Macher Matha diye Moong Dal

In daily menu one very important and essential dish in my place is DAL/LENTIL, it can be any kind of dal but without a bowl of dal we just can’t think a meal. I try to make different kind of dal so that we are not getting bored with the same thing. One of a very signature DAL of Bengal is MACHER MATHA DIYE MUNG DAL, basically Mung dal cooked with big fish head, preferably RUHU or KATLA. The taste of fish head, whole garam masala and the BHAJA MOONG DAL make the dish a super tasty. 

The recipe courtesy to my maa or I can say all authentic Bengali dish I learnt from my maa only. The garam masala makes it aromatic and few drop of ghee makes it delicious. So this dal can make your lunch or dinner special. 

Ingredients:
1.Yellow Moong Dal: ½ cup.
2.Katla or Ruhu Fish Head: 4 to 5 small piece.
3.One small sliced onion, One medium chopped tomato.
4.One small onion paste.
5.One tea spoon ginger garlic paste.
6.Whole Garam Masala: One Bay Leave, One small cinnamon stick, Two clove, Two cardamom, Few cumin seeds, One dry red chili.
7.Turmeric powder: one tea spoon.
8.Red chili powder: ½ tea spoon.
9.cumin powder: ½ tea spoon.
10.Pinch of garam masala.
11.Bhaja Masla: ½ tea spoon (few cumin seeds, few coriander seeds, 2 to three dry red chili dry roast them and grind them).
12.Salt and sugar as per taste.
13.Mustard oil for cookig.
14.Few drops of ghee.

Process:

First dry roast the dal for few mints, then boil the dal in a pressure cooker with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder and keep it aside.

Now wash and clean the fish head pieces, sprinkle some turmeric powder and salt on them and mix well.

Now add some mustard oil in a karai and fry the fish head pieces till all the sides fried properly and keep it aside.

Now take another vessel and add some mustard oil allow it to hot, now add all the whole garam masala. Next add the sliced onion and fry till they turn transparent.

Now add the chopped tomato and fry till the tomatoes get melted.

Now add the onion and ginger garlic paste with turmeric powder, cumin powder and red chili powder and cook for 5 mints in medium heat.

Now add some salt and sugar(while boiling the dal we already added some salt so don’t add too much of salt)  and add the fried fish head and cook with the masala till the oil come out.

Now add the boiled dal and mix well. Cook for 5 to 8 mint with a lid.

Now add the garam masala powder and some ghee and mix well and remove from heat. 
Finally sprinkle the bhabja mosla on top.

Your MACHER MATHA DIYE MOONG DAL or MOONG DAL COOKED WITH FISH HEAD is ready serve hot with plain rice.

Topse Macher Batter Fry

Fish is one of an item which is always a good main dish for us. And any time any kind of fish curry goes perfect with rice. But some time a simple fried fish also makes your dinner or lunch complete. If it’s a matter of fried fish then I always love to have small fish. There are so many small fishes which we love to have fried rather than the curry. And among them one of my favorite fish is TOPSE FISH or MANGO FISH. 

But this fish is usually fried with a thick batter and that’s the specialty of this fried fish. I learnt the recipe from my cousin sister she makes this TOPSE FRY in all special days because we all cousins love this. After a long search I got the fish from the Bangladeshi shop and I am more than happy. We had a wonderful lunch with this fried fish last Sunday. 

Ingredients:
1.Topse or Mango Fish: 6 medium size.
2.Egg: 1.
3.All-purpose flour: 2 table spoon.
4.Corn flour: 2 table spoon.
5.Pinch of Baking soda.
6.Ginger & Garlic Paste: 1 tea spoon.
7.Half tea spoon turmeric powder.
8.Two green chili paste.
9.Pinch of red chili powder.
10.Salt as per taste.
11.Mustard oil for frying.

Process:

Wash and clean the fish pieces, now sprinkle some salt and turmeric powder on them and marinate the fish pieces. 

Now make a thick batter with flour, egg, corn flour, salt, baking soda, ginger garlic paste, green chili paste, some turmeric powder and red chili powder.

Now add some oil in a karai, now take one fish and dip the fish into the batter and deep fry them in medium heat till both the side fried properly. Now soak the extra oil in a paper towel. 
Repeat the same with all the fishes. 

Your hot and crispy TOPSE MACHER BATTER FRY is ready serve hot with plain rice and dal.

Creamy Tomato Fish

Some time I get really bored with the same old fish curry, so I wanted to cook the fish in little different way. As a Bengali for our daily menu fish is a main part so something different with fish always a hit in my place. I used to cook Chicken and Paneer with cream but never added cream in fish curry, so I thought to cook them together. And the result is really finger licking. 

I used some normal ingredients but the fish curry turned out perfect. Whenever I am in my home town I love to go fish market, not only for buying but some time to see so many varieties of fishes. Some fishes are there which I never had before my marriage but now I really love to have all those fishes. I think the reason is while you see something new you feel like to taste it. 

Preparation time: 10 mints.
Cooking time: 20 mints.

Ingredients:
1.Ruhu or Katla fish : 4 piece (u can cook with any other fish of your choice).
2.One small sliced onion.
3.One large chopped tomato.
4.Two clove garlic, one inch ginger.
5.Turemric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder (half tea spoon of each item).
6.Few mustard seeds.
7.Freshly crushed pepper.
8.Two green chili.
9.Pinch of garam masala powder.
10.Salt and sugar as per taste.
11.Two table spoon heavy cream.
12.sunflower oil for cooking.

Process:

Wash and clean the fish pieces, now marinate them with some turmeric powder and salt.

Make a nice paste with chopped tomato, green chili, ginger and garlic with all the spice powder (except garam masala, black pepper powder) with some water.

Now add some oil in a pan and lightly fry the fish pieces and remove from the heat.

Now take another pan and add some oil after the oil become hot add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start popped add the sliced onions.

Cook till the onions are transparent. Now add the masala mixture with some salt, and cook till the oil come out.

Now add some warm water and cover with a lid for 5 mints.

Now remove the lid add some sugar and the fish pieces and cook another 5 mints with a lid.

Now remove the lid and add the fresh cream and mix well. Cook for few mints in low flame.

Now add the garam masala powder and crushed black pepper and serve hot with plain rice.

Creamy Tomato Fish

Some time I get really bored with the same old fish curry, so I wanted to cook the fish in little different way. As a Bengali for our daily menu fish is a main part so something different with fish always a hit in my place. I used to cook Chicken and Paneer with cream but never added cream in fish curry, so I thought to cook them together. And the result is really finger licking. 

I used some normal ingredients but the fish curry turned out perfect. Whenever I am in my home town I love to go fish market, not only for buying but some time to see so many varieties of fishes. Some fishes are there which I never had before my marriage but now I really love to have all those fishes. I think the reason is while you see something new you feel like to taste it. 

Preparation time: 10 mints.
Cooking time: 20 mints.

Ingredients:
1.Ruhu or Katla fish : 4 piece (u can cook with any other fish of your choice).
2.One small sliced onion.
3.One large chopped tomato.
4.Two clove garlic, one inch ginger.
5.Turemric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder (half tea spoon of each item).
6.Few mustard seeds.
7.Freshly crushed pepper.
8.Two green chili.
9.Pinch of garam masala powder.
10.Salt and sugar as per taste.
11.Two table spoon heavy cream.
12.sunflower oil for cooking.

Process:

Wash and clean the fish pieces, now marinate them with some turmeric powder and salt.

Make a nice paste with chopped tomato, green chili, ginger and garlic with all the spice powder (except garam masala, black pepper powder) with some water.

Now add some oil in a pan and lightly fry the fish pieces and remove from the heat.

Now take another pan and add some oil after the oil become hot add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start popped add the sliced onions.

Cook till the onions are transparent. Now add the masala mixture with some salt, and cook till the oil come out.

Now add some warm water and cover with a lid for 5 mints.

Now remove the lid add some sugar and the fish pieces and cook another 5 mints with a lid.

Now remove the lid and add the fresh cream and mix well. Cook for few mints in low flame.

Now add the garam masala powder and crushed black pepper and serve hot with plain rice.

Macher Matha Diye Badhakopi

Big Fish head are always very favorite item for all Bengalis. We really don’t leave any part of fish. Especially the head which we love to cook in various way, and among all of them my favorite one is MACHER MATHA DIYE BADHAKOFI OR FISH HEAD COOKED WITH CABBAGE. Most of the non- Bengali people must not have any idea of this because once I told about this to my friend and she got shocked like anything. But really this one is a typical Bong special and definitely recipe from my Ma’s kitchen.

Only for this recipe I use onion and garlic in cabbage otherwise I cook cabbage only with ginger. I remember in my childhood days I always preferred to have fish head that’s why maa cooks cabbage like that so I can have some cabbage also. While making this one for myself I really miss my Ma’s coking.

Preparation time:15 mints.
Cooking time: 30 mints.

Ingredients:
1.Half finely chopped cabbage.
2.Ruhu or Katla fish head (cut into small pieces);
3.One large sliced onion.
4.One small chopped tomato.
5.One tea spoon ginger and garlic paste.
6.Three to four split green chilies.
7.One dry red chili, Few cumin seeds, Two clove, Two cardamom, One bay leave.
8.Turmeric powder, Red chili powder, Cumin powder, Coriander Powder(half tea spoon of each item).
9.A pinch of garam masala powder.
10.Salt & Sugar as per taste.
11.Sunflower for oil for cooking.
12.Mustard oil for frying the fish heads.
12.Half tea spoon of ghee.

Process:

Wash and clean the fish heads and marinate them with some salt and turmeric. Now add mustard oil in a vessel and fry the head pieces in medium heat till it turn brown. Remove from heat and keep it aside.

Now take one vessel and add some sunflower oil let it become hot now add the dry red chili, cumin seeds, clove, cardamom and bay leave.

After few seconds add the sliced onions and chopped tomatoes and cook till onions are transparent.

Now add the ginger garlic paste along with all the spices powder mix well.

Now add some salt and sugar and add the fried fish head pieces and cook till the oil come out.

Now add the chopped cabbage and mix well. Cook with a lid in medium flame till the cabbage cooked nicely and oil come out from the curry. Now with the help of the spatula try to mishmash the head pieces and mix well. Finally add the garam masala powder and sprinkle the ghee and mix well.

Your MACHER MATHA DIYE BADHA KOFI is ready serve hot with plain rice. 

Lau Chingri or Bottlegourd and Prawn Curry

Lau, Kaddu, Bottle gourd is one more favorite vegetable of mine. One of a very famous Bengali Delicasy is Lau Chingri or Prawn & Bottle gourd Curry. Among the entire authentic Bengali dishes Lau Chingri is one of the famous one. Many people cook the dish in various ways. I followed my Ma’s recipe.

But the saddest part is that my husband doesn't like it that’s why I really don’t feel like to cook for myself only. While reading on Bengali Novel the moment I read about Lau Chingri or Prawn & Bottle gourd Curry I can’t resist myself, and cooked some Lau Chingri for myself only. But the moral of the story is my husband eats almost all the prawns I just finished my dinner with the Lau or Bottle gourd only. 

Preparation time: 10 mints.
Cooking time: 20 mints.

Ingredients:

1.Medium size Prawns : 150gm.
2.A small Bottlegourd  (cut into small cube size).
3.One tea spoon Ginger and Green Chili paste.
4. Turmeric Powder, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder (Half tea spoon of each item).
5.Few cumin seeds, One dry red chili , One small bay leave.
6.Salt and sugar as per taste.
7.Mustard oil or sunflower oil for cooking. 

Process:

Marinate the prawns with little turmeric powder and salt and shallow fry them in little oil. Keep it aside.

Now add some oil in a vessel and add the cumin seeds, Dry Red chili and Bay leave after few second and the Bottle gourd pieces into the vessel and fry for some time.

Now add all the spice powder into the ginger and green chili paste with some water. And add the mixture into the vessel with some salt and sugar and cook till the oil come out.

Now add the fried prawn pieces and stir for some time. Now add some warm water and cook till the  Bottle gourd cooked nicely and all the water evaporate.

Served hot with Plain Rice.

Macher Chop or Fish Chop

We Bengalis love fish in every way. There are plenty of fish dishes which we used to have, among all of them one of our very favorite fish items is Macher chop or Fish Chop which is a very famous Bengali Delicacy. A very popular and easy dish which we like to have as starter. I got the recipe from my cousin sister and tried to make like her. 

For making this Macher Chop all we need a big fish (you can take any fish), because with big fish only the taste becomes perfect. This one is famous as starter. Last night I had one small potluck party for this only I made this Macher chop and it came out so well. 

Ingredients:

1.Any big Fish of your choice : 4 piece.
2.One medium chopped onion.
3.One tea spoon garlic paste.
4.One clove chopped garlic.
5.One table spoon lime juice.
6.Two to three chopped green chilies. 
7.One piece of bread.
7.Half tea spoon of cumin powder & Red chili powder.
8.A pinch of Chaat Masala and Garam Masala powder.
9.One well beaten egg.
10.Five to six table spoon bread crumb
11.One table spoon all-purpose flour.
12.Salt and sugar as per taste.
13.Sunflower oil.

Process:

Boiled the fish pieces and remove the bones now smashed the fish pieces. Then add some salt , lime juice and the bread piece (before add the bread piece put some water into the bread and squeeze it)  into the smashed fish and mix well.

Now put some oil in a pan and add the chopped garlic after few seconds add the chopped onion and fry for some time. Now add the garlic paste and star for some time.

Now add the smashed fish mixture into the pan and mix well with everything.

Slowly add the all the spice powder with some salt and sugar and cook till the mixture become dry and raw smell goes off.

Now make small flat balls with the mixture and first roll them into all-purpose flour then dip into the beaten egg, finally roll them into the bread crumb and keep them in refrigerator for 5 to 10 mints.

Now deep fry them in low flame and served hot with Ketchup and salad.  

Bhapa ILish or Baked Hilsha Fish

Any day anytime anywhere if we bong get a plate of rice with Bhapa Ilish or Baked Hilsha fish we never say no to this. But you have to be lucky enough to get a tasty fish otherwise your cooking will be a waste. It’s a very easy recipe you just need few fresh fish pieces and some limited ingredients. This recipe is again from my Maa’s kitchen.

I remember during my school days we all were at home because of  rain and my uncle brought a big Hilsha fish form Kolaghat  a famous place for Hilsha fish because the place is located in the side of Ganga River. And the most important thing is the size of the fish around 5 kg. In present day this kind of a big fishes are just a dream. And taste of that fish was just out of the world. Here we usually purchase fish from a Bangladeshi shop and the maximum size of the fishes is around 2 kg. But they are quite tasty because those are form Padma River. That Bhapa ILish truly made our day.

 
Preparation time: 30 mints.
Cooking time: 20 mints.

Ingredients:

1.Hilsha Fish: 4 pieces.
2.One table spoon mustard seeds paste.
3.Half tea spoon poppy seeds paste.
4.Three to Four green chilies.
5.Half tea spoon turmeric powder.
6.Mustard oil: 3 Table spoon.
7.Half tea spoon curd.
8.Salt and sugar as per taste.
9.One tiffin box with tight lid.

Process:
Clean and wash the fish pieces.

Make a smooth mixture with all the ingredients as mentioned above except oil and green chili.

Now place the fish pieces into the tiffin box and add the mixture into it. Marinate the fish pieces with the mixture and keep it aside for 30 mints.

 

Now add the mustard oil and the split green chilies if you want you can add one chopped green chili also into the tiffin box.

 
Now cover the lid and place the coverd box into one vessel which is full of water. Now switch on the gas, the fish will cook with the steam of the boiling water. And cook in medium hit for 15 to 20 mints.

 

Serve hot with plain rice.

 

Malaver Macchi

Last few weekends we were so busy that could not get time to purchase fish from the Bangladeshi store. Finally this weekend anyhow managed to go and purchase some fish from there. If fish is not at home really it’s a difficult time for me then because every day I have to think what to cook. That was really a horrible job. Fish curry in any style we enjoy every time. Previously also I tried one Kerala fish curry which was awesome so again tried to cook a fish curry in Kerala style. And this time I made Malavar Macchi recipe courtesy my friend Sunita.

The fish curry which I cooked with coconut, curry leaves and tamarind. The taste was just too good. My husband doesn’t like the sour taste in food that much. But he just loved this one. And the cooking procedure is so easy. So any day u can try this one.

Preparation time: 10 mints.
Cooking time: 30 mints.
Serve for 2 people.

Ingredients:

1.Fish of your choice (any big fish): 4 piece.
2.One medium sliced onion.
3.One small chopped tomato.
4.Two chopped green chilies and few curry leaves.
5.One tea spoon ginger garlic paste.
6.Two table spoon grated coconut.
7.One tea spoon turmeric Powder, One tea spoon red chili powder, Few mustard seeds, Few fenugreek seeds.
8.One table spoon tamarind pulp water.
9.Salt and sugar as per taste.
10.Sunflower oil for cooking.

Process:

Marinate the fish pieces with little turmeric powder and salt.

Fry the fish pieces and keep it aside.

Now make a mixture with grated coconut, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, chili powder and tamarind pulp water.

 

 
Now add oil in a vessel and add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds when it start splutter add sliced onion and curry leaves fry till the onions are golden brown.

 
Now add the coconut and masala mixture with some salt and sugar. Cook till the oil come out.

 
Now add little water and the fried fish pieces. Cook till the grave become thick.

Enjoy with plain rice.