Travelling back in time I see a morning there in Kolkata, daddy got home Pomfret for the first time though we loved fresh water fish. Why only our home, it was true about most of the Bengali homes then. In those days our mother / aunties were mostly averse to experimentation. Daddy was excited to get something new at low price. It got pricier with time, did not get a place besides Bengal's prestigious fish varieties Hilsa, Barramundi, Aaa Mach, Katla, Pabda. Mom was unhappy, she didn't know how to cook it. When she cooked a light curry with it, we could not have it for it's smell. Our community was not used to having sea fish.
Gradually mom learnt cooking this fish needs onion, garlic. She used to marinate it with masalas and deep fried coated in a batter, else I could not have it. Pomfret got pricier in Kolkata because the middle range restaurants / hotels could not afford using bhetki fish fillets for the fish fries, started using pomfret. Bengal loves fish fries. Now it is one of the coveted fish in the Kolkata market.
This primitive self still finds it difficult to have. My family loves, so I cook. The other day I got fresh ones in the nearby supermarket which has counters for fresh fish too. This island loves fish. It was a weekday evening, I marinated them in fresh coriander paste, grilled. This was an easier option for me. We can have it with a good serving of salads and with fried rice varieties.
INGREDIENTS :
Pomfret : 4
Fresh Coriander Paste : 1/2 cup
Garlic Paste : 1tsp
Green Chilli Paste : 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice : 4 tbsp
Salt : As required
Oil : 2 tbsp
METHOD :
Clean, wash the pomfrets. Make slits on both sides with a knife. Marinate with the lemon juice and salt for 1/2 an hour. Discard the excess water.
Add rest of the ingredients, mix well. Marinate for 1-2 hours.
Grease the grill plate with oil and place the fishes on it. Grill one side for 10 minutes. Flip over and grill the other side for another 8 minutes.
You can brush little oil and marinade in between.
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