Puti Maach er Jhal

Now that we all have wished each other Happy New Year and season's greetings and got down to the business of moving on with our daily lives , so I too have started to go along with the flow and resume my "Homemaker" duties. This word has polarized thoughts between most of Men and Women ( but let's not get into that this time). However, this very dish that I am about to post is such that only a person with a good amount of patience could pull it off as the cleaning of the fish takes time.

Ingredients:
250 gms Puti maach( Spotfin swamp barb)
2 medium sized Onions
2 Tomatoes
4-5 Green chillies
1/4 cup chopped Coriander leaves
1/2 tsp grated Ginger
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Red chilly powder
1 tsp Kashmiri red chilly powder
Salt to taste
Mustard oil

Method:
Wash and clean puti fish (I have got 4" of puti variety here). Generally cleaning takes more time than cooking !! Sprinkle some salt, turmeric and chilli powder over fish pieces and keep aside for 10-15 minutes.

A dark spot is present at tip of tail of Puti fish

In between make a paste of onion, tomato and chilli in a blender. Heat mustard oil in a pan till it reaches smoking point and then turn off the flame. Allow it to cool down then again put the pan back on flame and fry fish in batches till they are just turn golden. Keep aside the fried fishes.

To make the gravy
In the same pan add mustard oil if required and add the onion paste. After frying for 2-3 minutes add all the dry spices, green chillies and stir well. Now sprinkle some water in the pan and cover. Don't leave it unattendant as it may get burnt easily. Again remove the lid and add just 1-2 tsp water, cover and cook. This step is called 'moshla bhaja'.  

By now you will see oil floating on the top and sides of pan. Finally add just 1/4 cup of water and give it a boil. Add chopped coriander leaves, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from flame and serve it hot with steamed rice.