Bhetki Macher Dum (Bhetki Dum Fish - Bong Style)

 

            This is an ideal Bong style fish curry where I have used Bhetki fish, but you can experiment with any of your favorite fish. It is a very simple and an easy preparation of fish cooked with yoghurt in a dum style. It is a great party recipe that can be prepared during special occasions. Relish this delicacy with hot steamed rice. So check out the step by pictorial recipe to prepare this regional delicacy.

• 2-3 Bhetki fish pieces
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. raw mustard oil
• 4-5 green chilies, slit
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt, turmeric powder and red chili powder for 10-15 minutes. 

          In a bowl, mix together yoghurt and all the dry spices along with 1 cup water. Keep aside.

          Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the marinated fish till light golden. Drain and keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with cumin seeds and bay leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the chopped onion and sauté till light brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and stir fry till the oil separates. 

          Now pour over the yoghurt mix over it. Place the fried fish, green chilies and raw mustard oil. 

          Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes on a low to medium flame or till the gravy turns thick to a desired consistency.

  

           When done, switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with hot steamed rice. 

                         Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt, turmeric powder & red chili 

                         powder for 10-15 minutes. 

                      Heat 3 tbsp. oil & fry the marinated fish till light golden. keep aside.

                              In a bowl, mix together yoghurt & all the dry spices along with 

                              1 cup water. Keep aside.

                   Temper the same oil with cumin seeds & bay leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

                              Add the chopped onion and sauté till light brown. 

                                 Add the ginger-garlic paste & stir fry till the oil separates. 

                     Pour the yoghurt mix. Place the fried fish, green chilies & raw mustard oil. 

                         Cover & cook for 10-12 minutes on a low to medium flame or till 

                            the gravy turns thick to a desired consistency.

                         When done, switch off the flame & garnish with coriander leaves.

                                  Serve with hot steamed rice. 

Chicken Rezala

          This is a traditional and a very popular Bengali / Bangladeshi style fragrant chicken curry. It is cooked in a creamy and velvety yoghurt-cashew-milk based gravy. So with a mild aroma coming from the rose water and the nutty flavour from the cashew paste, this makes it a sure shahi dish and a connoisseurs delight.

           It is mildly spiced, mostly coming from the ground pepper powder and the taste is simply divine. You can also add few whole red chilies to the tempering for a bit of a heat. So check out an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 500 gms. Chicken, curry cut
• 2 onions, blended into a paste
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 cup yogurt, beaten
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
• salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1" stick cinnamon
• 3 cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 8-10 cashew nuts
• 1 cup milk
• 2 green chilies
• 1 tbsp. rose water
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

           Marinate chicken with onion paste, ginger-garlic paste, yoghurt, salt to taste, cumin powder, garam masala powder and pepper powder overnight or for a minimum of 3-4 hours. Blend the cashew and milk. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil and ghee in a pan. Temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

           Add the chicken pieces from the marinade. Fry on a high flame for 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining marinade and continue to fry for 4-5 minutes.

          Now add the milk-cashew nut paste and green chilies. Give it a stir and simmer, covered till the chicken turns soft and the gravy thickens. 

          When done, switch off the flame and add the rose water and coriander leaves. Give it a stir and serve with pulao, plain biryani, naan, tandoori roti, paratha or kulcha.

                   Marinate chicken with onion paste, ginger-garlic paste, yoghurt & all dry 
                   spices overnight or min. 3-4 hours. Blend cashew & milk. Keep aside.

                   Heat oil & ghee. Temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom & cloves. 
                   Sauté for a few seconds. 

                  Add chicken pieces from the marinade. Fry on high flame for 2-3 minutes.

                 

                                 Add remaining marinade & continue to fry for 4-5 minutes.

                   Add milk-cashew paste & green chilies. Simmer, covered till chicken turns 
                   soft & the gravy thickens. 

                         When done, switch off flame & add rose water & coriander leaves. 

                      Serve with pulao, plain biryani, naan, tandoori roti, paratha or kulcha.

Achari Tel Ilish

          Ilish Mach (Hilsa Fish) is an all time favourite of mine and most of the Bengali crowd. So let me share a very simple and an easy Hilsa Fish in mustard oil gravy, but with a slight twist. Some pickle masala is added to the traditional recipe to give an achari taste. To sum up it is pure divine and a must try recipe. It is best enjoyed with only plain steamed rice. So check the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this Achari delicacy. 

          Came across this unique recipe in one of the cookery shows and so decided to give it a try. I was not disappointed as it turned out very yummy. You need it to try it to believe what I mean. This yummy preparation has minimum of ingredients. 

          The base of the gravy has only turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt and pickle masala cooked with a tempering of nigella seeds and green chilies in mustard oil. So less effort but the end product is just mouth watering. 

• 2 pieces of Hilsa fish, cleaned
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil 
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 1-2 tsp. any pickle (I used mango pickle)
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Make a paste with the turmeric powder, red chili powder and 1/2 cup water. Keep aside.

          Marinate the fish pieces with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes.

          Heat oil and fry the fish pieces slightly on both sides. Drain and keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with nigella seeds and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the paste and sauté for a few seconds. 

          Then add salt, pickle, 1/2 cup water and the fried fish. Bring it to a boil.

          Simmer on a medium flame for 2 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with plain steamed rice.

                     Marinate fish pieces with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder for 10 min.

                      Heat oil & fry fish slightly on both sides. Drain & keep aside.

                     Temper the same oil with nigella seeds & green chilies. Saute few sec. 

                       Add the paste and sauté for a few seconds. 

                     Add salt, pickle, 1/2 cup water & fried fish. Bring to a boil. Simmer on
                     a medium flame for 2 minutes. 

                      Garnish with coriander leaves & serve with plain steamed rice.

Chingri Macher Tel Jhaal

           This is a very easy Prawns in mustard oil gravy. I opt for this simple recipe when I need something in a jiffy as prawns is my second favorite after Ilish (Hilsa) Maach. It has minimum of ingredients. The base of the gravy has only turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt cooked with a tempering of nigella seeds in mustard oil. So less effort but the end product is just mouth watering with a drizzle of some raw mustard oil. To sum up it is pure divine and a must try recipe. It is best enjoyed with only plain steamed rice.

• 5-6 large size prawns, deveined & cleaned
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil 
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. raw mustard oil
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

           Marinate the prawns with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes.

          Make a paste with the turmeric powder, red chili powder and 1/2 cup water. Keep aside.

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil and fry the prawns slightly. Drain and keep aside. 

          Temper the same oil with nigella seeds and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. Add the paste and salt. Bring it to a boil.

          Add the fried prawns and simmer on a medium flame for 2 minutes. Add the raw mustard oil and switch off the flame. 

          Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot steamed rice.

Ilish Macher Tel Jhaal (Bengali Style Hilsa Fish Curry)

          An all time favourite of mine and most of the Bengali crowd, this is a very simple and an easy Hilsa Fish in mustard oil gravy. It has minimum of ingredients. The base of the gravy has only turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt cooked with a tempering of nigella seeds in mustard oil. 

          So less effort but the end product is just mouth watering with a drizzle of some raw mustard oil. To sum up it is pure divine and a must try recipe. It is best enjoyed with only plain steamed rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this Bong delicacy. 

• 2-3 pieces of Hilsa fish, cleaned
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil 
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. raw mustard oil
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Marinate the fish pieces with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes. Make a paste with the turmeric powder, red chili powder and 1/2 cup water. Keep aside.

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil and fry the fish pieces slightly on both sides. Drain and keep aside. Temper the same oil with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. Add the paste and salt. Bring it to a boil.

          Add the fried fish pieces and green chilies. Simmer on a medium flame for 2 minutes. Add the raw mustard oil and switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with plain steamed rice.

                     Make a paste with turmeric powder, red chili powder & 1/2 cup water. 
                   

                   Marinate fish pieces with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder for 10 min. 

                  Heat 2 tbsp. oil & fry fish slightly on both sides. Drain & keep aside. 

                                Temper same oil with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

                                 Add the paste and salt. Bring it to a boil.

                         Add fried fish & green chilies. Simmer on med. flame for 2 minutes. 

Add raw mustard oil and switch off the flame. 

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with plain steamed rice.