Food Talk
 Fish curry is fast and healthy

There is no one fish curry for all seasons. Babur may have found Indian fish tiresome; we have never been disappointed by it, writes Pushpesh Pant

ALL of us have our own favourite fish curry. Some swear by the Govan/Mangolorean version, others can die for Doi maach. Our partiality for the Kashmiri muj gad—if people at home are to be believed—verges on obsession. Truth be told, in this Piscean matter we change colours opportunistically.

Let us tell you that there is no one fish curry for all seasons. What can compare with a peppery and dryish Chettinad recipe in the winter? In summer a light steamed patrani macchi or tandoori green chutney-laced Pomfret keeps guilty conscious (regarding over indulgence) at bay.

sorshe machh

Recipe
 Preparation time—30 minutes
Cooking time—30 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients
 fish, (Rohu, cut into pieces and cleaned thoroughly) 750 gm
Poppy seeds 1 tbsp
Yellow mustard seeds 2-1/2 tbsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Fresh coconut, diced ¼
Ginger 1 x ¾"
Garlic 6 cloves
Green chilies (slit lengthwise) 3-4
Onion, chopped (coarsely) one
Coriander powder 2 tsp
Cumin powder 2 tsp
Chili powder 1 ½ tsp
Oil 5 tbsp
Juice of ½ lime
Salt to taste

Garnish
Coriander leaves, chopped 2 tbsp

Method
 Sprinkle salt on fish and keep aside for 30 minutes. Then rinse. Toast poppy seeds for two minutes on a griddle on low heat. Soak in little water for 15 minutes and grind to obtain fine paste. Grind into a paste with ½ cup water the crushed poppy seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric, coconut, ginger, garlic, green chilies, onion, coriander, cumin, chili powder and salt. Heat the oil over moderate heat and fry the spice paste for six-seven minutes, stirring continuously and adding a little water if required. Add two cups water and limejuice. Simmer for five minutes on low heat. Adjust seasoning. Add the fish and cook until done to taste. Garnish with coriander leaves and green chillies.

Good friend Syed Iqbal Hasnain, at present serving as Vice-Chancellor at Calicut University, has tried, almost successfully, to lure us away from the virtuous path of dieting by offering a delightful Karimeen in Kozhikode. Back home at Uttaranchal, they make a no frills mustard-laced watery jhol that is redolent—yes redolent, the word is not mistakenly used—with the aroma of freshly ground turmeric and red chillies, the ‘soup’ pleasantly soured by bade wale pahadi nimbu.

We must also confess that we have never really fallen for the elaborately elegant and imperially impressive Awadhi Mahi musallam, Machchi zamindoz et al. And, all this is just the tip of the iceberg. What delectable diversity is there to tickle our palate if the Sri Lankan, Malay- Indonesian, Burmese, Thai and Chinese repertoires are explored.

Need we add that fish needs no plug—the white flesh is healthy, fast to cook and offers almost infinite variety. Poor Babur may have found Indian fish tiresome; we have never been disappointed by it. We happily share with our readers this time an all-time winner—from Bengal—that is guaranteed to enhance the ecstasy of monsoon. Enjoyed best with fluffy boiled rice but at a pinch roti will do.

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