Maach-er jhol(Fish curry)

This is perhaps the most popular yet the most variable bengali dish. Every household has its own way of cooking fish.

Ingredients:

Fish – 250 g

Ginger paste – 1 teaspoonful

Onion – 1 (medium sized, chopped into thin long slices)

Cumin powder – 1 teaspoonful

Coriander powder – 1/2 teaspoonful

Tarmeric powder – 1 teaspoonful

Green chilly – 2 (slit into two halves)

Tejpatta – 2 (optional)

Potato – 2 medium sized(optional)

Procedure:

1. Add half a teaspoonful of turmeric powder, salt and optionally some red chilly powder (1/2 a teaspoonful will be enough to give a flavour without making it spicey) to the fish. Pour two tablespoonfuls of cooking oil and mix (preferably rubbing in the spices with hand). Let it marinate for 10-15 minutes.
2. If you are using potatoes, chop each one into 8 pieces. When cooking small (whole) or thin (like pomphret) fish, the pieces should be long and thin (four longitudinal cuts like this: | - / \ or | | =). When it is thick pieces of fish (like rohu), they should be short and thick (two longitudinal cuts perpendicular to each other, one transverse cut). You may marinate them the same way as the fish – this helps them cook fast.
3. Heat oil in a pan. When vapour rises from the surface of the oil, the bubbles on it vanish, it is hot enough. Now put some pieces of fish so that they don't touch each other and you have enough space to turn them around. No piece should touch the pan anywhere without oil.
4. Fry each side until it becomes golden brown. The fish tends to break easily when half-done. Take care not to poke the pieces when turning.
5. If using potatoes, fry them in the same oil until golden brown.
6. Now, in the same pan (add more oil if required – about 5 tablespoonfuls should be there) add the tejpatta to the hot oil. This is the phoron. Now add green chillies. Then add ginger paste. Stir for about 15 seconds. Then add the onion. Fry them until starting to ecome brownish.
7. Add the potatoes and mix so that the potatoes are quoted with the spices.
8. Add water and cover the pan. Cook until potatoes are almost done.
9. Add cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Mix and then add the fish. The pieces should be just submerged in the gravy.
10. Cook until the potatoes are completely done. (The trick is to add the fish at the right moment. If you put them too early, they get over-cooked and break into fragments. If you put them too late, the potatoes get overcooked – which is more acceptable).