Mackarel Fish Curry ( With Mustard paste and dried mango )

Changing priorities dictates our changing preferences. From working out to eating out, nothing has been left untouched as we (my husband and me) inch towards the mid-thirties. With lifestyle diseases already taking a toll on some of our dear friends and colleagues, it could have hardly left us unaffected. Weight gain from a slowing metabolism, hyper-acidity from faulty eating habits, back ache and joint pains from the body being subjected to years of abuse, the signs of ageing slowly but surely start to manifest themselves. And hence the desire to hold on to 'youth' for a little longer. Not just to hoodwink death, even if it is for a fewer more breaths. But to live a life that is uncomplicated by health problems.

These days the workouts have become more regular and intense. Eating out has reduced drastically and even on those rare occasions, the menu is thoroughly scrutinized for healthier choices. The menu at home has not been spared either. Mutton is on the way out and fish is the preferred non-vegetarian favorite. So, it was but natural that we would start with exploring new varieties. While fish like Basa and Seer fish are undoubtedly tasty, they produce less than amazing results when prepared the traditional way. The mustard gravy is as essential part of the Odia meal and we love to stick to it also because it is lower in calories as compared to other curries. Out of the varieties that we experimented with, the Mackarel is the only one which passes the 'taste' test with flying colors. And thank god for it ! One of the richest sources of omega 3, it is one of your best bets to combat the aging process .

So, read on for this easy-to-prepare recipe -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

• 600 gm Mackarel 
• 1 large potato 
• 1 large tomato
• 1 small onion
• 2 green chilis
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 3 tsp mustard oil
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• juice of half lime
• cilantro for garnishing
• 1-2 dried mango pieces 

For the mustard paste -

• 3 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 1-2 green chili

Preparation - Wash and clean the Mackarel fish.

Soak it in warm water ( 15 mins ) to which 1 tsp salt and lime juice has been added. This helps in removing the fishy odors to some extent.

Remove and pat dry with paper towel. Marinate with salt and turmeric.

Make a fine paste out of the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chilis and garlic cloves.

Chop the onion in small pieces . Quarter the tomato.

Peel and dice the potatoes.

Soak the dried mango in 1/2 cup warm water.

Cooking - Heat 2 tsp oil in a non stick pan. Add the fish and fry for 6-7 min on both sides on a medium flame.

Remove and keep aside.

Now throw in the potatoes and fry till light brown. Remove and keep aside.

Add the remaining oil to the same wok. Add the mustard seeds and let them start popping. Then add the slit green chili and crushed garlic.

Once garlic turns light brown, add onion pieces. Fry to a translucent.

Then add the tomato pieces and sprinkle little salt. Cover and cook till mushy.

Add the mustard paste along with two cups of warm water. Slide in the fried fish and potatoes.

Add a little turmeric and adjust the salt. Cover with a lid and let it simmer till the potatoes are done.

Add the soaked mango pieces along with the water used for soaking. Simmer for 3-4 mins.

Remove from the flame and garnish with the chopped cilantro.

Serve hot or warm with steamed rice.

PhulKobi-Rohi Macchar Jholo ( Cauliflower & Fish Curry )

A yummy medley of fish and vegetables, this curry was born out of necessity. While typical oriya curries like Muhura and Chenchedda liberally incorporate vegetables in a non-vegetarian preparation, the individual identity of each ingredient is somewhat lost. A slight variation of the typical 'Masala dia Maccha Jholo', one can add cauliflower/pointed gourd/okra/eggplant to enhance its flavor. Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 30-40 mins

Ingredients - 4 pieces of Rohu/Bhakura/Mirkali fish, 2 cups of cauliflower florets, 2 medium sized potatoes, 2 ripe tomatoes, 1 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 2 pinch cinnamon powder, salt to taste, 8 tbs oil.
For the masala paste - 1 large onion, 2/3 inch ginger, 7-8 garlic flakes, 1-2 dry red chilli.

Preparation - Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric. Cut the potato into long pieces.
Grind all the ingredients for the masala paste till smooth.
Grind the tomatoes into a puree.

Cooking - Heat a tawa/frying pan. Add 2 tbs oil.
Add the fish pieces and fry on both sides till light brown.

Heat 4 tbs of oil in a wok. Add the cauliflower florets and potato pieces along with salt and turmeric.
Stir fry till semi cooked. Remove from the wok and keep aside.

Add more oil into the wok if needed. Add the masala paste and fry till raw smell goes off.

Add chilli powder, turmeric and cumin powder. Stir fry for 1-2 mins. Add the tomato puree and fry till it starts to leave oil.

Add the fried cauliflower and potatoes. Mix with the masala paste and fry for another 4-5 minutes.

Add 3 cups of boiling water. Bring to boil and simmer for 2 minutes.

Add the fish pieces and cook covered for 10-12 minutes. Sprinkle the cinnamon powder and switch off the flame/heat source.

Serve hot with rice/rotis.

Maccha Besara Jholo (Its' Chadaa Khai Today)

Well......while the Panchuka period officially got over by Sunday (Kartika Purnima), the succeeding days of Monday and Tuesday had many people putting their 'Chadaa Khai' plans on hold. Hence the majority of us who had forsaken non-vegetarian items for the Kartika month (or atleast the Panchuka period ) will be eating out to our heart's content today.

Here is the 'Maccha Besara' that my mom made for Chadaa Khai. However if you are not particularly budget conscious ( and i really mean it as the prices of Non-veg goes through the roof during Chadaa Khai in Orissa ), I would recommend the  mouth-watering Kancha Illisi Tarkari, or the very delicious Mansa Kasa (though you can also opt for Mutton Rogan Josh if you like light gravies). For the Chicken lovers, there is the Classic chicken curry or the Chicken Kasa waiting to be sampled.

It's my special dish for today. Needless to say Mom's cooking is always special (more so if you are staying away from her). Get the recipe below:

Preparation Time : 20 mins

Ingredients :

• 4-5 pieces Rohu fish 
• 1 large potato 
• 2 medium sized tomato 
• 1 small onion
• 1-2 green chillis
• 4-5 tsp mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 small piece of dry mango (ambula)

For the mustard paste :

• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 5-6 garlic flakes
• 1 dry red chilli

Preparation: Add salt and 1/4 tsp turmeric to the fish pieces. Allow to marinate for 10 minutes.

Dry grind mustard, cumin and red chilli. Add the garlic flakes and a little water. Grind into a smooth paste.

Chop tomato and onion into small pieces and keep aside. Peel and cut the potato into chunks.

Cooking: Heat a non-stick tawa or skillet. Drizzle with 3 tsp oil. Add the marinated fish pieces and cook on both sides till light brown. Remove from tawa and keep aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a wok. Add the potatoes. Fry till light brown, then remove and keep aside.

Add the chopped onion and green chilli . Saute till the onions turn translucent.

Add chopped tomatoes and sprinkle a little salt on them. Keep covered for 1-2 minutes till they turn a little soft.

Dissolve the mustard paste in 1/2 cup water. Drain into the wok slowly while taking care to leave any solid residue in the cup. Add another 1 1/2 cups of water.

Bring to a boil. Add the fried potato and fish pieces. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and add more salt if needed. Cook covered till the potatoes are done. Add the dry mango and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Mash 2-3 pieces of potatoes into the gravy if you need a thicker version.

Drizzle a little mustard oil (about  1/2 tsp) over the gravy if you like the raw smell of mustard oil. Switch off the flame.

Serve hot with white rice.