I am not in mood, position to do an elaborate recipe today.... this super simple, supremely yum dish of BATTER FRIED POMFRET should be fine.... What do you say, my readers? Even if you are not pomfret fan, you got to enjoy when cooked this way.... If we are considerate enough with time taken for marination, this dish can be a delicious snack cum appetiser. I am exploring certain fresh, locally available fish, what else to do? Is it possible to wait for a particular supplier to get "tyangra", even if I grab some, come home dancing.... the son will not touch one unless I de-bone, serve him flesh alone!. The "rui / katla" that comes from neighbouring state does not go down well with my taste buds.... I have grown up eating "Jalangi nodir Rui / Katla".... once we landed in Kolkata, the mother had some fixed fish sellers who sold fish caught from ponds, rivers, not ones from "macher bheri".... I continued with that tradition.... As I always say my side of family [read... our mother] is far from being modern when it comes to food.... She will be happy to see some of my blogger friends owning a "shil-nora"to prepare spice paste.... she may even disown me and adopt them... haha...
The mother always takes pride in saying... "I was the eldest of six siblings, had to help my mother in all household chores.... I learnt to cut and clean "koi mach"..... climbing perch at age 12".... she had to because her father was bank employee, not director of it! Then I have to retaliate... "tumi to amai kichu kaaj kortey daoni, karo kaaj tomar pochondo hoyna".... She never had let me do any work... to which she has to say that her lazy daughter was always engrossed in story books! The mother's daughter with a strict mother-in-law whose height of laziness can create legend did learn how to take care of home gradually..... but my parents' genes doesn't work when it comes to sports!.... The mother won medallions in "kho kho" and "kabadi" in school, college, father played football... had to stop because of severe arthritic attacks, brother had been good in sprints, swimming, cricket... never pursued..... the daughter? She takes almost double the time than normal to complete a half marathon.... then she has to post pictures in social media, seek love from her friends.... They do deserve some good food share from me today.... just as yum a starter like BATTER FRIED POMFRET!
Talking about genes.... it need not work always.... I must mention about my husband's sister in this regard.... I have hardly seen people who balance their work place and home this beautifully.... You enter through their main door, can feel aesthetic sense of the couple.... She was in school.... I saw her folding clothes, cleaning corners when her mother was busy with her friends elsewhere.... When I was under heavy dosage of sedatives after marriage due to my mental ailment, she assisted me to toilet, her mother was busy scolding my mother for not giving her list of diseases I had before marriage.... My sister-in-law shares a bond with my mother appreciating each other.... I like it... the girl who slept till 12pm goes for trekking in Himalayan belt twice a year with her certified trekker husband.
My sis-in-law's dearest brother had a lot of discouraging words on way to drop me at race venue yesterday.... oh! Flocks of mad people going in same direction at 4am like my mad wife.... are they like my wife?....Are they more interested in posting picture with race T-shirt and medallion in social media rather than doing it for love of the race! I had to say.... stop it boss! I do not fake it... I do not drive to finishing line, post pictures in social media! I do not even fear to show off my spotted facial skin, that impossible to measure waist line to world... I will remain what I was or am, I still survive.... I will!..... I am one happy girl today because I do not have to go out entire day.... too much of joint pains... As I always say never set me as an example.... I lead a carefree, casual life! Marathons require regular trainings.... I never do.... people are sincere; they go for special diets two months prior to race day... I hardly follow! If you are keen about such races.... follow what experts have to say... you bet you can finish half marathon within three hours. Each year the organisers give us few kilometres of steep stretch, I slow down there, in last lap of 5 kilometres.... I take maximum time... my feet gets heavy in pain.... this will not happen if you are trained well, are on proper diet. You are sincere with your life, will not eat "begun shutki"... dried fish with eggplants or rice dosas prior to such events like this insincere to core woman....
Don't worry, I am not going to blog about them right at this moment.... Begun Shutki may happen some day but dosas never.... I don't blog about something I am not good at... Let me treat you with these crisp, yum BATTER FRIED POMFRET instead.... our mother used to do pomfret this way for her daughter who wasn't fond of this fish. If we can leave aside the marination time, it is an easy, quick recipe with few ingredients with no labour at all. For this recipe, we need to take care of frying fish in right temperature throughout! I served BATTER FRIED POMFRET with rice..... help yourself with some beverages or have with.... ahem... you know what!
INGREDIENTS : [for the marination]
Ginger Extract : 3tbsp
Garlic Extract : 5tbsp
Chilli Powder:1tbsp
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Lemon Juice : 4-5tbsp
Vinegar : 3-4tbsp
Salt : As Required
INGREDIENTS : [for the batter]
Fresh Coriander Leaves : 3tbsp chopped
Gram flour : 1small cup
Corn flour : 1/2small cup
Tandoori Masala Powder : 2tsp
Black Pepper Powder : 1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/2tsp
Salt : As Required
Oil to Fry : 100-150ml
METHOD :
Get fish dressed by fish vendor! Wash each thoroughly.... specially stomach. Make slits on body, marinate with vinegar for an hour. Wash all again under running water.
Marinate fish with ginger & garlic extract, chilli powder, turmeric powder, lemon juice, salt. Coat well each, specially inside stomach if you like me is not friendly with the smell of sea fish.
Cover, let marinate for at least 2-3 hours. Let us prepare batter about 15-20 minutes prior to fry.
Take gram flour, corn flour in bowl. Add water little by little to prepare a thick paste. Add chopped coriander leaves, black pepper powder, tandoori masala powder, turmeric powder, salt. Mix well to prepare a smooth but thick batter.
Heat oil in wok. Gently place one or two battered pomfrets pieces In it. Let it cook at low heat until one side is done well, turns golden brown. The heat has to be low, hot at same time.... which means we will continuously adjust it. We need to coat fish thick with batter.
Once one side gets brown, turn over fish, let other side be done well.
Once done, we will place them on to tissue papers..... serve & enjoy!
Crispy and crunchy batter fried pomfret
ReplyDeleteThank you Amrita...
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