A combo recipe of chicken & paneer did I wish to blog about today.... you will know from the pictures of the spicy & yum marination I shared down below! There indeed was a humble celebration of 21 years of trust and beyond... sometime this week.... the husband's sister and my friend Piyali Mahanty makes it a point to wish every year... I wonder how few of these people manage to remember specific dates... Each year I forget to wish on the brother's marriage anniversary which is on February.... earlier this year too I forgot but on that date I shared a mutton recipe.... how come? There is something called "ethereal connection.... bond".... a heart that sings for people who mean... Since the husband considers it as his doom's day when he became "bar kheye khudiram".... I never make it a grand affair.... Jokes apart, the husband always says marriage anniversary is a private affair S.... Okay... Boss! The Boss got even clever, he usually accompanies me to buy the anniversary gift, this year he gave me cash... that saves him actually!
We could not go out as the son is really busy with his school, examinations, projects! I just cooked with what was available in my pantry and served a rice and chicken medley kind of thing, a yum paneer by the side and paneer-macaroni kheer around 10pm at night... I really wished to share that platter today but looking at the picture I felt.... oh! no.... I felt like throwing off that Corelle set of mine.... they do not break man.... I keep watching how people do the plating keeping a note of every details.... I love their work and they know how appreciative I am of their food boutique.... There is nothing in a like... I did not wish to place my horridly photographed, chicken rice kind of 'thingi' early ..... it is not fair! Secondly, what I have learnt from around is that, if there is showering meat around, I must share something for the vegetarians and fish lovers.... It is a weekend and I had chosen this humble, fish dish with potato and onion MAACHER ALOO PEYAZ CHOCCHORI for all!
There is a cuckoo cooing somewhere near.... Back there, we always heard a cuckoo during summer evenings.... or am I wrong? I have seen a cuckoo only in a "chorar boi".... I always wished to meet in person and ask... "onyer bashai dim paro keno? nijer bashar moto shanti keu ditey parbey na"..... the tiger at this home gifted me a home indeed, I seeked an asylum"..... hence, I make it a point to keep it clean, polished and happy!
As the dusk sets in, I wait for his homecoming .... sitting together and chatting means a lot to me! When he comes late, I click other homes and think what is going on at / in other homes.... they have their own stories, own problems to solve.... let them be! One reason of not "kuchicuing" enough is that I have no interest in listening to stories of other homes.... my nose is too flat you know.... I am happy in my own world. I cannot solve a problem occured in another home, I do not need to hear either! You see a good photographer will not call a mobile click anything near to photography.... they are just clicks ..... I do that.... I click what is not photography.... the latter I enjoy in other's streams.... I do not have much interest in human figurines; I love landscapes, nature portraits and social media does treat my eyes!
There is a lot of flaws in the above picture, but a fish lover will not find any flaw in this recipe of MAACHER ALOO PEYAZ CHOCCHORI! This is exactly not an old family recipe but learnt from a new family member in the early 90's.... During summers, "boro maacher jhol".... we could not eat.... then the newly married wife of our mother's youngest brother "boumoni" told our mother about it.... to be had with dal and some fries... it goes pretty well. Our mother also learnt "posto badam bata" from her .... the mother of my weird cousin Ronit Debnath. I call him weird for a reason... he did very well in his 10th and 12th.... refused to appear for joint entrances as he wished to pursue pure mathematics.... he got admission in the IITs and St.Xaviers College, Kolkata but did his graduation from Belur Math College in his own will to learn some virtues as he says... but he is an atheist, Formula1 fan and cycles around Pune... where he is currently studying... After his years in Belur he refuses to carry forward his father's business... My maternal uncles are big names in that district... specially the youngest is a business magnet! As our mother says, Sonai is different.... Boumoni gave him a very good upbringing.... I felt for her strongly during her marriage.... The daughter of an Indian Air Force pilot or co-pilot, this bright student of Delhi's Jesus & Mary College who loved reading, baking agreed to marry a rich business man and settle down in a district town. She is just a year older than me and I did not like it when my side of the family was saying how lucky she was.... don't you think my "babbu"... my mama was luckier... She single handedly brought up her son besides reading John Grisham to Agatha Christi, Babbu did not have time. My husband likes conversing with her as he used to read similar kinds during his travels earlier! Thats controversial, who wins in a marriage? Why do people consider it a deal? .... Let us prepare a less controversial, not so spicy, yummy, simple fish dish with few ingredients. I always prefer to do it with cut portions from a bigger "rui-katla" as was done in the family.... but these days I do it with any firm, white, fish fillets! The curry leaves are my addition. After a meal what will you have as a dessert? Try my KALAKAND recipe, done the easy way!
FISH : 500GM [SMALL CUTS OF BENGAL CARP OR OF ANY FIRM, WHITE FILLET]
SLICED ONION : 1MEDIUM CUP [OF TWO BIG ONES]
POTATO : 2MDEDIUM
KALOJEERA / NIGELLA SEED / KALONJI : 1/4TSP
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 4-5
CURRY LEAF : 10-12
TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 1/2TSP
CUMIN POWDER : 1/2TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 1/2TSP
LEMON JUICE : 4-5TBSP
DRY RED CHILLI : 2HALVED
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 5-6TBSP [I USE MUSTARD]
PROCEDURE :
If I use "rui-katla".... I only wash and marinate the fish pieces with salt & turmeric before frying. When I use fish fillets of different kinds, I would wash them and marinate with lemon juice for 2 hours.
Meanwhile, I would peel, wash and half the potatoes. Then cut them in thick strips width wise. I would then peel and discard the two ends of the onions, slice them thickly and wash again. Slit the green chillies and wash.
We must remember to marinate the potatoes with salt and turmeric just 10 minutes before adding to the wok.
After 2 hours of marination... bathe the fish fillet pieces and discard the marinated vinegar water released. Apply salt as required, some lemon juice, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, 1/2 of the turmeric powder to the fish fillet pieces and rub well. Live like that for 15 minutes.
Heat oil in a wok, fry the fish pieces in batches. You can sprinkle some refined flour on the fish pieces before frying.
Once done, temper oil with the halved dry red chillies, nigella seeds and stir for 1/2 a minute. Add the curry leaves and give a stir....
We will add the onion slices now and stir at high heat for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to minimum and add the potato pieces without the marinade! Add turmeric powder and give a stir!
Cover cook at lowest heat for 3-4 minutes, stir in between. If required, sprinkle little water to avoid burning of the potatoes.
Open cover, add the slitted green chillies and the fried fish.... Gently fold in! Sprinkle some water if required, adjust the salt and cover cook for another 3-4 minutes. We should be done.
I served it with skin on black gram dal and a vegetarian preparation with pointed gourd on that day!
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