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| Pabda Shorsher Jhal |
We are headed for a road trip to Puri this week and the best part of the weekend was spent on getting the car serviced, routes studied, buying the usual stuff for the trip.I hear its going to be long and arduous but the road condition is good and thats the most positive thing.And along with it, the prospect of any road trip brings a cheer,when we think about cranking the engine and revving up for the road ahead.So, whereas the Puri trip is there in all probability, here is something that I prepared – Pabda Shorsher Jhal.I usually refrain from posting fish recipes on the internet, but, it so happened that eating too much of chicken during the year end binging has left a bad taste in the mouth.So when we ended up cooking the Pabda, it was taste dignified,just perfect for us.Usually potato is not used for Shorshey (Mustard) curries, but I have used it in this one.
Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 10 mins
CookingTime: 20 mins
Ingredients:
- Pabda Fish – 4 pieces.
- Mustard Seed Paste – 2 tbsp
- Kalo Jeere(Nigella Seeds) – 1/2 tsp
- Green Chillies – 4.Slit.
- Potato – 1 Medium sized. Cut into longitudinal slices.
- Salt to taste
- Mustard Oil
- 3 tbsp for frying the fishes.
- 2 tbsp for the curry.
- 1 tbsp to be spread over the fish at the end.
- Turmeric Powder
- 3-4 tsp for coating the fishes.
- 1 tsp for the curry.
Heres how we cook the fish.
Frying:
Coat the fishes with turmeric powder and salt to taste.Keep aside the fish for 10-12 mins, to ensure that the turmeric powder and salt settles down.Then heat 3 tbsp of mustard oil in a pan.When the oil gets smoking hot, turn the heat of the gas oven to low. Fry the fishes on both sides till they turn yellow to golden yellow in colour.This should require something from 2-3 mins. In case you feel that the fish is still under fried, continue to fry for sometime more. Remember – frying is the key to get the fish cooked correctly.
Cooking:
- Heat 2 tbsp of mustard oil in the same pan and wait till it gets hot.
- Reduce the heat to low and sprinkle the nigella seeds and slit green chillies in the hot oil.Wait for the nigella seeds to sputter and the green chillies to get fried and release the smell.
- Then add a half cup of water and add some salt depending on taste and 1 tsp of turmeric powder.
- Stir for half a minute and then add the potato slices(I prefer to fry the potato slices).
- Add the mustard seed paste too and stir for a minute. Remember that if mustard seed paste turns extremely bitter if it is overcooked.
- Pour some warm water depending on the amount of gravy required.
- Introduce the fried fishes and cook covered for a max of 7-8 mins.
- Drizzle some mustard oil and add a couple of fresh green chillies at the end.
Serve hot with rice.
