SEABASS / BARRAMUNDI / BHETKI DRY CURRY

This  fish loving Bengali has not blogged about a fish dish for quite sometime. As told before, we do not always get the fish varieties we grew up eating at this place. To be precise, we do get them all at all time, but frozen. Hence, I do not find any reason to compromise on taste or health. This is a place where a variety of sea fish are available, fresh. Even after few years of stay, I failed to adapt to their taste. To change with time, place, environment is a necessity and I am poor at that. Perhaps, I am unfit for the world itself. The ability of acceptance is a quality if one has it, I have no regrets either for not having that much. 

Certain fish varieties Bengal eats are available here fresh, like this Sea-bass, Grey Mullet, Rawas / Gurjali. Unfortunately, my family never ate these varieties, hence I do not enjoy. My in-law's side used to eat royally even in their limited capacity. Here we get fresh Bengal Carp too but the variety & taste is not similar to that of West Bengal's. Even West Bengal imports it's daily supply of the Rui-Katla from Andhra Pradesh. I still remember the real taste of the Bengal Carp varieties from my childhood. Neither can I go and stay in India's Bengali neighbour to have my choice of food, I have a fascination for the first world countries.

In our childhood, we lived in a locality which had one of the biggest fish and vegetable market. I remember the mother at times prepared fish curry with the freshest fresh water varieties using minimal spices and oil. They tasted heavenly. I so much miss those. Seabass / Barramundi / Bhetki is what we get back home too, I am not too fond of it. Though a dear friend says Seabass and Bhetki belong to the same family but are not the same. Since we get them quite fresh here, I often buy and cook them in different ways. The recipe of Seabass I am going to share today is a no fancy one, yet it is an aromatic and tasty fish curry. Let us prepare this Seabass / Barramundi / Bhetki Dry Curry together. We can use smaller sized sea bass too or steaks from bigger sized.

INGREDIENTS :

Sea Bass : 6-8 pieces
Onion Paste : 2tbsp
Ginger Paste : 2 tsp
Garlic Paste : 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Nigella Seed [kalonji] : 1/4tsp [alternatively cumin seed]
Lemon Juice : 2tbsp
Salt : As required
Coriander Leaves : 1tbsp chopped to garnish [optional]
Oil : 4-5 tbsp

METHOD :

Wash the fish pieces thoroughly, marinate with the lemon juice. Keep aside for 1/2 an hour.

Now through away the marinade. Apply little salt and turmeric to the fish pieces and rub well. Keep aside for 15 minutes before frying.

Heat the oil in a wok. Fry the fish pieces in batches till light brown on both sides. Transfer on to tissue papers to get rid of any excess oil.

Temper the same oil with nigella seeds. Add the onion and garlic pastes and fry till brown. Add the ginger paste and fry for 2 minutes.

Add the salt, remaining turmeric, red chilli powder, cumin powder. Stir well for 1/2 a minute.

Add a medium cup of water to the wok and stir. As the gravy comes to a boil, add the fried fish pieces.

Let cook for 3-4 minutes. Switch off the gas as the gravy thickens.

Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Enjoy with piping hot steamed rice!