Tel Koi

This one is another favorite of mine. While we, Bengalis ,for long, had a special soft spot for Hilsa and Prawn(it's an unresolved argument amongst the groups we call "Ghoti" and "Bangal", which one is the best, later ending up settling for both- yes, we ardently love fish!!!), the Bengalis always had their never-ending appetite of different kinds of fishes. We take much delight as we are called "mechho"(fish-y, would you say?). My first 3 years in the States consisted of shrimp and sometimes tilapia fillets which I got from the local grocery store. While the stores sufficed my regular need of meals, I always craved for the delicacies of home. Sometimes, it made me sad that the dishes I loved back at home, I have to keep waiting for them for a year. 

The fishes I sometimes found at the Indian store, they somehow lacked the flavor and taste and failed to impress my Bengali palette. Hence, my search for good quality fishes continued. One great store I recently found at Buffalo, was a Bangladeshi Halal Market where the stocks made me jump with joy!!! I was a little girl happily lost in a candy store. Every direction I turned me head, I could see things I loved- patali gur, gawa ghee, nimki and what not. The fish section delighted me and I didn't think twice before picking up a packet of climbing perch fish, or as we Bengalis call it: Koi Machh. 

I longed to cook the moment I picked them up and without much further ado, I cooked it the very next day. 

The fish is extremely soft and savory when cooked to perfection. Although there might have a few bones here and there, they are easy to pick out. Now here goes the recipe.

Ingredients(serves 6):

• 6 medium/large sized koi fish

For Marination:

• 2tsp turmeric
• 2tsp salt

Marinate the fish with turmeric and salt and keep aside for 30mins. This helps to remove the fishy smell. (Tip: Fishes lying in the freezer for days also have a strong smell even after they are cooked. Although it is better to have fresh fishes, but if you have fish pieces which are old, marinate with salt and turmeric for 30mins, wash off, then further marinate to cook. I have tried it and this trick works to remove the strong smell.)

Marinated fish

For cooking:

• 1 tomato(large)
• 4-5 green chillies
• 2 red onions(medium-sized)
• 1tbsp cumin seeds
• 1tsp cumin powder
• 1tsp turmeric powder
• 1tsp Kashmiri red chilly powder
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1tbsp sugar(I like a bit of sweetness in the tel koi)
• Salt: to taste

Procedure:

1. Slice one onion and make a paste of the other
2. Make a puree of the tomato
3. Make a paste of the green chillies
4. I made a puree of the tomato and the chillies together to save time. One can do it separately.

Top: Sliced onions, middle: tomato and green chilly puree, bottom: onion paste

1. The above steps should be done within half an hour and by this time, the fish is ready to fry.
2. Heat a pan and when the pan is hot enough, add 3tbsp of mustard oil(since it's tel koi, the quantity of oil is significant. You may add less if you are opting for less oily food. One can try with vegetable oil as well, but mustard oil for these kinds of dishes add an added flavor.)
3. Gently loose the fishes over the oil and fry each side well. Gently pick them up from the pan and set them aside.

Fried koi fish

1. In the same oil, add the cumin seeds.
2. As the cumin seeds start to fry and let out a smell, add the dried red chillies and the bay leaves.
3. After 15secs, add the chopped onions and sauté them.
4.  Once the onions turn almost transparent add the onion paste. 
5. Keep sautéing until the smell of the onion is gone and then add the tomato puree. (If you made the green chilly paste separately, add the paste after the tomato is cooked and cook for 1 minute or two more after adding the green chilly paste.)
6. When the tomato is properly cooked, it's time to add the ginger-garlic paste
7. Keep cooking for a minute or two until the smell of the ginger and garlic is gone. After that, add the cumin and the turmeric powder and keep cooking. 
8. At this time, you will see that the spices lose the oil and if the pan gets dried up, add a splash of water. You can do this every time when the pan dries up to avoid the curry from burning up. A burnt curry is the last thing you need (It tastes disastrous!).
9.  I added a little more water as I wanted more gravy. Add water only to the extent of gravy you need. 
10. Add the sugar and salt and continue cooking. 
11. Keep cooking until the point you see the layer of oil and add the fishes in the gravy and boil for 5-10more minutes. The tel-koi should be ready now.
12.  You can garnish with coriander leaves and slit green chillies before serving to guests(I skipped this step as I was too excited to taste!! 😝😊😊😊)

Tel koi on my plate!!! Bliss!!!

The dish tasted really well! Do try it out and if you are doing something differently that makes the dish taste better, do not forget to put the suggestion in comment. :) :)