ADA PEYAZ BATA PABDA MACH

 

A BORN FOODIE & LETHARGIC AT THE SAME TIME; IS SHORT LIVED!

This is my analysis, in fact conclusion! Having both traits inside and in excess amount; I had to start taking medicine at age 40! Now that I am 51 and already taking three varieties of medicine; I am diagnosed with an age related disease in the spine! One more capsule is added, the doctor is yet to decide the next move if the capsule does not work. To add more to the worry; my blood pressure is not remaining under control. It started fluctuating either with the start of the pandemic or around the time when the son left home! I am hating the situation! I wish to live, stay active enough to travel across the continents, eat local food of the places we visit! It feels hopeless to sit with the newly bought BP machine every morning! Amidst all these mess, if anything keeps me happy is cooking a variety of food and eating the major share of the cooked food! I do not know what next, would not stop savouring a beauty called food! Had I have a demanding husband, I would have leaned towards healthy eating perhaps; one kilogram of increase in weight would have come with a threat; comparing me with a younger, sleek girl. Isn't this the fear I suffered from since my teen? Not only it is about wanting a relaxed, dilli-dallied life; its also about losing my self-respect. One who is ready to give the heart & soul to build a home cannot take a comparison with a better looking brethren. It applies to both men & women. Anyway,I do not like either T's leisurely attitude towards me, he never took me seriously. He could have shaped my life & whatever little of a career I was capable of. He guided the son to take an academic/career decision. Does it mean T is no way different from his predecessor? That women need not be equal with the males. Before even talking about communism, its followers had to think differently about the women.

IT IS TRULY SHOCKING TO SEE MY APPETITE!

It indeed is horrifying! Even I do not know why I am always in the lookout for food! At times, the rest in the family are responsible for it! Yesterday, T had to take his friend's family to the airport, Kaushik lost his father the day before! Being the elder of the two brothers, he must reach Kolkata the earliest! What are friends for if a friend in distress has to call a cab and proceed? I was at home, even the Chottopadhay family went as a couple to see them off! Sitting alone at home, I ate a bowlful of "muri o moong dal er halwa"around 6:30pm. Some four years ago Kaushik - Kunal's father visited this island, also our home.I found him the same active, jovial, full of spirit just the way he was decades back. Kaushik is very attached to his family and the place Serampore itself. I am not the kind who would not bother, who can stay cool in any given situation! I ate more!

We already ate Luchi & Chicken cooked last to last Saturday for our lunch! Once the man came back home; instead of chatting we started yelling at each other. He cannot make his son behave normal but can shout at me. I wonder why his family having a sweet tooth, was not in the habit of speaking nice & soft! Even in off mood, I cannot neglect my home, duty! I had on mind clearing off the leftover food! I served the man the keema ghugni, palak paratha made from the leftover dough and jeera rice cooked using the stale rice. I was pretty sure, I would not have any amount of rice or roti!

The man who is in the habit of wasting food, ate only half of the rice. I had to eat that rice not wanting to waste! This is also a reason why clean eating does not happen in my case! My lunch today was semolina parathas, mixed vegetable & yogurt; also updated one older blogpost!

The pomelo we get here is as sweet as honey! Any Bengali can identify with this way of having it! We use chopped green chilli though!

WHAT IS THIS ADA PEYAZBATA PABDA?

I have mentioned several times we do not use onion & garlic regular in our cooking! Shopping raw materials was done fresh! On some days, they may not find the already frozen fish not that good to make a light curry. On such days, they would use onion & ginger paste to cook a thickened fish gravy! This ADA PEYAZ BATA PABDA MACH is a similar non-vegetarian, gluten-free fish curry with one of the various Indian cat fish varieties; Pabda Mach! It is a very soft, sweet  water fish with only one main bone. You hardly require a lot of spices to cook this fish if you get in hand some fresh pieces. We are not so lucky to get sitting in an island that loves sea fish! I get frozen packets, if they sit for long in the freezer, I must use onion & garlic cooking it! I am just craving for a freshwater fish; would be going to the Bengali Market tomorrow for a client, have to pick few varieties for us! We definitely do not get the best quality. I keep myself happy with pakora; today we would be having homegrown carom/ajwain leaf pakora at dinner! Now its time to wrap up and sip from the hot cuppa with a slice of a homemade cake!

INGREDIENTS :

PABDA MACH / BENGALI CAT FISH : 7-8

CHOPPED CORIANDER : 2 TBSP

SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 2

ONION PASTE : 3-4 TBSP

GINGER PASTE : 2 TBSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 2 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

NIGELLA SEED / KALONJEE : 1/4 TSP

BAY LEAF : 1

HALVED DRY RED CHILLI : 2

OIL : 3-4 TBSP [I USE MUSTARD OIL]

PROCEDURE :

Cleaning a pabda fish is very easy, we need to use two fingers mainly!I prepared a video which got good views but one day I felt irritated and deleted my youtube account. Some other time, if the Almighty wishes; I would again!

Insert two fingers through the mouth and bring out the biles from the stomach. With a scissor, gently trim off the tail end, tip of the mouth and the fins. Done.

Wash each of them thoroughly under the running water, inside the stomach too! Pat dry. Marinate with a little of oil, salt & half of the turmeric.

Heat the oil in the wok on the gas stove! Fry the fish without the marinade. Its a fish with no scales; fry them covered and do not deep fry!Take out!

Temper the same oil with the halved dry red chillies, bay leaf & nigella seeds; stir.

Add the onion paste and fry at low heat for 3 minutes; add the ginger paste, salt & the rest of the turmeric. Stir for 3-4 minutes.

Add the chilli powder and 2 tbsp of water; keep stirring at low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add 11/2 coffee mugs of water! Bring to a boil.

Once the gravy has simmered at low heat for 5-6 minutes; gently add the fried fishes and the fish marinade. Let cook at low heat for 2-3 minutes.

Add the washed & chopped coriander leaving some for the garnish and the washed & slitted green chillies. Adjust the salt. Let cook for a minute and it should be done.

Gently place the fish pieces in a serving bowl and pour the curry on it. Garnish with the rest of the coriander leaves!

Serve the fish curry with piping hot rice! Get some dal & vegetables on the side!