Paka Amer Ambol/ Mango Sweet Chutney

There are some days I have to cook twice or may be three times a day.It just happens when our cook do not appear or is on leave, but then I mostly forget to take pictures. And then you all know assembling props or some preparations for a picture takes time .It’s just not happening right now, the energy level gets drained as there are other chores to look after too.And add to that the hot weather here. And past two days were very hot days. Temperature stuck on 35 or 36 deg C but feels like 45 deg C.

But these are not excuses to justify my looong absence.And when you are out of action for a while, you tend to give excuses for not showing up there.Hopefully that period has passed for good.

Sometimes all you need is a “me time therapy”. I know that will sound selfish, but this “me time therapy’ helps me to rejuvenate my energy level. This can be anything, going for a short walk around our housing complex or going out to get some fresh vegetables from vegetable market or just watching these pretty, tiny neighbors in our community garden. Do you have your "me time therapy" often ? How do you mean to spend  your "me time therapy".

Well ,life becomes somewhat alluring when you have these pretty looking neighbours.Isnt ?

These are Indian male house sparrows I guess. You can catch them anywhere near your homes, school or office. They have adjusted well to the human invasion into their territories, wonder we as supreme creations of God when will be able to take responsibilities of our actions.

Invasions in any forms are not welcomed, and if they could have their own voices, perhaps,  they would have conveyed it long before to us!!

As for the time being, live and let them live peacefully with whatever we have left with us so far here in earth.

Now to the recipe --

Koi Mach'er Jhaal

Before I forget that I have a blog too, I have this recipe to share with you all. Although I must say that koi fish is very rarely cooked in my home as we haven’t come across any in fish market near our home so far. Neither I have seen my maa nor ma-in-law preparing this fish any possible way. However, my short stay in London was something unusual, for I used to get all sorts of things easily which were not as readily available here in local grocery stores-viz- raw turmeric,thor,koi ,ilish just to name a few.
I had this koi fish packet weighing around 500gms from our local superstore then. I don’t know what made me pick this packet or may be a slight amount of curiosity on my part about the texture and taste perhaps. And when I opened the packet I found these healthy and frozen fish.

(Koi mach'er Jhaal, Palang Shak'er Ghonto - Recipe here and garam bhaat - a perfect lunch for a relaxing afternoon)

My hubby dear seemed to think otherwise, he couldn’t eat this fish and told me that he would have loved this gravy with pona or pabda mach, duh!! But then he is a die-hard chicken and meat lover so you can get the picture. Well, I can be as open as I can about this fish.I have been kind of curtailing this recipe to publish for almost a year now, pictures were saved and I have written basic guidelines then.I have re-written and edited the recipe.

Here it is koi mach’er jhaal.
Koi mach’er jhaal-climbing perch/Anabas sp.

Recipe requirements

• Koi fish-3-4
• 2 medium size onions
• 2 medium size potatoes
• 2-3 fat garlic clove
• 2-3 tsp of grated ginger
• 2-3 green chilies
• ½ cup of chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
• 1 tomato chopped finely

Seasonings

• 1 tsp of turmeric powder
• 2-3 tsp of red pepper powder
• 1 tsp of coriander powder
•  

Tempering

• 2-3 tbs of cooking oil
• 1 tsp of kalo jeerey/kalaunji/onion seeds
• Quarter cup of cooking oil to fry fish
• Some turmeric powder+salt to marinate the fish

Method

• Heat up a deep bottom pan/wok/kadai.Add quarter cup of oil and let it heat up properly. Fry the marinated fish both the sides well to crisp and brown. Take out and let it cool a little bit.
• Now if you have some oil still left after frying, then don’t throw it, add 2-3 tbs of cooking oil more.
• Temper this oil with kalo jeerey/onion seeds/kalaunji, tej patta.
• Add finely chopped ginger/garlic to it. Fry it for 1 mint at med-high.
• Then add chopped onions and potatoes fry them very well with some salt for 4-5 mints at med-high.
• Add in about 1-2 cup of plain water. Add all the seasonings now-turmeric, red pepper and coriander powder to it. Adjust the salt if needed.
• Now add in fried Koi fish to the above simmering gravy.
• Cover it and cook for 6-8 mints or till the potatoes becomes soft.
• If you want a dry preparation with fish add less water.
• Garnish with lots of coriander leaves.

Note-
Addition of tomatoes is optional, if you wish you may include it to add more tanginess.
Pona/katla/rui or pabda goes well with this gravy.

Happy Cooking Friends