Fish Fry and super entertaining!

I love fish fries (who does n't) and this weekend I had such a lovely lovely time frying , serving and just popping them in my mouth...



We got some really fresh Tilapia from the local grocery store and yes of course... Panko Breadcrumbs! These are really really good and as promised the Fish Fries turned out really crusty and crunchy!

What you need:
tilapia fillets---1 lb cut into bite sized pieces
eggs---3 lightly beaten
flour---3/4 cup
bread crumbs---1 cup (I used Panko....Just get hold of any good bread crumb)
salt
oil for frying

For the marinade:
shallots-2 sliced
garlic-2 cloves
coriander-a handful
ginger paste-1 tsp

Just blitz them in the food processor wit h 1 tbsp vinegar.

Marinate the fish in the paste for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Now season the fish with salt as also the flour and bread crumbs.
Dredge the fish in four, dip in the eggs and then roll in the bread crumbs.
Fry in hot oil until they turn golden brown on all sides. Serve with a lemon wedge and have a good time munching!

Topshe Maach bhaja...or crunchy Topshe Fry

This is a personal favorite and every time I am home I make sure Bhalomashi (my maternal aunt) cooks this for us. A simple fish dish and really easy to make... that is if the fish is available.
Topshe is a typical sweet water fish with a central bone . The flesh is chunky and cooks very easily. There is not much kaanta or bones and so quite easy to manage.
And Topshe maach bhaja is a traditional Bengali way of preparing this fish. I have had this fish only this way.... deep fried and served hot and crispy..

Prepararion of the fish:

topshe fish- 5-6 cleaned and descaled
turmeric-3-4 tbsp
onion-ginger paste-4 tbsp
chickpea flour batter-5tbsp dissolved in water without any lumps (note that the batter should not be watery)
salt
oil to deep fry

Rub the fishes with turmeric, onion-ginger paste and salt and keep them aside for an hour before serving.
Make the batter and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a pan .
When the oil is smoking, dip the fishes in the batter, coat evenly and fry to a golden brown on both sides.
Serve piping hot and.... Enjoy!

Bata maacher jhal

I love fish. And being a Bengali just any kind of fresh water fish is a favorite. Be it the delicate Bhetki, or the chunky Rui, or the small Tyangra, or the crispy fried Topshe or the seasonal Ilish.....fishes have always been delights.I remember as a child when I would sometimes accompany Baba to the fish market and marvel at the glimmering silvery fishes stacked neatly, people haggling over the prices,some of them expertly commenting on the quality of fish by just touching them....Oh! the fish market was such an interesting place(the fishy smell was a tad dampener though!).
This particular fish Bata as we call it.... is a favourite of mine and Baba's.It is very tasty but if you are not comfortable with fish bones, you migh find it a little difficult . Maach bechhe khaoa.. is the traditional way of eating fishes where you use your hand to separate the flesh from the bones...and Baba taught me that loooong back.....
This country never ceases to surprise me and so of course when I discovered this fish at our fish shop... I was elated....

How to make Bata maacher Jhal:

Bata fish-5-6 cleaned and descaled
turmeric-3 tbsp
mustard oil-about 1/3cup
ground mustard-2 tbsp
nigella-1 tsp
tomatoes-1/2 of a large tomato diced
boris(optional)-a handful fired and kept aside
green chillies- 2 slit
salt

Marinate the fishes with salt and turmeric.
Next fry the fishes in mustard oil until both the sides are browned.
Remove the fishes and drain the excess oil.
In the remaining oil sizzle the chillies and the nigella.
Add turmeric and tomato pieces and mustard paste. When the tomato softens add 1 cup of water.
Let the gravy come ot rolling boil.
Add the fishes and season with salt.
Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes in medium heat. let the gravy dry up a bit.
Add the boris and serve with white rice.... Love it..!

Jamai Shoshthi Menu: part 2...ilish bhape/steam ilish

I know I am pathetically late with my recipe and there is no plausible excuse....God ! I am such a lazy slob....
And to make up for that here is my recipe for Ilish bhape that I made for Jamai Shoshthi.
This a traditional bengali recipe originally from East Bengal and no body makes this better than the bengalis. It is a delicately prepared dish and quite hot because of the mustard sauce and mustard oil. But if you like fresh water fish and fish bones do not bother you ...you will love this.
So happy steaming Ilish....

How to steam the Ilish:

ilish -cleaned and cut into pieces (about 8-10)
turmeric-4tbsp
mustard seeds-1/2 cup
green chillies-2 slit and 2 ground to a paste with the mustard
mustard oil-5 tbsp
yogurt-1 tbsp
coconut-a handful

Rub the fish pieces with turmeric and salt and keep aside for 1-2 hours.
Soak the mustard seeds in water and grind them into a fine paste with a pinch of mustard oil, green chillies and little salt. Now if you dry grind the mustard seeds in a coffee grinder, be careful. This may turn out to be a little bitter.Alternatively you can use ready made mustard powder.
But the authentic taste comes only from freshly ground mustard seeds with little salt, green chillies and turmeric.If you are using yogurt mix it with the mustard paste.
Now lightly brush the inside of an aluminum or steel container with the mustard oil.
Place the fish pieces inside.Lightly fold in the mustard paste.
Drizzle the rest of the mustard oil on the fish pieces. Sprinkle the coconut over the fish with the slit green chillies.
Next comes the steaming part.
If you have a lid to the steel container (which contains the fish) you can put it on or you can leave it open.
Place this container in the pressure cooker and put in water just enough to cover the bottom of the cooker.
Be careful so that when you steam the water does not come inside the fish container (specially if you are using an open container).
Now put on the pressure cooker on medium high and cook until 2-3 whistles.
Put off the gas and let the cooker cool. Take out fish container carefully (it is awfully hot!) and cool it under water(if you are in a hurry!). If you have used an open vessel then just scoop out the fish and the mustard sauce and serve with hot white rice.
Oh....! The GREAT ILISH...!

And finally!!! IIish

And so finally ......it is here.... the fish of all fishes.... the greatest.... the tastiest....Ilish....the fish which inspired this blog.....(oh my!! how great is that?!):)

So we finally discovered this Bangladeshi shop and we drove all the way and we came back loaded with fish and mutton(goat meat).
We are "river fish " people and however tasty the sea fish is... the bengali 'macher jhol' just cannot beat anything..... and so C was quick to pick up the ilish/hilsa and Bata(a very bony but very tasty small sweet water fish).

And last evening it was hilsa time! I will try out the more elaborate recipes later... but for now we were happy with the 'ilish mach bhaja'(crispy fried hilsa) and I must say it was too good.... the kitchen was filled up with the overwhelmingly fishy smell and we hogged on the fried fish with plain rice and boiled masoor dal!!

Just wash the fish in cold water and rub salt and turmeric on the fish pieces.
Keep them aside for 10-15 minutes.
Heat mustard oil in a deep frying pan/karhai/wok.
Fry the fishes till they are brown and crisp.
Enjoy with white rice and dal or best... khichudi!

Baked Salmon

C always likes his fish baked..... and since here we do not get many fresh water fishes and the only salt water ones that I can eat is salmon..... I too prefer the baked variety. It is incredibly healthy,mouth watering and amazingly easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

Salmon -1 lb
yogurt-1 cup
coriander- a handful
coriander powder-1/2 tsp
cumin powder-1/2 tsp
onion paste-1 tbsp
ginger garlic paste -1/2 tbsp
salt- according to taste
lime juice- 4-5 tbsp
oil for basting
lime wedges

Marinate the salmon pieces with salt and lime juice for 1 hour.
Whip the yogurt until it is a smooth paste. Chop the coriander fine and add it to the yogurt.
Next add the spice powders with the onion and ginger garlic paste to the yogurt.
Add salt to the yogurt .
Coat the fish pieces with the marinade and keep it aside for 2-3 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350F and bake for 30-40 minutes on each side.
From time to time bast with oil.
Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!

Shorshe mach....A favourite

'Shorshe' or mustard has always been a favorite.... for the zing in the taste,for that beautiful color and also because it goes so well with nearly all fish dishes that we cook back home...
'Shorshe ilish' is a Bengali favorite.. no Bengali feast is complete without it....
This fish that I used in this recipe is not Ilish though...I substituted it with salmon which is available in all the supermarkets .... if salmon is unavailable any other white fish will do....
Ma-in-law suggested this recipe and the end result was an absolute delight...

6 medium pieces of salmon(any white fish will do)
1 tablespoon mustard paste
5-6 tbsp mustard oil or any other edible oil(i used olive oil)
2-3 split green chillies
2 tbsp yogurt or beaten curd
1/2 of a large tomato diced
salt
turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Rub the fish pieces with salt and turmeric and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the fish pieces until they turn brown on all sides.
Take out the fish and drain the excess oil.
Now in the remaining oil in the pan put in the tomatoes , a little salt and the chillies.
Fry until the tomatoes soften.Then stir in the mustard paste.
Put in the fish and let them cook in the gravy for a minute. Then put in the curd.
Add a little water to adjust the consistency of the gravy. Put on a lid and let the fish cook.Put salt according to taste.
Serve with hot rice.