Ilish Paturi with Vegetables

Ingredients:

Ilish fish – 4 big pieces

Mixed vegetables (potato, cauliflower cut into very small pieces, and peas) – 4 tablespoons

Mustard + green chili paste – 2 tablespoons

Mustard oil – 5 teaspoons

Salt – to taste

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Green chilies - 4

6” square of banana leaf – 4

String – to tie each paturi

Method:

Lightly roast (will become soft; will not be crunchy any more) each banana leaf piece so that while u will fold the leaf it does not break.

In the middle of each banana leaf piece place one piece fish, 1 tablespoon mixed vegetables and 1 green chili (slit).

Add ½ tablespoon mustard paste, 1 teaspoon mustard oil, turmeric powder and salt to it and mix well with your hand carefully.

Fold the leaf to seal and secure the fish and vegetable mix in that. Tie it with string so that while cooking nothing comes out from the paturi.

Heat a non-stick pan (greased with 1 teaspoon oil).

Place the fish paturies in it and cook both sides in medium heat until the leaf becomes brown (about 5-7 minutes each side).

Remove from heat and carefully take out the cooked fish and vegetables (as it will be hot) and serve hot with plain white rice.

Machh Bhapa

Ingredients:
Ilish / Rui machh - 6 big pieces (fish should be fresh)

Mustard oil – 1.5 tablespoons
Salt - to taste

Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
Mustard seeds – 2 tablespoons
Green chilies - 3-4

Method:

Rub the pieces of fish with turmeric powder and salt and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Make a paste using mustard seeds, one green chili, pinch of salt and water.

In a steel/aluminum Tiffin box mix the marinated fish, mustard paste, green chilies, mustard oil (and salt if required more).

Close the lid of the Tiffin box.

In a larger container (with lid) boil some water (water level should be about half of the height of the Tiffin box).

Put the Tiffin box in that boiling water and cook the fish (covering the container) for 20-25 minutes in medium heat.

Serve hot with plain white rice.

Doi Machh

Ingredients:

Fish (preferably rohu fish)- 4 big pieces

Curd - 4 tbsp

Onions - 1 medium (grated/paste)

Ginger + green chili paste- 1 tbsp

Green Chilies – 2

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Bay Leaf - 1 small

Green Cardamom – 2 (roughly crushed)

Cinnamon - 1 inch

Sugar - 1teaspoon (or as per taste)

Salt - To taste

White Oil - 4 tablespoons

Method:

Rub a pinch of salt and turmeric on the fish pieces and keep aside.

In a bowl, beat the curd into a smooth paste with 1/4th cup water and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Fry the fish lightly for 1 min each side and remove.

Add the beaten curd to the fried fish and set aside.

Add bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon to the hot oil and fry for 30 seconds.

Add grated onion, ginger + green chili paste, turmeric powder, salt and sugar. Fry well on medium heat till oil separates.

Add fish mixed with curd and green chili slits. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes (uncovered) turning the fish pieces once in between. You may adjust desired gravy consistency at this stage.

Serve hot with plain white rice.

Pabda Machher Jhal

Ingredients:

Pabda Machh – 4-6 medium size or 2-3 big (cutting into halves)

Whole mustard – 2 tablespoons

Green chilies – 4

Capsicum – ¼

Tomato – 4 pieces of 1 inch square

Curry leaves – 4

Nigella seed (kalonji / onion seed) – ¼ teaspoon

Mustard oil – 4 table spoons

Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon

Salt – to taste

Method:

Soak whole mustard into half cup water (adding little salt) for 15 minutes. Then add 1 green chili and make paste.

Rub salt and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder to the fish and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Cut capsicum length-wise into ¼ inch wide pieces.

Heat 3.5 tablespoons of mustard oil and fry fishes (both sides) until they are golden brown. Drain excess oil and keep aside.

Then add Nigella seeds and curry leaves to the oil. Now add capsicum and tomato and fry for a while (until skin of capsicum and tomato changes texture).

Now add mustard paste (if you wish you can strain it), salt and remaining turmeric powder. If you wish add very little water now.

When the gravy starts boiling add fried fish and remaining 3 silted green chilies to it and cook covering it for 10 minutes (turning the fishes very carefully once after 5 minutes).

Remove from the heat and add remaining 0.5 tablespoon mustard oil to it and cover. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot with plain white rice.