Gongura Chepala Pulusu (Andhra style Fish Curry with Sorrel Leaves)

 

                Gongura Chepala Pulusu is a delicious and an authentic Andhra recipe of fish cooked in a spicy and a tangy gravy coming from the addition of gongura (sorrel) leaves. I have used Rohu Fish, but any other fish is okay. This dish is traditionally prepared very spicy. However, the red chili powder can be adjusted accordingly.

               I have used Kashmiri red chili powder to tone down the spice level. This dish is best relished with hot steamed rice. Adjust the consistency of the gravy accordingly. I kept it slightly on the thicker side to suit my palate. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2-3 Rohu fish pieces 
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds 
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds 
• pinch of fenugreek seeds 
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1-2 sprig curry leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder 
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• handful of gongura (sorrel) leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped 

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

           Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan / kadai and fry the marinated fish till golden brown. Keep aside. 

           Heat remaining oil and temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds. 

           After it stops spluttering add the dry red chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds and then add the onion. Sauté till light brown.

           Then add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates. 

           Now add the tomatoes and cook till it is completely mashed. 

           Then add the chopped gongura leaves and cook for 2-3 minutes till the leaves wilted and everything is nicely incorporated. 

           Add 3/4 cup water and bring it to a boil. Gently drop in the fried fish and simmer, covered for 4-5 minutes or till the gravy thickens 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 2 tbsp. oil & fry the marinated fish till golden brown. Keep aside. 

           Heat remaining oil & temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds & fenugreek seeds. 

                        After it stops spluttering add the dry red chilies & curry leaves. Sauté 

                        for a few seconds.

                                  Then add the onion and sauté till light brown.

                        Add the ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices mixed with some 

                           water. Sauté till the oil separates. 

                               Add the tomatoes & cook till it is completely mashed.

                     Then add the chopped gongura leaves & cook for 2-3 minutes till the 

                      leaves wilted and everything is nicely incorporated. 

                                  Add 3/4 cup water and bring it to a boil. 

                              Drop in the fried fish & simmer, covered for 4-5 minutes or till 

                              the gravy thickens to a desired consistency.

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

                                  Serve with hot steamed rice. 

Rui Macher Rezala (Rohu Fish in white gravy - Bong style)

 

            Rui Macher Rezala is a traditional and a very popular Bengali style fragrant Fish curry cooked in a creamy yogurt based gravy. With a slight aroma coming from the kewra water and the nutty flavour from the Cashew paste, this is surely a connoisseurs delight and is a sure Shahi dish. 

          I made use of Rohu fish. However, any other variety works just as good. This recipe calls for a gravy with a slightly thicker consistency. It is mildly spiced, mostly coming from the ground peppercorns. There are many versions to this delicacy, but the end result is simply mouth watering. Mutton and chicken rezala are another two dishes which are also very popular.

          Rui Macher Rezala is very much a part of the menu in many Bengali restaurants in and around Kolkata. This recipe is also very popular in Bangladesh. This dish is usually cooked in mustard oil and some ghee for an authentic flavor. 

          It is a great party recipe and is mostly cooked during special occasions. Enjoy it with hot steamed rice or Basanti Pulao / veg. pulao for a great comfort meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing Durga Puja special dish. 

• 2-3 Rohu fish fillet, cleaned
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1" ginger
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 4 green chilies
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 6-8 cashew nuts
• 1 cup milk
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. kewra water

          Blend together cashew nuts and yoghurt till smooth. Keep aside. Grind the onion, ginger, 4 green chilies and garlic into a paste. Keep aside. 

          Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt and lime juice for 5-10 minutes. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry them till light brown. Keep aside. 

          Heat remaining oil and ghee and temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, cumin seeds and dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the ground onion paste and sauté for 2 minutes. 

          Add roasted coriander powder, roasted cumin powder and pepper powder. Mix well and sauté for a few seconds. 

          Now add the cashew-yoghurt mix and simmer for 2-3 minutes or till the oil separates. 

 

          Add the milk and salt to taste. Bring it to a boil. 

          Then add the fried fish and cook, covered, till the gravy thickens to a desired consistency.

          When done, add 2 slit green chilies, kewra water and garam masala powder. Give it a stir and switch off the flame.

          Enjoy this aromatic fish curry with hot steamed rice, or Basanti / veg. pulao. 

                      Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt & lime juice for 5-10 minutes. 

                      Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan & fry them till light brown. Keep aside. 

                   Heat remaining oil & ghee & temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, 

                      cumin seeds and dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

                          Add the ground onion paste and sauté for 2 minutes. 

                    Add roasted coriander powder, roasted cumin powder & pepper powder. 

                    Mix well and sauté for a few seconds. 

                        Add the cashew-yoghurt mix.

 

                       Simmer for 2-3 minutes or till the oil separates. 

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

                              Add the fried fish & cook, covered, till the gravy thickens to a 

                              desired consistency.

                       When done, add 2 slit green chilies, kewra water & garam masala 

                        powder. Give it a stir and switch off the flame.

                   Enjoy this aromatic fish curry with hot steamed rice, or Basanti / veg. pulao. 

Begun diye Tangra Macher Jhaal (Fresh River Water Fish cooked with Eggplants - Bong style)

 

          Check out this traditional homemade style Bengali fish curry prepared along with eggplants. However, you can also cook it with potatoes, green papaya or parwal (pointed gourd). It goes best with hot steamed rice and is a common dish found on a Bengali platter. 

          The fish used in this recipe is Tangra which is a fresh river water fish. It is prepared in a thin gravy with minimum of spices. A tsp. of raw mustard oil can be drizzled on the end product to enhance the flavor and for some pungency. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this simple regional recipe.

• 10-12 tangra fish, cleaned, washed & drained
• 1 long eggplant, cut lengthwise
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1-2 green chilies, slit
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 5-10 minutes. Make a paste with turmeric powder, red chili powder and cumin powder along with some water and keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and stir fry the eggplants and the marinated fish separately till light golden in color. Drain and keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with kalonji and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. Add the spice paste and sauté till the oil separates. 

           Add 1 & 1/2 cups water and salt. Bring to a boil and gently drop in the fried fish and eggplant. Cover and simmer on a medium flame for 2-3 minutes.

          When done, garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot steamed rice.

                                       Heat oil in a pan and stir fry the eggplants.......

                       & the marinated fish separately till light golden in colour. Keep aside.

                        Temper the same oil with kalonji & green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

Add the spice paste and sauté till the oil separates. 

Add 1 & 1/2 cups water and salt. Bring to a boil.

Gently drop in the fried fish & eggplant. Cover & simmer for 2-3 min.

When done, garnish with coriander leaves.

                                 Serve with hot steamed rice.

                                     

Pomfret in Pistachio Gravy

           If you are looking for a different kind of a fish curry, apart from the usual ones, then do give this recipe a try. I have used pistachios along with some mustard seeds and yoghurt for the  gravy base. It turned out simply yummy. 

          Mustard oil is used for the cooking and also to the end product to further enhance the flavour. An amazing and an exotic fish curry that has a smooth and a creamy texture. A perfect recipe for special occasions, it is best enjoyed with only and only hot steamed rice. So check the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 5-6 Pomfret fish pieces
• 2 tbsp. + 1 tsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds 
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds, soaked for 10-15 minutes
• 3 green chilies
• 1/4 cup chopped pistachios 
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes. Blend the mustard seeds, pistachios, one green chili and the yoghurt into a smooth paste. keep aside. 

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and lightly fry the fish on both sides. Keep aside. Temper the same oil with nigella seeds. Add the paste and all the dry spices. Sauté till the oil separates.  

          Add 1 cup water and bring it to a boil. Now add the fried fish and remaining green chilies. Cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes. 

          When done, switch off the flame and add the remaining mustard oil and coriander leaves. Give it a stir and enjoy with hot steamed rice. 

Marinate fish with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder for 10 min. Heat 2 tbsp. oil & lightly fry the fish on both sides. Keep aside. 

             Temper same oil with nigella seeds. Add paste & all dry spices.

                                Sauté till oil separates.  

                                Add 1 cup water & bring to a boil. 

                Add fried fish & remaining green chilies. Simmer for 4-5 min. 

                                   When done, add remaining mustard oil 

                                  and coriander leaves. 

                   Enjoy with hot steamed rice.