tamatar waali macchli | fish in a tomato gravy...

Tomato based curries are very common in north Indian homes and probably the easiest to pull off as a tomato based curry is quite forgiving. Very very versatile as well. There can be a butter/makhni gravy with tomato base and there can be a spicy gravy too. And there can be a bong style tomato based curry that I learned from my friend Rita Sinha almost a decade ago. I had started eating fish recently and would ask for new ways to cook fish to each and everyone known. This one was one such fish curry I learned during the time that is repeated quite frequently till date. Especially when I have the best quality tomatoes and fresh green coriander leaves in the fridge. Slightly tangy and aromatic with fresh coriander greens, a thick gravy that is mildly hot. My addition to the curry is chopped stems of coriander greens during the final simmering, adding a really fresh dimension to the flavors.

This tomato gravy fish is best enjoyed with rice and tastes best when the fish steaks are big. A fatty fish with skin and bone is what you are looking for. Large fillet would also work.

ingredients...

fish steaks 3-4 (150-200 gm each)
quartered potatoes 1-2
coarse onion paste 3/4 cup
fine paste of ginger garlic and red chilies 2 tbsp
coarse paste of fresh red ripe tomatoes 1.5 cup
coriander powder 2 tsp
cumin powder 2 tsp
black pepper powder 2 tsp
turmeric powder 1 tsp
mustard oil 1/4 cup
chopped coriander greens 1/2 cup (stems and leaves separately cut)
salt to taste

procedure...

Heat the mustard oil in a large kadhai. Fry the fish steaks lightly in mustard oil and place the quartered potatoes on the side too so they get browned as the fish steaks get fried. Drain and transfer the fried fish and potatoes to a flat base frying pan, or another kadhai.

Pour the onion paste into the remaining oil first and fry for a while. Till the mixtures starts getting pinkish in color. Add the salt and ginger-garlic-chilly paste. Fry till the oil separates or the mixtures gets glazed.

Add the powdered spices and mix well. Cook (bhuno) tll the spices get lightly aromatic. Add the tomato paste and again bhuno till the tomatoes change color and get glazed again.

Pour this cooked spice paste over the fried fish steaks in the other pan. Sprinkle the chopped stem parts of the coriander greens.

Now pour a cup of water into the pan and keep it back to the burner...

Cover and let it simmer on low flame slowly for about 20-15 minutes. The oils will float atop the gravy and the coriander stems will be cooked and aromatic, lending the curry a nice flavor. This final simmer is the essence of this curry, all the flavors are evoked in the presence of this fresh coriander stems tha are added in this step. So don't skip it.

Garnish with coriander leaves when cooked and serve hot with plain boiled rice.

Boiled rice is the only accompaniment that this curry needs, that too in minimal amounts. The gravy is thick and rich with flavors of tomatoes and coriander greens. The spices are subdued and mild but he chilly and peppers shine through, complementing the tang of the tomatoes well.

This is the fish curry you would like with minimal rice, just the soupy gravy and the fish steaks make you meal filling and satiating. My kind of meals when rice or roti is incidental.

Tamatar waali machhli it is, but the coriander greens are as essential for the flavor of this particular curry. The same gravy works well for paneer and eggs as well. The fried wedges of potatoes are treated well in this curry too. Actually anything that cooks within 10 minutes when this curry simmers after bhunoeing the masala paste. Those 10 minutes of simmering give this curry all the flavor.

I am sure it will be one of the most frequented at your table too...

Cheers.

atte ka halwa | the UP counterpart of teacakes...

Halwa is a traditional UP dish that is sweet but not necessarily a dessert. It can be a breakfast for some, yes in the older days it was a quick dish to make on stove tops and was almost equivalent to the cakes we bake today in fancy ovens. I say cakes because of the ghee that goes into  traditionally made Halwa that is only comparable to a cake and not a cereal breakfast. If the content of ghee is lesser, a halwa can be a cereal breakfast in it's composition.

Halwa is definitely not a breakfast dish anymore in our adult lives, with our butts stuck to the chairs all day, but in the childhood days halwa and jalebi was a happy note to start the day on most weekends. Going by what my mother in law tells me, she used to pack halwa and poori in Arvind's lunch box often. I know where his love for halwa and all things sweet comes from. I have to make some halwa every now and then, making just one serving is my solution as I don't like it much and can eat only 2-3 tea spoonfuls at a time.

ingredients...
(1-2 servings)
atta (whole wheat flour) 1/4 cup
ghee 1/4 cup
sugar 2 tbsp or more if you like it sweeter
water 1/4 cup
chopped nuts as per taste
powdered green cardamom or nutmeg if you wish
procedure..

Heat the ghee in a deep pan and tip in the flour into it. Keep stirring on low heat till the flour starts getting aromatic and changes color to pinkish brown. This takes about 5-8 minutes for this quantity.

If making a larger quantity, halwa can be a work for 40 odd minutes, I have made halwa for family get togethers and the aroma of roasting flour makes everyone hungry while the halwa takes it's own sweet time to get made. Once ready it pleases everyone.

Ad the sugar once the flour becomes nicely browned, and let the sugar crystals become caramalised a bit. It will start getting sticky after a couple of minutes. If making large quantity, it may take another 10 minutes. So as soon as the sugar crystals start getting sticky, add the water in a gentle stream. and mixing the halwa mixture steadily, using a spatula with the other hand. The halwa comes together and becomes like a shining dough, keep stirring it till it starts getting a bit crumbly by further dehydrating.

Add chopped nuts, roasted or fried if you wish, mix well and serve hot.

Halwa is never served cold unless it is a carrot or pumpkin halwa. It can be a nice quick snack if you have a sweet tooth.

This kind of dryish crumbly halwa is great with hot milk for breakfast as well. Some people like it a little wet, you would have to not dehydrate it while cooking after adding water in that case.

Making a small amount of halwa is not very tricky and you can always make some for your kids instead of those store bought muffins or biscuits. It is a high calorie and high carb dish but healthier than many of the ready packed food that we hand out to our kids mindlessly.

I have posted an instant besan ka halwa made in microwave and a kadhai made besan ka halwa too. Go have a look if you want besan ka halwa. A step by step mung ka halwa recipe is also posted if you have some time to indulge. Now you know how much loved is halwa at my place.

You know what, I started getting that aroma of halwa being made while typing this. I don't like halwa much but that aroma is one of the favorite food aromas for me. Tell me when are you going to make some halwa for your loved ones?

Cheers...