SHORSHE RUI

Rohu, Rui, Buffalo or Bengal Carp; whatever you call it, what's in a name? It brings back a lot of childhood memories. Long, long back when my forefathers migrated from East Bengal, now Bangladesh , they left behind everything; their home, dreams in a word; their motherland. But one thing they brought with them; their love for fresh water fish and the expertise of cooking it in innumerable ways, from simplest to complex ones, at times as simple as using only chilli paste. I remember when I was as young as 6 or 8 years old, my grandfather used to come back from the market, take out the fish from the bag, and oh! how I enjoyed watching the fish jumping. Separating the fish from the bones at every meal was a thing of joy. Today when my son asks for boneless fish fillets, I feel I am facing identity crisis. I am too firm on having predominance of simple but authentic Bengali home cooked food at this home, my burger/pizza loving son likes it or not.

       Before I start to bore you with history and origin of fish and it's importance in a Bengali household, I have to go ahead with the recipe. Moreover, I research less, be it about Food History or on any subject! This recipe of Mustard Rohu requires very little spices and labour. So you can really go with it while watching a movie. Let us do it together.

INGREDIENTS :
Rohu ( Buffalo Carp ) : 8 pieces (cut from a standard size....over 3 kg weighing fish )
Black Mustard Seeds : 1 tbsp.
Green Chillies : 4-5
Garlic Clove : 1
Nigella Seed / Kalojeerey : 1/4 tsp
Ice Cube : 2
Mustard Oil : 4 tablespoon.
Salt : As per taste
Turmeric : 1/2 tsp.

PROCEDURE :

 Wash the fish pieces and mix with salt and turmeric. Keep aside for atleast 15 minutes.

Wash themustard seeds in a strainer. In a grinder put together the black mustard seeds, green chillies, little salt, little water and two ice cubes; get a smooth paste out of it. Be careful about the amount of water, the spice mix should not be watery but creamy. Do not forget to add the salt before grinding ,otherwise the mustard paste will turn bitter.

Heat the oil in a wok and fry both sides of the fish pieces well. Take out to be used later.

Temper the remaining oil with the nigella seeds / kalojeerey, add the chilli-mustard paste and stir fry at minimal heat for 1/2 a minute.

Add 2 medium tea cups of water and bring the gravy to boil keeping the heat to minimal.

Add the fish pieces; cover cook at low heat for 3 minutes; turn over the fish pieces and cover cook again at low heat for 2 minutes. We should be done.

We also had red lentil curry, coconut fritters, bitter gourd-potato mash on the side to go, all Bengali dishes!
   
Isn't it that easy? This recipe I am posting for my fish loving non-Bengali friends, any Bengali would know this recipe. Enjoy it with steamed rice.