies
• Red Chilly powder 
• Take the above mixture in a bowl and add garam masala. Allow it to cool.
• Make small balls from the dough and roll them to 5-6 inches diameter circle.

Dough for baked samosa,rolled ball of dough and filling of potato,peas and spices

• Cut them to half with the knife, and make a cone out of the half piece and fill it 3/4 with the potato mixture.

Making cone of one half of the rolled ball of the dough

Filling the cone with potato, peas and spices mixture

• Seal the open ends by applying drop of water and pressing them together firmly. 
• Repeat the same for all the dough and bake them in preheated  oven at 150 C till they become golden in color(some prefer it slightly brownish golden). Turn them over when top side starts becoming golden brown.
• Bake again till other side also becomes golden brown.(Approximately 5-7 min. each side

Samosa getting baked

Enjoy the crispy less fatty samosas with coriander chutney / Hariyali chutney

Baked Samosas

http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2011/10/green-coriander-and-mint-chutney.html

http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2011/10/sweet-tamarind-chutney.html

http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2012/06/hariyali-chutney-raw-mango-chutney.html

Tip(s) :

• Do not bake to dark brown color.

•  For those who do not take eggs, eggs can be replaced by butter/ghee. 

Suggested variation:

• Minced meat (mutton / chicken ) can taken instead of potatoes.
• Coarsely ground powder of roasted moong dal can be taken instead of potatoes and peas.

Sukha Mutton (Mutton without gravy)

Sukha Mutton

 Dry mutton is a wonderful dish of mutton cooked in minimum oil. It used to be my specialty and when ever my friends in hostel wanted to have mutton I used to be busy in hostel kitchen of course annoying the cook as he used to find it really annoying to see me messing around in the kitchen . But he also used to agree that I make delicious dry mutton. We girls used to bribe him with one large portion of dry mutton for allowing me to work in the kitchen. What a wonderful time we had then!

Preparation Time: 30 min. (Marination time not included)
Cooking Time: 60 min
Servings: 5 large servings 

Ingredients required

• 1Kg Mutton 

Mutton washed and drained

• 1/2Kg Onion, finely cut.

Finely cut Onion

• 1 teaspoon garlic - ginger paste.

Ginger-Garlic paste

• 2-3 Bay leaves

• 2-3 cloves

• 3-4 corns of black pepper

• 1 black cardamom

Spices for Sukha Mutton

• 2 green cardamom

• 1/2 inches of cinnamon stick.

• 3-4 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder

• 2 Teaspoon Garam Masala

• Salt to taste

• 1ml. Ghee / Olive oil / any cooking oil if being cooked in non-stick wok, 20-25 ml. if cooked in normal wok.

• 2 Teaspoon Ghee (Clarified butter)

Ghee (Clarified butter)

Ingredients Required For marinade :

• 1/2 tea spoon turmeric powder

• 1 table spoon paste of raw papaya

• 3-4Teaspoon Thick Curd or 1/2 table spoon lemon juice

• 2 Tea spoon Red chilly powder

• 1/4 coffee spoon nut meg powder  

Spices and curd for marinade

Direction For Marination Of Mutton:

• Mix 

• Papaya paste

• Red chili powder

• Curd / lemon juice

• Nutmeg powder

All ingredients of marinade in a bowl

• Beat nicely to creamy consistency. 

Marinade for Mutton

• Mix this marinade with mutton nicely.

• Keep covered for 3-4 hrs.  

Marinated Mutton

Direction For Making Sukha Mutton:

• Take 1ml ghee / cooking oil in a kadhai and heat.

• When hot add all following ingredients:

• 2-3 Bay leaves
• 2-3 cloves
• 3-4 corns of black pepper
• 1 black cardamom
• 2 green cardamom
• 1/2 inches of cinnamon stick.

Spices being cooked in 1 teaspoon of ghee in non-stick pan

• Cook the above for 1/2 min.

• Then add onions and cook till light brown on color. It takes atleast 15 min.

Onions added to the spices and ghee

Onion cooked to brown color

• Add ginger garlic paste and cook for a min.

• Add mutton to the kadhai and mix nicely.

Marinated mutton added to the onion and spices mixture

•  Bring the flame to high and cook for 2 min.

• Add salt to taste, red chili powder bring the flame to low and cook with regular turning and stirring for 10 min.

Mutton and spices mixed and being cooked on low flame

After 10 min. of cooking on low flame

After 20 min. of cooking on low flame

•  Cover and cook on low flame till tender. Keep stirring regularly. 

Covered and being cooked on low flame

• If water is required sprinkling little amount at a time.

• Keep stirring every now and then so that the spices are evenly mixed and mutton is also evenly cooked.
• It will take approximately 45.min. minimum for the mutton to cook once added to kadhai.

• Add  garam masala  and 2 teaspoon ghee.

• Mix nicely and cook for a min.

• Take out in a serving bowl.

Sukka Mutton

• Decorate it with thick cream (optional), herbs /cherry tomatoes or simply rings of onion.

Tips: 

• For healthy cooking olive oil is best, but this dish tastes best when cooked in Ghee.

• Mutton should be washed thoroughly.

• Most of the cooking should be done on low flame to ensure spices and mutton mixing properly.

• Regular stirring and turning of mutton is must for even cooking of mutton.

• Non-stick container should be taken for cooking otherwise ghee / oil requirement becomes more.

Suggested Variation:

• If you want to cook it faster you can cook after 10 min. of cooking in pressure cooker.

• If cooking is done in pressure cooker then after pressure comes cook on low flame for 10-105min depending. let it cool by it self.

• Once the cooker is cooled open and keep it on high flame on gas, with continuous stirring till all water evaporates.

• Jeera (Cumin)powder can be added along with garam masala.

• Raw papaya can be avoided if not available. Raw papaya makes cook mutton faster.

• 1/4Teaspoon Black pepper powder can be added along with garam masala.

• 1/2Teaspoon amchur powder (Dry mango powder) can be added to mutton along with garam masala.