Add spice paste and start cooking in low flame for around 5 minutes or till the spices start leaving the edge of the pan.Now temper remaining oil with Nigella Seed and Dry red Chilli and keep the flame low.Fry the fishes from both sides lightly.Oil in a deep pan and sprinkle little salt and turmeric powder to the oil each of Turmeric powder and Salt and also a few drops of mustard oil and leave the marinated fish for 30 minutes. Wash Koi Mach and marinate with ¼ Tsp.Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Sugar, and Salt along with 1 Tsp. Take Ginger Paste, Tomato Paste, Cumin Powder, 1 tsp.Hence the use processed whole Koi Mach is what we need to do!
Here's how I make Tel Koi at Debjanir Rannaghar! Print Last but not the least, I prefer relatively smaller Koi Mach. Mine is a simple recipe with Ginger and Cumin paste and obviously Mustard Oil. I feel the use of Onion and garlic suppress the natural flavor of Koi Mach. I prefer to cook Tel Koi without Onion and Garlic. Now coming to the recipe of Tel Koi I actually have seen people cooking it using onion and garlic and at times without onion and garlic. In fact, upon reading her book, I started checking the Koi Mach whenever I cook whether it is secreting oil or not! I found it actually is true! Whenever the fish is fresh enough it secretes oil! She wrote there, Tel Koi is not about Koi fish curry loaded with Oil (mustard Oil in this case)! According to her The "Tel" in Tel Koi is actually the oil that secretes from the fish itself! I found this information really interesting. The lady wrote about her experience with Tel Koi there. I have a humble collection of food-related books and that includes a Bengali cookbook by Tripti Dasgupta. However, Chandan da helped me with the name Climbing Perch it is scientifically known as Anabas testudineus.Ĭoming back to the quintessential Bengali fish curry, Tel Koi, there is again another detail worth sharing. Chandan da replied, "how about Prem! If Japanese Koi is Amor why not ours is Amore!" In fact, why not! Tel Koi is actually all love ). I asked a friend, Chandan Gupta who is a Fish learned. Though the names are same Indian Koi is completely different than Amor Carp.
I found there is an article about Japanese Koi or Amor Carp which are not edible and an aquarium fish. I was initially thinking to not to write any typical story but then this happened :)! Well, I was searching for the English name for Koi Mach.
#FISH CURRY BENGALI FULL#
By the way, Pasta loves Koi Mach! Actually, she is having it since she was two years old! Given Koi Mach is full of bone my mother often advised me to not to give it to her but I found her cherishing Koi and hence I ignore Mom's advice though with good care! It is not that Koi Mach is not available in other season but obviously winter is the best season to enjoy the blackish fish. Rich, spicy, fresh and comforting, this is what Tel Koi to me! No special story, no heirloom recipe but a simple Fish curry prepared with "Koi Mach", a winter delicacy.