Parshe Machher Jhaal
Parshe Mach is a small fish with one central bone. It is easy to handle and there are several ways to prepare parshe mach. However, the most coveted of the preparations is parshe machher jhaal, a typical ghoti recipe using mustard paste.
Recipe Author: Madhushree
Ingredients
- 6 pieces parshe mach cleaned and washed
- 1 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp nigella seeds
- 3 tbsp black mustard paste
- 1 tbsp poppy seed paste optional
- 1 medium tomato deseed and puree it
- 1/2 cup Mustard Oil I am being generous here, it can be made with less oil
- 4 nos green chillies
- Salt To Taste
Instructions
- After the fish has been washed and prepped, rub the skin with salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and keep aside.
- In case you do not have mustard paste in hand, prepare mustard paste using black mustard seeds. The point to remember is that when using balck mustard seeds, one has to always use extra water to strain the paste and discard the black husk.
- Take a non stick frying pan big enough to hold the fish. Heat 2 tbsp of mustard oil and when the oil is hot, slowly slide in the fish one by one. Don't overcrowd the pan. This fish is a bit delicate. So you need to handle it gently.
- Lower the temp to medium and fry the fish on both sides, each side about a minute and half. Overfrying the fish will reduce the taste of the fish.
- Once the fish is done, very gently, using a spatula, take the fish out and place on a kitchen towel or a plate.
- In the same frying pan, we will make the sauce using whatever left oil plus some additional oil.
- Add 2 more tbsp of oil to the same frying pan. When the oil starts to smoke, add the nigella seeds and a couple of green chilies split in half.
- Stir for half a minute and then reduce the temp to medium and add the mustard paste with a little bit of water. Add rest of the turmeric powder and the red chili powder. Stir around and keep the temperature low or else it will all split into a mess.
- Then add the tomato puree and some salt. Let the gravy cook in a medium flame till the raw smell of the tomatoes go away. It takes about a couple of minutes.
- Then add the poppy seeds paste. This part is optional. Some people prefer making a jhaal without poppy seed paste. However, for me, it makes the gravy more smooth and adds a bit of creamy texture too.
- Cook the gravy for a minute with the poppy seed paste and add a cup of water. Mix it all up nicely and then finally add the fish to it.
- Place the fish in the frying pan again without overcrowding it.
- Add more water if you desire. Or leave it as it is. Let the gravy simmer with the fish in it for fove minutes. Make sure that the gravy has coated the fish on all sides.
- Finally check the seasoning and add more salt if required. Add split green chilies and the final kick is to drizzle a tbsp of mustard oil from top and give it a final boil and switch off the flame.
- Serve the fish with steamed rice.