Written recipe - [ Ссылка ]
Here is what I have grown up eating. Fish is a very crucial part of every Assamese person's life and kitchen. And the preparations are simple and heavenly.
This is a comforting Assamese fish curry made with rohu fish. It is extremely healthy as it is made like a stew with bottle gourd, potatoes, and a few basic spices. Try it to believe it.
Here is an Assamese chicken curry - [ Ссылка ]
INGREDIENTS
500 g rohu fish
8 tbsp mustard oil, for frying the fish
2 tbsp mustard oil for the curry
1 tsp panchphoran
2 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin powder
1 large potato, finely chopped
1 small bottle gourd, finely chopped (about 300 g)
500 ml water
2 green chilies
Chopped coriander leaves for garnish
Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
Wash the fish pieces thoroughly. Pat dry with a paper towel.
Marinate the fish pieces with salt and turmeric powder. Mix really well so that every piece of the fish is well coated with these two spices.
Heat mustard oil in a kadhai and let it come to its smoking point. Fry the marinated fish, two minutes on each side. Do not overcook the fish as it will also cook in the gravy later. Set aside. Do not throw the oil away, as it has essential flavors in it. We will use that in the gravy.
Heat mustard oil in another kadhai or use the same kadhai to make the gravy. Once the oil is hot, add a teaspoon of panchphoran. Panchphoran is a whole spice blend that consists equal quantities of the following five whole spices – fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds, cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, and fennel seeds.
Add the onions to the oil and fry until the onions become translucent.
Once the onions turn brown, add the fresh ginger garlic paste to it. Saute it till the raw aroma of the ginger and garlic disappears.
Add the chopped tomatoes to the onions and let it cook till the water releases from the tomatoes and assimilated with the rest of the gravy.
Season with salt and cumin powder. Do not add too much salt because the fried fish will already have some.
Stir till the tomato and onions melt.
Since the vegetables are completely raw, add them to the tomato gravy and stir for about a minute. We would want the vegetables to be completely cooked which is why we will add some water at this point and cover and cook the vegetables like a stew.
Cover and cook for about ten minutes in medium flame. Once done, open the lid and check if the vegetables are cooked.
Once the potatoes and bottle gourd is soft, add the fried fish and two whole green chilies to the gravy. Add the marination here as well that you used to fry the fish. That oil will add lots of flavor to the gravy.
Add more water, give it a gentle stir (don’t break the fish) and cover with a lid for another ten minutes. Let it boil in medium flame.
Take the lid off, check the salt. Once done, take it off the stove. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Serve hot with rice!
