TEL KOI; THE FAMILY WAY

MONSOON WAS ABOUT DIM BHORA KOI, TYANGRA, MAGUR!

That was a childhood to remember when good food meant piled up rice on a kansa / bell metal plate and FISH CURRIES. During a particular season, when my favourite fish varieties came with eggs; happiness doubled. You read it right about the amount of rice I ate, it was double the amount a normal school going kid would have. I was only fond of Bengali fish, chicken, mutton, prawn curries, end varieties of fries and fritters, dal varieties. It was tough to feed me vegetables. I do not remember when did I actually start loving almost all the varieties of BENGALI VEGETARIAN FOOD; may be just before or after marriage! In the man's family, his father and sister were / are fond of delicate, vegetarian dishes, just like the way they are cooked in my side of the family or in their maternal & paternal family side. T's eldest maternal aunt & the youngest uncle's wife, both had been excellent cooks. The man and his mother are not so vegetables and dal loving. Very much outgoing and not loving to cook, his mother did not cook variety. In fact, it is their full timer girl, who cooked. Obviously, I could not enjoy that food, coming from my family. I used to visit our Barrackpore home often, at times hiding from the in-laws and all of a sudden started loving the FAMILY VEGETARIAN RECIPES. It is not that there was no food in my in-law's home; there was excess of food there but all store bought! Although, I had been visiting that home since my school days, it was not a happy feeling for me to see no one taking interest in preparing food with lots of love. The mother-in-law happily engaged herself chatting all day and watching television. She had a battalion of pleasers; unfortunately, I could not join in. A clash was inevitable! And for the first time, at age 27 did I realise, what amount of physical torture I incurred on our mother asking her to serve me my choice of food all day! 

LIVE WITH NOSTALGIA; IN AN ECONOMICALLY STRONGER PLACE!

Thats how I felt at one point in time. I insisted the man to leave sailing a bit early; because I felt it is more important to bring up our child together, than to have the pleasure of buying my choice of fish & meat, vegetables & sweets from the Baguiati Bazaar. And how I wished to move to a land of prosperity. In Kolkata, I had a chauffeur driven car waiting downstairs starting morning to night, a plumber to an electrician were there anytime on call, a full family to support. Yet, I wished to experience life in a well developed place. In fact, I was even okay with moving to Mumbai. I wonder, I am surprised why sharing the same parents; my brother never wished to chase bigger dreams, why he remains happy in the same state for long is my concern or cause of irritation! Each day, every moment I miss my son; but I am also happy that he is pursuing his dreams! Now, it is high time to do something with our lives. We do not know how long or how far it would stretch, may be tomorrow one of us need to take a quick leave! Let us start to explore today, I urge the man! If one has potential, one must try and achieve the pick; else one frustrates to hell. Who am I? Who gives big talks, herself is nothing! But I guess I am always trying to motivate my closed ones to be on the higher ground? Besides, I cook well and pretty sincere about it. I am happy & satisfied with a simple bake done yesterday on the stovetop. I am happier because I did it in the absence of Cristine, assembling whatever little was required!

I will get the recipe sooner, today I felt like sharing an AUTHENTIC BENGALI FISH RECIPE, as is done in our family. We use the CLIMBING PERCH variety of fish for this CURRY. What this island mean as Koi is not same as what we grew up knowing Koi as, TEL KOI; THE FAMILY WAY is a common recipe with us; can be called a delicacy!

WHAT IS KOI MAACH? WHAT IS TEL KOI?

What South East Asia refers to as Koi Fish is not same as Bengali Koi Maach, we call the Climbing Perch a Koi Maach. Many Bengalis themselves fear to eat this fish because it's boney. Its an extremely tasty fish but. Koi / Climbing Perch fish should be cut live and immediately cooked after cleaning and washing. That is the norm. I get it here in frozen form but I do not buy. I buy it only when it is available live in the Asian Stores. 

Cristine cuts them for me, I never can. It is very difficult to cut this fish, its slippery & fast moving. Back in Kolkata, the fish vendors cut it for you. Our mother always boasts of learning to cut this fish at the age of thirteen, live with help of charcoal ashes & boti / Bengali cutter. She says she had to learn household jobs at a tender age because they are six siblings, of whom she was the eldest. She had to help her mother a lot! I am proud about the fact our mother besides doing so much of work, loved her academics. Even her middle sister says our mother had been a boring type; would not chat, had no interest in boys, she only enjoyed household work and read story books in her spare time. Should not I cook her recipes often? Today I wished to share this common Bengali recipe with CLIMBING PERCH, done the family way with ginger and chilli paste. I have seen a different way of cooking TEL KOI / CLIMBING PERCH IN OIL; hence I insist on the word "the family way"! 

INGREDIENTS : 

KOI MAACH / CLIMBING PERCH FISH : 4-5

GINGER PASTE : 3-4 TBSP

GREEN CHILLI PASTE : 2 TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1 TSP

GREEN CHILLI : 2-3 SLITTED

NIGELLA SEED / KALOJEEREY : 1/4 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 6 TBSP + 2 TBSP TO GARNISH [ WE ALWAYS USE MUSTARD OIL]

PROCEDURE :

The climbing perch fish were swimming in the tank, bought this live. Cristine cleaned and washed them for me. the rest of the job is a cake walk! Remember, not to buy this fish variety too big, buy them on the smaller side!

Clean each fish carefully, they have tiny scales. Once washed, we will rub them with some salt and half of the turmeric.

We will keep them marinated for 8-10 minutes. We will heat about 6-7 tbsp oil in a wok and lightly fry the fish, both sides. Take them out.

In a bowl, mix together the ginger paste, green chilli paste, dry red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder & salt. Add 1 tbsp water if it is too dry.

Temper the left over fried fish oil with the nigella seeds and the slitted green chillies.  Thereafter, we will add the spice paste and stir at minimal heat for 2-3 minutes. 

Now, add a coffee mug of water to the wok and bring it to boil at minimal heat. We will gently add the fried fish and cook at low heat until the gravy thickens.

We will transfer it to a serving bowl and garnish with 2 tbsp of mustard oil. 

It is to be had with steamed rice! You can see, we also had EGGPLANT TIKKI, ALOO POTOL ER DALNA, DAL alongside!