GHEE TOMATO FISH

It is the weekend, time for elaborate cooking and indulge ourselves in food, fun, frolic. Those who are not that fond of fish, they too prepare some fish curry in the weekends, given they are not vegetarians. There again are some who want to have it, but cannot take the smell of it. For them I always have comforting words.... if cooked properly you never find it smelly. Marinate the fish in salt for an hour, then wash & drain the marinade and cook. Fish is high in protein and doctors say fish fat is good to have. If not a vegetarian, one must include fish and chicken in their regular diet, may not the red meat varieties. I learnt to cook this particular fish curry from a friend when our kids were studying in the Kindergarten. They had a Ghee[clarified butter] manufacturing unit, named "Shree Ghrito". Hence, she used ghee in many of her recipes. Dona is a good at cook. Her house was near to our son's play school, whilst the family jointly won a big house at Shyambazaar, we visited there one day. A group of us ladies would go and disturb her everyday. I felt it wasn't okay to go to someone's home everyday and stopped going soon. She told us about this fish curry one day, an extremely flavourful curry prepared in ghee, tempered with the whole garam masalas. Having a little amount of ghee is not bad they say.We need a generous amount of freshly made tomato paste for this curry. Let us do it.

INGREDIENTS :

Fish[Bengal Carp preferably] : 5-6 pieces
Tomato : 3 medium sized
Onion : 1 medium sized
Ginger Paste : 1tbsp

Garlic Paste : 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder : 1/2tsp [for an enhanced colour]
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Salt : As Required
Cinnamon Stick : 1 two inch length
Green Cardamom : 3-4
Cloves : 2-3
Bayleaf : 1
Ghee : 4tbsp + 1 tsp for garnish

METHOD :

Was the fish pieces and marinate with salt and turmeric as much required.

Wash and cut the tomatoes. Discard the seeds and blend in the blender to get a paste.

Peel, wash and paste the onion.

Heat the ghee in a wok. Fry the fish pieces lightly in batches.

Temper the ghee with a bayleaf, green cardamoms, cinnamon stick and cloves.

As you get the aroma, add the onion paste. Fry for 3-4 minutes.

Add the ginger and garlic pastes, the remaining salt and turmeric. Fry until the raw smell goes away.

Add the tomato paste. Keep stirring until the spice mix separates from the oil. Add both varieties of the chilli powders and stir at low heat for 1/2 a minute.

Add a big cup of water. Let boil for 2-3 minutes. Add the fish pieces gently. Cover cook at low heat for 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with a tsp of ghee. Enjoy with piping hot steamed rice.