A page from my Ma's cookbook ~Odia style fish curry/ Maachha Aloo Jhola/Macha Tarkari~

 As the aroma of the fish curry wafted through the hallway into the bedroom, M (that’s my hubby) came sniffing into the kitchen. Often it’s quite unlikely to elicit such a response from him when I am conjuring up a fish recipe. But this as you might have guessed was a very pleasant surprise. It is my tested way of getting assured that this dish is here to stay and going to be served on demand on many mundane occasions. More so a total win especially when you are trying to think of ways you can make fish recipes without it tasting fishy. Quite tricky eh? Ahh yes and to complicate things – I am an absolute fish eating, true Odia at heart. So you see my attachment to this very sensitive subject and my extensive efforts to make this a success.

My memories of this recipe goes way back to days when I came home from school to a plate of piping hot rice served with this special hand licking fish curry. In those days, the comfort and luxury of getting delicious meals without preparing them was almost taken for granted and was more so of a regular affair. But not so much now! So one of these days when I felt the urge to refresh some memories, I turned back to this gem of a recipe my Ma cooked quite so often.

This is a few ingredient fish curry ("Maachha" meaning Fish; "Aloo" meaning potato and "Jhola" refering to a thin consistency gravy quite typical of an Odia curry) with distinctive flavor which is sure to enrapture your taste buds for a while. If you are looking for a light, simple and different fish curry, look no more since here it is. This recipe reminds me that it's all about the very little things that make so much of a difference and it’s always these things that matter the most.

~Odia Style fish curry / Maachha Aloo Jhola~

A typical Odia fish curry in which fish steaks and potatoes sautéed in mustard oil steep in a flavorful, spicy onion-tomato gravy with a distinctive bite of the pancha phutana* playing along with the musky undertone of freshly grated cinnamon as the final touch. 

*Pancha Phutana is the traditional Odia tempering mix made of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asfoetida seeds, fennel seeds and black caraway seeds.

Ingredients:

Fish (German or Silver Carp) – 1 lb

1 tsp Turmeric Powder

1 tsp Salt

3-4 Medium sized potatoes – Cut longitudinally into four

Mustard Oil for shallow frying 

½  tsp Panch Phutana 

1 Bay leaf

½ C Ginger garlic paste

1 C Onion paste

½ tsp Turmeric powder

½-1 tsp Chili powder (depending on the hotness you would like)

½ C Tomato puree

½ T Dhania powder
½ tsp Garam Masala powder
2 C Water

Pinch of sugar

Pinch of Cinnamon powder
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Marinate the fish pieces with salt and turmeric. Put it in the refrigerator till ready to fry.

2. Heat a pan over medium heat. Pour some oil to coat the surface of the pan. Once the pan gets hot, add in a few fish pieces at a time. Saute for about 1-2 minutes. Then, take them out and keep aside.

3. Repeat the same for the potato cubes. Keep aside.

4. In the same pan, take out the excess oil. Now, once the left over oil is hot, add in the pancha phutana and let it crackle.

5. Then, pour in the onion, ginger, garlic and tomato paste. Let it cook till the mixture starts boiling (about 3-4 mins).

6. Now add in the chili powder, turmeric powder and dhania powder, salt to taste and sugar. Cook till the mixture starts bubbling and leaves oil.

7. Add in water and let the gravy come to a boil. Then simmer the gravy till the oil floats on top.

8. Carefully slide the potato pieces and let it simmer for 3-4 mins and then add in the fish pieces. Cook for 2-3 mins more.

9. Switch off the heat and sprinkle cinnamon powder on the top and taste for salt.

10. Serve piping hot with plain rice with a serving of cilantro on top.

A few things to keep in mind when making this. 

- Not everyone can take in the piquancy of the mustard oil with as much gusto as we Odias' do. So feel free to substitute with any other oil you prefer.

- We generally use fresh water fish for this curry. I found the German/Silver Carp to be the closest in taste so I used them. Use any other fish that you might prefer.

- The pancha phutana is readily available in all stores here in the US and if not you can a equal part mix of asfoetida and nigella (black caraway seeds) alonng with 2 parts each of Cumin, mustard and fennel seeds.You can substitute this tempering with your regular monotone tempering and see the difference.

Try this out and there's no doubt that you will see the subtle undertones of the panch phutana that makes all the difference in this recipe.

Until next time!
Love
J
P.S: Submitting this recipe to:
- WTML - May hosted by Gayatri.

The simple Odia classic - "Chingudi Dahi Besara"/ Steamed yogurt and mustard shrimp curry

Before I begin, I must admit that this post is sure going to have a counter for the word “simple” and might even break the records - the only reason being that this recipe is truly-that-SIMPLE. Being an iconic Odia dish, time and again this preparation would accompany a few more curried dishes on our lunch/dinner table but still manage to hold its place impressively well. Fresh shrimp marinated with yogurt-mustard paste and steamed till the shrimp is melt-in-the-mouth tender does indeed sound like a very good proposition. While “good” shrimp and fish curries are relatively easy to find at the restaurants, rarely have I seen this preparation on any of the restaurant menus here at all and that makes me very sad every time.

Time and again my Ma would prepare this shrimp curry and I would be blown away every single time. Honestly I have been craving for this recipe for a long while now and what better opportunity than to learn from the in-home chef a.k.a my Ma when she was visiting me. So it was quite predictable that I would make fervent demands of this mouth- watering shrimp preparation time and again, while my Ma was more than happy to oblige. But as lazy as I got when she was around, I did manage to learn and demonstrate it to her that all these days apart from being a lazy couch potato, I have indeed been a very good student J.

Quite often in simple preparations like this, it’s not the recipe, but the other simple ways and nuances of its preparation that really counts. Fresh cleaned and deveined shrimp forms the perfect canvass for the distinct mustard flavor and the creaminess of the yogurt to come through. The pungency of the mustard paste mellows down during the steaming and blends in with the accompanying condiments. I have had several versions of this preparation but I am sure to be biased when I say that my Ma’s recipe always tastes the best. The mustard paste and the mustard oil add a distinctive punch to this creamy dish tempered with curry leaves and yet again some more mustard seeds. Now without much ado, here’s our home-style creamy and yes very simple “Chingudi dahi besara”.  

"Chingudi Dahi Besara" a.k.a Steamed yogurt and mustard shrimp curry

This classic Odia steamed shrimp preparation combines the creaminess & tartness of the yogurt with distinctly sharp homemade mustard marinade. This melt-in-your-mouth shrimp curry jumps up a notch with the tempering of curry leaves, slivered garlic and of course some more mustard seeds. "Besara" refers to the mustard paste along with the condiments.

Ingredients:

1 lb Cleaned and deveined shrimp

2 T Mustard seeds

1 tsp Cumin seeds/ Jeera

4-5 Cloves of garlic

½ Onion

2-3 Green chillies

3 T Yogurt

2 T Mustard oil

¼ tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Pinch of sugar.

For the tempering:

½ T mustard oil

½ tsp mustard seeds

2 Cloves Garlic (Slivered)

2-3 Green chillies slit

4-5 Curry leaves

Method:

1. Wash and drain the shrimp and keep aside.

2. Grind the mustard and the cumin to a fine powder.

3. Then add in the garlic, onion and green chillies and make a smooth paste.

4. Pour the paste out in a bowl and mix in the yogurt and the mustard oil along with the washed shrimp.

5. Let it marinate for about an hour.

6. Prepare a steamer. It can be prepared two of the following ways:

i. Pour water in a deep bottomed vessel and place a rack at the top such that the water does not touch the vessel when its kept on the rack. Cover and cook for about 7-8 minutes.

ii. Add water to a pressure cooker then place the vessel containing the fish inside the cooker. Cook for about 1-2 whistles.

7.Temper the prepared dish with a tempering of mustard oil, mustard seeds , green chillies and curry leaves.

8.Boil the curry for 1-2 mins and serve hot with rice.

Try this out and you too can vouch that this dish indeed very simple!!

Until next time,

Love,

J

I am submitting this recipe to:
- "Taste of tropics" hosted by Nandoo's Kitchen and Chef Mirelle.
- "Side dish mela" hosted by Valli
- "Let's Cook with yoghurt" hosted by Nayna

Mood for some fish? – “Macha Besara” or Fish in spicy mustard gravy

In days when I crave for some fish, there’s this one tried and tested recipe that always comes to mind. To begin with, I am an ardent fish lover, so anything -in fish, with fish or even on fish and I am in for it, even in its raw form as sushi. Fish, I believe, is one of those delicate pieces of art in the culinary world which demands to be handled with the gentlest of hands. It could be ruined with even a slight overdose of those heavy spices. Every fish has its own unique taste and a best way to make it. Never been a fan of those heavily spiced fish gravies where the delicacy and the tenderness of the fish is lost. Handled beautifully with light spices is what makes any fish curry absolutely finger-licking delicious.

Odia cuisine, the one I have grown up with, is known for its simplicity and delicate treatment of food products. Cuttack being on the banks of the River Mahanadi, we always had an access to a lot of fresh riverine fish. Unlike the sea water salty fish, fresh water fish such as Rohu has this natural sweetness to it. The taste difference is quite subtle, but that is what that makes all the difference to any Odia fish delicacy. Another important component of Odia cuisine is mustard seeds. Mustard seeds and mustard oil is used very frequently in our cuisine. Mustard oil has a typical pungent smell similar to that of wasabi. It’s usually heated to its smoking point to decrease its pungency. At home, it is mostly used for frying fish and making fish curries since it imparts a very distinct taste to the subject at hand.

“Macha Besara” is an Odia term meaning “Fish in mustard gravy”. Besara basically refers to the mustard gravy that also serves as a base for many vegetarian preparations. Ideally, Macha Besara is made with Illisi macha and is more popularly known as "Illisi Macha Besara".Tilapia or Cat fish seem to work best with the limited choices available here, and so I settle for Tilapia.

This delicacy is a very simple preparation in which the fish is marinated with mustard paste along with some other spices. It could then be steamed in a banana leaf over a steamer which is usually, a very traditional approach that keeps the fish soft, moist and tender along with infusing it with the goodness of the banana leaf. In a more modern approach, it’s cooked over a stove for a few minutes before finally being served with a mustard seed and curry leaf tempering. For those looking to make it easier, there’s a microwave method too which I will enlist at the end.

So here’s the recipe:

Macha Besara

Ingredients:

For the marinade or the Besara:

· 1 ½ teaspoon mustard seeds

· 4 cloves garlic

· ¼ th Onion

· 2 Green Chilies

· 2 Tablespoons Yogurt

· ½ teaspoon of chili powder

· 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder

· Salt to taste

· Pinch of sugar

· 4 pieces of Tilapia (3 inch squares)

· 1 teaspoon Mustard oil or Canola oil

For the tempering:

· ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds

· 2 green chilies

· 5-6 Curry leaves

· 1 clove Garlic

· 2 teaspoons Mustard oil or Canola oil

Method:

1. Make a fine powder of the mustard seeds and then add garlic, onion, 2 green chillies and some water to make a fine paste.

2. Marinate the fish with the mustard paste, yogurt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, a pinch of sugar and salt. Add 2 teaspoon of mustard oil preferably and keep it to marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30mins (the more time,the better).

3. When ready to cook, pour the marinating mixture into the pan and let it simmer for 4-5 mins. Adjust the water content depending on the gravy consistency you want.

4. Tempering: Heat the oil, add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, finely minced garlic and add the tempering to the fish, once the mustard seeds start to pop. The oil starts to float once the fish is done.

Using a Microwave:

Marinate the fish as described above in a microwave safe bowl, then after the marination time, place it in the microwave for 5 mins on high.Then prepare the tempering separately and add it to the bowl.

Serve it piping hot with a side of rice or even rotis.

This is a very simple recipe with an intense taste of mustard seeds that meshes along with the soft, tender melt-in-the-mouth fish. It's just the right amount of tart and spice that let's the fish shine on the plate. A must try!

I am submitting this recipe to Sravs for "Mom's recipes" and Jiya for "Exhibit every bite". I am also submitting it to Priya and Srivalli  for "Microwave cooking".I am submitting this to Microwave event at Oh taste and see.. and to " Seafood feast" hosted by Usha.

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