Besara dia maccha munda

A delicious curry of fish head with a garlicky mustard paste !!!

Cooking Time Required: 20-25 mins
Cost of Preparation: 30-35 Rupees

Ingredients: Bhakura Maccha munda ( fish head ), potato ( 1 no., medium ), tomato ( 1 no., large ), mustard seeds ( 1 tsp ), garlic flakes ( 10-12 nos ), green chillis ( 2 nos ), mustard oil ( 3 tsp ), salt, turmeric.

Preparation: Grind the mustard seeds and half of the garlic flakes into a smooth paste.

Peel and cut the potato into small cubes. Cut and de-seed the tomato .

Cooking: Wash the maccha munda and add salt and turmeric to it.

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan. Add the maccha munda. Fry it on both sides . Crush into small pieces in the pan and fry for some time till the pieces turn crispy.

Remove the fried fish from the pan.

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a wok. Add a few mustard seeds along with the green chillis. Add the potato pieces and fry till half cooked.

Add the mustard paste, crushed garlic flakes, tomato pieces, salt and turmeric along with a cup of water.

Cover with a lid and allow to cook on a low flame. Simmer till all the water evaporates.

Serve with rice.

Bandha Kobi Chencheda ( Cabbage curry with Fish )

Cooking Time Required : 30-35 mins
Cost of preparation: 40-50 rupees

Ingredients: Bandha kobi (cabbage, 400 gm ), potato ( 1 medium ), green peas ( 1 cup ),tomato ( 1 medium ), ginger ( 1/2 inch ), garlic ( 8-9 pods ), onion ( 1 large ), cinnamon stick ( 1 inch long ), cardamon ( 2 nos ), cumin seeds ( 1/3 tsp), red chilli ( 2-3 nos), turmeric (1/5 tsp), Bhakura/rohi maccha munda/lanja ( fish head and tail, 1 pc each ), oil ( 6-7 nos ), turmeric ( 1 tsp ), salt.

Preparation: Wash the cabbage and cut into small pieces. Keep aside

Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric for about 5 minutes.

Grind the onion, garlic, ginger, cardamon and cinnamon into a thick paste.

Cooking: Heat oil in a large wok. Add the fish and fry till it turns reddish. Crush in the wok itself and stir fry for 3-4 mins .Remove from wok and keep aside.

Add the red chillis and cumin seeds. When it starts to splutter, add masala paste and turmeric, and cook till the raw smell goes away.

Add the diced potatoes . Stir fry for 5-6 mins and then add the bandha kobi along with the salt. Add the finely minced tomatoes and green peas when the cabbage softens a bit.

Cook for another 5-10 minutes and then add the crushed fish pieces. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes till the fish mixes thoroughly with the vegetables and excess water disappers.

Tastes best when served hot with rotis.

Note: Do not add any extra water. If using frozen peas, defreeze and add 5 mins before removing the curry from the stove ( frozen peas need less time for cooking and become mashy if cooked for too long ).

Vegetarians can also prepare this curry without the fish.

Dahi Maccha ( Fish cooked in Yogurt gravy )

Cooking Time Required: 25-30 mins
Cost of preparation: 50-60 rupees

Ingredients: Fish ( Rohu/Bhakura/Mirkali, 4 pieces ), curd ( 5-6 tbs ), cumin seeds ( 1 tsp ), ginger ( 1 inch long ), garlic cloves ( 10-11 nos ), curry leaves ( 7-8 nos ), green chillis ( 3 nos ), pancha-phutana( 1/ tsp ), pithau ( rice paste, 1 tbs ), oil ( 4 tbs ), salt, turmeric.

Preparation: Grind the cumin seeds, ginger and garlic into a smooth paste with a little water.




Add a little bit of the masala paste to the fish pieces along with a little bit of salt and turmeric. Keep aside to marinate for 30 mins.



Cooking: Heat 1 tbs of oil in a frying pan. Add the marinated fish and cook lightly on both sides. Keep aside.



Heat the remaining oil in a wok. Add the pancha-phutana, curry leaves and green chillis ( slit along the length ). Stir fry for 30 secs.

Add the cumin-garlic-ginger paste with a pinch of turmeric . Cook for 3-4 mins. ( Do not overcook )



Add a little bit of water ( half cup ) to the wok to bring down the temperature before adding the curd.

Add the pithau to the curd with along with a little water. Beat for 2 mins to mix it. Add to the wok. Bring to a boil while stirring the curd gravy to prevent curdling.



Add the fried fish at this stage. Boil for 10 mins ( do not cover with lid ) on low flame to allow the fish to absorb the flavours.

Serve hot with rice.

Note:- Do not increase the flame at any point after adding the curd as it might result in curdling.

The rice paste is used to prevent the curdling.

Yogurt

Maccha karadi ( Fish cooked with bamboo shoots )

An Odia delicacy made with fish and bamboo shoots, this hardly calls for any expensive ingredient. The flavors of the fish and the unmistakable tartness of the bamboo combines with the pungent mustard, garlic and chilli paste to create the most unforgettable sensory experience . But do try this with caution as 'karadi' is more of an acquired taste. Highly recommended for those who like to get adventurous with food !

Cooking Time Required : 15 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 small bowl of Karadi ( bamboo shoots )
• 1 large portion of fish ( Rohu/Catla, preferably the fatty(stomach) part of the fish )
• 1 tsp mustard seeds 
• 2-3 flakes of garlic 
• 1-2 nos green chilli 
• 2 tsp mustard oil 
• salt to taste
• pinch of turmeric

Preparation: Grind the mustard seeds ( keeping aside a few for tempering ) along with the garlic pods into a fine paste.

Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric for 10 mins.

Cooking: Heat a pan and drizzle with oil. Fry the fish till it turns slightly brownish.Keep aside.

Heat a wok. Pour 2 tsp oil into it . Add the mustard seeds and green chilli ( slit into two ). When the seeds start spluttering, add the fried fish and crush it slightly. Fry it for 2-3 mins.

Dissolve the mustard-garlic paste in a cup of water. Let it stand for 5 mins before pouring the liquid portion carefully into the wok. Bring it to a boil and add the bamboo shoots along a pinch of turmeric and salt.

Allow to cook on low flame for about 10-12 mins or till the bamboo shoots turn tender. Serve with rice.

Bamboo Shoots

Kancha Illisi Tarkari

Its a rocking weekend. My mom-in-law is here and i am savouring every moment of it. It always nice to have a extra pair of hands helping me out in the kitchen. And it is even better if they happen to be much more experienced.

My mom-in-law happens to be a great cook and these days i am enjoying her preparations. The 'kancha maccha tarkari' happens to be her forte. So, here i am sharing this wonderful preparation with all -

Cooking Time Required: 1 hour
Cost of Preraration: 250-300 Rupees

Ingredients: Illishi/King Fish ( 600 gm ), Tomato ( 2 medium ), garlic ( 6-7 pods),onion ( 1 large ), green chilli ( 3-4 no), cumin seeds ( 1 tsp), mustard seeds ( 3 tsp ), finely cut coriander leaves ( 3-4 tbs), oil, curd ( 2 tsp ), turmeric powder ( 1 tsp), mustard oil ( 3 tsp ), salt.

Preparation: Grind the dry mustard and cumin seeds into a coarse powder. Add a little water, 2 green chillis and garlic pods. Grind into a fine paste. Keep aside.

Cut the onion and tomato into small pieces. Mince the coriander leaves into fine pieces.

Wash and clean the fish. Add the mustard-cumin-garlic paste, onion pieces, tomato pieces, corinder leaves, mustard oil, curd, turmeric and salt. Mix well and allow to marinate for 30 mins.

Cooking: Transfer the marinated contents into a pressure cooker. Add 1 cup of water. Allow for two whistles.

Remove from the fire and serve with rice.

Maccha Patua ( Fish cooked in a mustard-garlic paste )

Cooking Time Required: 15-0 mins
Cost of preparation: 70-80 rupees

Ingredients: Medium-sized Pomfret ( 1 no.), mustard seeds ( 1 tsp), poppy seeds ( 1 tsp), garlic pods ( 6-7 nos ), green chilli ( 1 no ), mustard oil ( 1 tsp), turmeric ( 1 pinch), salt.

Preparation: Grind the mustard seeds, poppy seeds and 3 of the garlic pods into a fine paste. Wash and clean the pomfret and cut into small pieces.

Cooking: Take a thick bottomed wok and put the pomfret pieces into it. Add the mustard-poppy seeds paste, chopped garlic pods and green chilli, mustard oil, turmeric and salt along with half cup water. Mix thoroughly and put the wok on the fire.

Cook with the lid covered for about 10 minutes or till the fish is well cooked. The water should have evaporated and the mustard-poppy paste formed a thick layer around the fish pieces.

Serve with rice and yellow dal. Tastes best when eaten hot.


Note - A simple and delicious recipe, this is popularly called 'patua' in Orissa. Traditionally the fish is wrapped in plantain/banana and cooked slowly over a charcoal or wood fire. Or even steamed in a pot of rice .

Alternately, coat the fish pieces with the mustard-poppy-garlic paste, garlic pieces, green chillis, turmeric and salt. Wrap the fish in a plantian/banana leaf and cook in a microwave .

Masala dia Maccha Jholo( Fish Curry )

Cooking Time Required: 30 mins
Cost of preparation: 50-60 rupees

Ingredients: Rohu (4-5 pieces, 250 gm), onion ( 1 large), tomato (1 large), ginger-garlic paste(1-2 tsp), green chillies ( 1-2 nos), maggie bhuna masala ( 1 tbs), pancha phutana (1/5 tsp), turmeric (1/3 tsp), oil (6-7 tsp), garam masala (1/4 tsp), cumin powder (1/3 tsp), coriander powder (1/2 tsp), tamarind (1 small piece), salt to taste.

Preparation: Add salt and turmeric to the fish pieces. Heat 3-4 tsp oil in a non-stick pan and fry the fish till it turns slightly reddish on both sides.
Gring the onion & tomato into a fine paste and keep aside.

Heat 3 tsp oil in a deep vessel. When it becomes hot, add the green chillis and pancha phutana. when the seeds start spluttering, add the onion-tomato paste . Fry for 3-4 mins and then add the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric and salt. Cook till the smell of the ginger garlic goes off and paste turns brownish. Add the bhuna masala, cumin powder and corinader powder. Fry for 2 mins, then add 2-3 cups water. Bring to a boil. Add the fried fish. Boil till the fish softens. Add the tamarind and boil for about 5 mins. Finally add the garam masala and close the lid. Remove from fire.

Serve hot with rice.

Tips: Peel the onion, cut into two halves and put in a pressure cooker. Cut the tomato into two, and add to the cooker along with little bit of salt and sufficient water. Boil for 5-10 mins. Remove from fire and keep aside to cool .Crush the boiled mixture into a fine paste. Tomato-onion paste is ready without shedding any tears. Also useful given the frequent power cuts which prevent one from using the mixer.

Maccha Posta Jholo

Cooking Time Required: 30 mins
Cost of preparation: 50-60 rupees














Ingredients: Rohu (4-5 pieces, 250 gm), posto(khuskhus seeds) ( 3 tbs), sorisha(mustard seeds) ( 2 tsp), garlic (7-8 pods), green chillies ( 1-2 nos), cumin-mustard seeds (1/5 tsp), turmeric (1/3 tsp), mustard oil (4-5 tsp), coriander leaves salt to taste.

Preparation: Add salt and turmeric to the fish pieces. Heat 3 tsp oil in a non-stick pan and fry the fish lightly on both sides.
Keep aside two pods of garlic for the tempering. Grind the posto, sorisha and remaining garlic in a fine paste.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a deep vessel. When it becomes hot, add the green chilli, garlic pods and cumin-mustard seeds. when the seeds splutter, add the posto-sorisha-garlic paste along with 2-3 cups of water and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and then add the fried fish and 1-2 tsp mustard oil. Let it boil for about 10-15 mins. Add the coriander leaves and remove from fire.

Serve hot with rice.

Tips: Grind the dry posto and mustard seeds at first. Then add garlic pods, little bit of salt and water. Grind the wet mixture into a fine paste.