MAACHER TOK / SOUR FISH CURRY

  

Mach er Tok.... a summer time bliss for many among our community and perhaps in some other states of India too. The way of doing it may be different. In West Bengal, summers are really hot. It happens that we even refuse to enjoy fish curries. It is then mom used to prepare toker dal[tangy lentil curry] and Mach er Tok[Sour fish curry] for us. Tangy curries are considered to be body coolants and helps beat the heat in summer.

I believe, the state of Assam's sour curries also have influence on our family's sour curries; fish or otherwise! The maternal grandfather lived there for few years as an employee of State Bank of India! The paternal grandpa left Comilla, went & settled in Assam! My maternal grandmother learnt a lot of steamed cake recipes from her Assamese neighbours! What I like about Assam is their pattern of the homes; quaint, bungalows with green space! They are usually with cleanliness freak, that is good enough for me to praise! My uncles think they cannot come & stay in West Bengal for long! 

Different families have different ways of preparing Macher Tok. My mother used to prepare it this way. I exactly followed my mother's way of doing Macher Tok. The tamarind paste can be replaced with raw mango pieces. We usually alternate with tamarind, raw mango, elephant apple, hogg plum. This Macher Tok[sour fish curry] recipe is done with tamarind paste. Let us do it together.

INGREDIENTS :

Any Firm White Fish : 500 gm [ we use Rohu or Katla, i.e. Bengal Carp smaller sized, even baby sized ]
Radhuni / Ajmod Paste [wild celery seeds] : 1/2 tsp [alternatively 1 tsp fresh Thai celery paste] [WIKI says radhuni is dried fruit of Trachyspermum Roxburghianum, a flowering plant; smells like parsley, tastes like celery. Honestly, until I had a blog, I did not require to know what radhuni is called outside my family; some called it wild celery seed, I took it, now WIKI says it is this]
Tamarind Paste : 1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Green Chilli : 2
Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp
Salt : As required
Kalonji Seeds[ nigella] : A Pinch

Rdhuni / Ajmod : 1/4 tsp
Oil[preferably mustard] : 2 tbsp

METHOD :

We usually use smaller sized, in fact no fat, live fish for this curry! This one was big as compared to what is required in this one!

Soak the tamarind in 1/2 small cup of water.

Prepare a paste with the ajmod / radhuni seeds or with the Thai celery leaves if seeds are not available. 

[I cannot paste such a small amount, I use a little more of the whole seeds in the tempering]

Wash the fish pieces and marinate with turmeric, salt, red chilli powder, ajmod paste[alternatively celery leaves paste].

Heat the oil in a wok. Temper with the kalonji & ajmod seeds. Add the marinated fish along with the marinade.

Cover cook each side for 3-4 minutes. Remove the cover, Add one cup of water and cover cook for another 3-4 minutes at medium to low heat.

 Strain the tamarind juice and pour into the gravy. Add the slitted green chillies.

Let boil for another 2 minutes. Switch off. Transfer to a serving bowl.

It is to be had with hot rice, specially during the summer we have it. You can replace the tamarind with raw mango.