Fish in Yogurt Sauce(Doi Maach) Bengal

This is another popular Fish curry from Bengal(East Indian),which is normally made with carp.It is only in Bengal that you will find fish and yogurt cooked together. This fish dish is traditionally eaten with white rice. You can eat this dish as an appetizer, or main dish or any way you want. You can make this fish curry with any white fish. You can use fish fillets or use fish steaks to make fish curry. Individual choice. As I said fish has always been my family's tradition.

Cooking variety if fish dishes is my Mom's specialty. She would cook with coconut curry, red masal, green masala and more varied curries. She will make dry fish curry with mango, dried fish chutney's and more.............. This recipe was inspired and brought to life from Camelia Punjabi's Indian cookbook. She recommends to use sultanas(raisins) soaked in water to add to the curry. I have eliminated that and few other ingredients.

 I have twisted and changed it to suit my palate and my family's. You can make further discoveries choosing my recipe. The fish I have used in this recipe is Big Head Steak Fish. You can use any fish you like.

Ingredients:
2 fish steak pieces(600 gms)
11/2 tsp salt(Namak)
2 tblsp lime juice(Nimbu)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder(haldi)
2 tsp mustard powder(rai)
1 1/2 tsp corriander powder(Dhania)
1/4 tsp cumin powder(jeera)
1 tsp red chilli powder
4 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds(methi)
1 green chilli finely chopped
2 in cinnamon stick(dalchini)
5 green cardamoms(elaichi)
5 cloves(lawang)
2 medium onions, finely sliced
1 cup greek yogurt(non fat)
3/4 tsp sugar(chini/shakkar)
2 tomatoes chopped(tamatar)
5 tblsp vegetable oil

The top five powder can be found in a ready curry powder available in any Asian store or any store that has ethnic Aisle. So you don't need to use seperate 5 spice powder. This can be easily found in one spice created by British colonial influenced by the Indian spices. The other spice is known as garam masala. There is no standard garam masalas. It varies from person to person using that spice in their Indian cooking, based on how strong spice they want to use.

Preparation:

Mix 1/2 tsp salt with lemon juice and a pinch of turmeric smear over the fish. Leave for half an hour and then pan fry it for 3 minutes on both the sides.

Mix all the above 5 spice powders, the ginger and garlic with 1/2 cup water to make a spice mixture.

In a large sauce pan heat the oil and add fenugreek seeds, chopped green chilli, cinnamom and cardamom. After 30 seconds add the cloves. After 10 seconds add the onions and fry till light brown and transclucent. Add spice mixture and cook on a low heat until most of the moisture has dried up. Then saute the spices for a couple of minutes more, stirring continously.

Add 2 tsps water and cook for a minute, then pour in 2 cups water and simmer for 10 minutes, so that the onions soften and the spices cook properly.

Turn the heat on a very low flame, add the yogurt and stir continously for 3 minutes. Add the sugar, tomatoes and enough water depending on how thick the gravy required and salt to taste. Put the fish gently and cook for 3 minutes uncovered, before turning the fish over. Cook until the fish is perfectly done. Can be eaten with white rice.

Servings: 2-4 people