Palonk shaag diye Rui maach – Freshwater carp in spinach gravy

Fish and Bengalis can never be two banks of a river 😛 😉 We are more like emotionally conjoined twins 😀

I am eternally in search of something new – a new way to cook and serve something traditional. Cooking cannot be an art, unless experimented. I believe in tickling the taste buds. This is one such tickle.

There are several traditional way to cook freshwater carp, Rui maach in bangla. My mom makes one mean, lip -smacking gravy of fresh coriander /cilantro. I wanted to create the same magic but with a twist 😉

Presenting here today is the humble freshwater carp simmered in spinach gravy.

 

Here’s what I did…………..

INGREDIENTS

6 -7 piece -fish steaks

500 gms – fresh spinach

1 tbsp – onion paste

1/2 tsp – ginger paste

1 tsp – garlic paste

2 tbsp – tomato puree

11/2 tsp – tumeric powder

1 tsp – cumin powder

1 tsp – red chili powder

1/2 tsp – garam masala powder (Indian spice mix)

Oil to deep + 1 tbsp

1/4 tsp – nigella seeds

1 nos – bay leaf

1 cup – water

salt to taste

METHOD

Wash the fish steaks well. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp tumeric powder and some salt. Rub the steaks well and keep aside for 10 mins.

Remove the stalks of the spinach and wash the leaves thoroughly. Blanch the leaves in boiling water and grind them to a smooth paste.

Heat oil in frying pan or wok and deep fry the steaks to golden. Keep aside.

Use the remaining oil for making the gravy or use fresh oil. Temper the oil with bay leaf and nigella seeds. Add the onion paste and fry till translucent. Add the ginger and garlic paste and fry for another min. Add all the dry spices except garam masala along with tomato puree. Cook them for a couple of mins till the spices are fragrant and pour in the spinach paste. Fry for a min and lower the heat to minimum. Add water and salt. Cover and cook for 5 -6 mins.

Gently slide in the fish steaks and allow it to simmer for 2-3 mins. Add the garam masala and take it off fire. Keep it covered for 5- 6 mins.

 

Serve hot with rice.

Note : * For deep frying the steaks, use limited oil. The remaining oil can be used for making the gravy.

Happy cooking !! 🙂

Cheers !! 😀

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