Shorshe Tengra ar Aloo-Fulkopi -Borir Jhol

Now, now do not get confused by the long name 😉 It is more of a combo plating.

Translated to – Mystus Cavasius/ Tengra fish in mustard sauce and a Vegetable curry made of potatoes, cauliflower, sun-dried lentil dumplings/ Bori.

It is not easy for me to explain my love for Tengra fish, a smaller member of the freshwater cat fish family. Another lip -smacking fish recipe from the traditional Bengali cuisine.

Tengra looks like this –

Tengra

Mustard is an important ingredient in a Bengali kitchen, just like mustard oil. Cooking in mustard oil is equivalent to cooking in olive oil.

I cannot compete with mom, her culinary skills are legendary and uncomparable, but I try my best to copy her 😉

One declares oneself to the neighbors, when you are using mustard oil and frying the fish in it. Well, they can always close their windows and doors, while my Bengali soul revels and savour the aroma of not only the smoky oil but also one of my favorite fish. 😀

I usually ask the fishmonger to cut and clean the fish to my desire, it saves me a lot of trouble.

The ingredients are simple and commonly found in a Bengali kitchen.

Here’s what I did…………

INGREDIENTS

8 nos – tengra fish

2 1/2 tbsp – mustard paste

3-4 nos – green chilies slit lengthwise

1/2 tsp – nigella seeds/ kalonji/ kalo jeera

1/2 tsp – tumeric powder + to marinate

3/4 cup – mustard oil (to fry the fish and use the rest in making the sauce or gravy)

1 cup – water

salt to taste

METHOD

Wash the fish thoroughly and drain. Sprinkle some tumeric and salt and rub them well on the fish. Keep aside for 10 mins.

Incase, you do not have readymade mustard paste, soak 2 tbsp mustard in warm water for 30 mins and grind it to a fine paste with 1 tsp salt and minimum water. Do not dry grind, that will make the mustard very bitter.

I used readymade paste in this recipe.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan or a wok. Once the oil starts smoking, slowly slide in the fish and fry to your desired crispness. (Do not over crisp, the fish will taste like rubber)

Drain the fish on a kitchen paper.

If the remaining oil is too much, you can discard a few spoons of oil. I usually use oil as much required.

Temper the oil with nigella seeds and pour in the mustard paste. Lower the heat to medium and fry the paste just for a minute. Add the tumeric powder, green chillies and water. Adjust salt, lower the heat, cover and cook for 4-5 mins. Slide in the fried fish one by one and let the sauce simmer for another couple of mins.

Here’s the punch 😉 Pour a tbsp of raw mustard oil over the simmering sauce and take it off fire.

Keep it covered for another couple of mins.

Serve hot with plain boiled rice with a sliver of lemon.

Coming up next is Aloo-fulpoki-borir jhol……..

Happy cooking !! 🙂

Cheers !! 😀

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