Bacha Macher Jhal (Eutropiichthys Vacha in onion-tomato gravy)
7:47 PM
It's amazing how
with time my interest in Bengali cuisine is growing. Now that I cook
most of the dishes my mother used to cook during our childhood, I want
to broaden my horizon. My mother as a kid travelled many parts of the
country and Dida (grandmother) used to adapt and invent dishes with
locally grown and available ingredients. So though I never ate jongli Lebu (wild
oranges) but I know that you can make a beautifully flavoured soupy
fish curry with it very similar to our favourite summer dish, Macher Tauk. So anytime I get to see them in any market I know I wont hesitate for a second to grab them and run home.
This is the very
reason I pick up all the veggies which I had ever heard from my mother.
So When shaplar bhyala was retrived in my kitchen from some very faint
childhood memories, Dhenki shaak was brought home just to live the
nostalgia shared by maa. But there are other ingredients which I
never heard of and still want to bring them home. I am so curious and interested in finding them that I don't hesitate to
ask around. And to my happiness people do share recipes happily.
Sometimes it's the seller, sometimes its the shopper buying the same
thing, they happily teach me how to bring out the best taste of the
ingredients.
No wonder food is
considered to be an Universal language, which devoid of cast, creed, nationality
and time brings people around, sharing and caring for each other.
This Bacha mach
recipe was shared by one of the shopper, an elderly lady to be
precise. This looks almost like Pabda and I was confused as how to
cook this so she generously tought me the method. I would always be
grateful to her for introducing me to a new fish and a recipe which
is being made in my kitchen again and again.
Bacha Mach or Eutropiichthys Vacha is
a scaleless river wtaer fish mostly found in the Indian subcontinent. but according to the IUCN Bangladesh report this is critically endangered specis of fish due to habitat loss. In Kolkata; India I believe they appear seasonally, winter being the months when long transportations become easier and hence you get to see many varieties of fish.
Bacha Macher Tel
Jhal
Ingredients:
Bacha Fish: 3 pieces
Onion: 1 large
purple variety
Garlic paste: 1 tsp
Tomato: 1 medium
Green Chiilies: 4-5
or as per your taste
Coriander leaves:
handful
Oil: 4 tbsp
(preferably mustard oil or mix white and mustard oil and use)
Chili powder: 1/2
tsp (optional)
Turmeric
Salt
Method:
Clean the fish and
wash. Drain the water and make a couple of slit on each side of the
fish. Rub it with salt, turmeric and a few drops of mustard oil. Keep
aside for a minimum of 20 minutes.
In the mean time
make a smooth paste of the onion. You should get 21/2 -3 tbsp of
paste from it.
Heat oil and place
the fish pieces carefully. It helps if you use a non stick pan as
scaleless fishes have a tendency to stick to hot pans no matter how
much oil you use. Also be careful as skin of scaleless fishes tend
to burst, you light to like to cover it with a splatter gourd. Once
one side is fried (5-6 minutes on medium heat) carefully fry the
other side. Take out and keep aside.
In the same oil now
add the green chillies and the onion paste. Sprinkle little salt and
cook on medium flame till the onion loses its raw smell and turns
transparent. Next add the garlic paste and cook till oil starts to
separate, this is very important so be patient and cook on medium
heat till you see small bubbles of oil. Add the tomato (chopped) and
adjust taste by adding more salt or chillies. Add little turmeric at
this stage and cook covered. Once the tomato softens, mix it with the
rest of the spices. Cook for couple of more minutes and then add 3/4
cup warm water. If using chilli powder, add now and bring it to a
boil.
Carefully arrange
the fish pieces in the pan and cover. After 5 minutes flip the pieces
and cook on the other side. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves on top
and cook till the gravy thickens.
Serve hot with
steamed rice.
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2 comments
Tangy and yummy,looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteAs usual nice :) You are someone who inspire me to blog!
ReplyDeleteI would love to get any suggestion from you, do drop by sometime! Thanks!