Machcher Jhol

Ingredients

* 500 gm: Fish (of your choice), cut into 2 ½ cm/1" thick slices, diagonally
* 1 tsp: Turmeric
* ½ tsp: Salt or to taste
* Grind Together
o 1 ½ cup: Onion, roughly chopped
o 1 tsp: Garlic, chopped
o 2 tsp: Ginger, chopped
o 2-3 no: Dried red pepper
o ½ tsp: Turmeric
o 1 tsp: Salt or to taste
* To Proceed
o ½ cup: Mustard oil
o 1 tsp: Onion seeds
o ¼ tsp: Cinnamon, broken in small pieces
o Coriander leaves for garnish
o 4 no: Cloves
o 4 no: Green cardamoms
o 1 no: Bay leaf
o 2 no: Green chillies, slit lengthwise
o 3 cup: Water

Method

1. Wash the fish and apply the ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp turmeric over all the pieces.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy based saucepan, and fry fish slices in it, first on one side, then the other, over high heat, till a golden colour.
3. Lift the fish out of the oil, and keep aside.
4. In the same oil, add the onion seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaf, stir fry 2-3 times, and add the ground paste.
5. Sauté till fat separates then add the green chillies and stir fry a few times. Add the water and bring to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes, uncovered.
6. Add the fish just before serving, bring to a boil (by which time the fish should be cooked through, otherwise simmer till done).
7. Serve hot garnished with the coriander leaves.