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Saturday, April 14, 2012

Haddock Mach'er Paturi and Shubho Nababorsho


Shobho nababorsho everyone out in Bengal sorry Paschim Bonga and to all  "probashi", living outside Bengal and even outside India.
Ideally it should have been some “mishti mukh” but this time I thought of slightly going off conventional path.So, presenting to you this paturi recipe with a phoren’er mach haddock. We have liked eating paturi with ilish, chingri and bhetki back home. But I guess I have to wait, wait for particular trip towards the other end of the city from where we live now, and then go extra mile to get back home, fresh catch of the day-read here imports from Bangladesh. Well it’s not even fresh here; all we get here is frozen fish.
Lucky me, we had a lovely fishmonger in our local supermarket here, who runs special deal offers to promote fish eating habits here in locals. Now when I do grocery shopping, I see rush in meat and poultry section, but I hardly notice any anticipated movements near the fish aisle. So, whenever I hop on towards the fishmonger, he knew he has a genuine customer who is really eager to try out many new fish, after all what Bengali if not eating fish.


It’s spring break here so my daughter accompanied me to shopping this time. That day he got in conversation with my daughter, what fish she likes to eat etc, and he praised her for trying out fish and liking it. I know there is nothing special about a fish eating Bengali kid, but is special for a kid here who is constantly adjusting in her new environment and where most of her school friends don’t like eating fish which is a big deal here; standing firm to the likings you believe in. Bless her for her courage. Even her school has some exciting fish recipes as school dinner cod bites, and fish fingers to promote healthy fish eating habits.

I got vine leaves packet from the middle-eastern grocery walah here which worked perfectly as a substitute for banana leaf. Now the only problem was the steamer part. I technically don’t have a steamer, so I created one just to steam the leaves with shorshe haddock. I put a strainer/colander over a large saucepan with water filled up to half. And let the water come to boiling. Then I placed the individual haddock leaves packet into the strainer/colander and covered the top with the saucepan lid. Steamed this way for about half an hour  to 40 mints and our paturi was ready.Paturi as such should be eaten with warm cooked rice.

I don’t know the origin of paturi, but my grandmother used to make paturi who happened to be from Dhaka, if that points towards Bangal , so it be.Paturi is derived from “pata”  which is a Bengali word for leaves, as the fish portions with all the “moshla” is wrapped neatly with banana leaves and then steamed. There is vegetarian paturi recipe as well. I have heard of potol paturi and mochar paturi, but I have never tried making it, so can’t get into those details (wish I had my grandmother with me to tell about these recipes, as she used to mention about these unusual recipes quite often.May be it's tale of the past now ! )

But for the time being here is Haddock Mach'er Paturi



Haddock Mach’er Paturi
Recipe Requirements
2 haddock fillet  or 350 gms of fish , cut into 2 inch long pieces
8-10 vine leaves
Thread to tie the packets
For the mustard paste
4-5 heaped tbs of shorshe/black mustard seeds or yellow mustard seeds
2-4 heaped posto/ white poppy seeds
1 tbs of yogurt
4-5 cashews
3-4 green chilies
½ cup of fresh coconut or desiccated coconut (optional)
Seasonings
½ tsp of turmeric powder
1 tsp of red pepper powder
Salt as per taste
Pinch of sugar
mustard oil- 2-3 tbs


Method
Wash the haddock fillet and pat them dry with kitchen towel.And removes fish scales if any rubbing potato peeler over the fish skin, make sure you do the strokes gently. Or better ask your fishmonger to remove the scales.
Rub holod (turmeric powder), salt (noon) generously over the fillet.
Now prepare the mustard paste
It would be better to soak- mustard seeds, cashews and white poppy seeds in enough water at least 1 hr before you start making the shorshe Bata ( mustard paste )
Many a times, poppy seeds or coconut  are not added.
Blend all very well in mixer – mustard seeds, white poppy seeds, green chilies, and cashews
Adjust with salt, turmeric powder, red pepper powder and about 2 tbs of mustard oil. Mix all very well.
Now take the vine leaves. Place the marinated haddock fillet and then smear about a 1-2 tsp of mustard paste over it, place half of a green chilly. Now tie thread along the vine leaves to make a parcel or small packet.
Use other fillet to make parcels in similar way. This much of quantity made about 4 parcels.
Steam the parcels for about half an hour to 40 mints.
Serve hot with warm cooked rice.

Note

Paturi is a preparation where fish is steamed all wrapped in leaves preferably banana leaves as banana leaves are readily available in rural Bengal. In fact every house has two or four banana plants in their backyard or courtyard. Here in foreign land, I don’t have that liberty so used vine leaves as substitute.
Even these parcels can be baked in oven but in water bath just like Mishti Doi , is prepared in oven.
Salmon fillet/Cod fillet/tilapia fillet/kipper fillet/sea bass fillet can be used in place of haddock fish fillet if you wish to experiment in foreign land.And traditionally chingri  ( shrimp) or golda/bagda chingri ( jumbo prawn) , bhetki ( similar to sea bass ) and ilish ( Hilsa ) can be used in India.

And now you can connect with me at this blog's  FB Page also - http://www.facebook.com/SpiceAndCurry ..so be there with your suggestions and liking.

Shubho Naba Borsho'er Onek Priti O Shubecha , happy cooking friends..

16 comments:

  1. Oi phoren maacher bhoy ami guess korini FB te tomar question e :D
    Ami o eirokom e steam kori ... kintu pata ta edible holey ... like pui ... ami shallow fry kore neyi. Khub bhalo dekhacche paturi ta Jaya. :-)

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    Replies
    1. Pata edible hole aro bhalo hoye kinto vine leaves amra keo khaini..just ekta pata use korte hobe as a sub for kala pata..pui shak diye bhalo hi hobe..hugs

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  2. Happy new year wishes Jaya, yummy dish,omg simply makes me hungry..

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  3. Hello Jaya, subho noboborsho...darun hoyechee paturi ta...love the idea of paturin in vine leaves....tomar eei recipe ta ami bookmark kore rakhlam...will make these as soon I can get my hands on some vine leaves...

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    Replies
    1. nischoyi eyi jonne To eyikhane share kora..baniye bolbe kerom laglo :-)..hugs

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  4. It’s a lip smacking platter
    chennaiflowerplaza.com

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  5. ami kothao porechilam je paturi should always be cooked in some edible leaves jate kore otao khaoya jay. tumi sei hisebe akdom authentic preparation korecho. gandhota nischai anyorakom hoechilo.
    ekhane bichhiri garom akhon. cheleke niyei chinta. sab milie pray 5 hrs baire thake ar oder school er garite a/c nei. fere 1 tar somoy. sabaike namie namie aste oke pray 45 minutes oi garome garite thakte hay.ei sabe 3 yrs hoeche ar khub bhugcheo...kharap lage khub je ato taratari oke school e die dilam.

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    Replies
    1. Sayantani ghondho jey khob oshadharun hoyeche ta bola jabe na ..kala pata r authenticity ta vine leaves ante parini..tobe bideshe eyi bhabhe kore besh bhalo hi lagey ..dekhi next time jodi Asian grocery thekhe kala pata ante pari ..and beshi chinta korbe na ..kichu samay por sab adjust hoye jabe ..school'er prothom dui bochor ta kids and parents der jonno adjusting time hoye..take care ..hugs

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  6. subho noboborsho to u too dear....first time in ur space n I absolutely loved it !!!!!the fish paturi has turned out so well....I had been thinking of trying a paturi recipe for quite some time...still in my to-do list :-)thanks for sharing the recipe.....following ur space now...do check out our site http://www.onlyfishrecipes.com/ in ur free time !

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  7. Amar cheley ke jor kore fish khawate hoye. Tobuo ami jor kore mach bhaja ta di. This paturi looks awesome with steamed rice. I have made potol paturi :-)

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    Replies
    1. bah! potol paturi dekhecho ami mention korichi ..and chele ra beshi mach khete chaye na bodhaye amaar DH and Bhai eyi rokom hi korey!!

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  8. Dear Jaya
    Kemon accho? Algiers e eshe, sakal theke blog PoDchhi..ek bachor Para hoe ni! Tar par tomar blog er nam mone PoDchhena ...gelam hamari roshoi..sekhan theke Jaya click kor-e ..spice and curry te eshe hajir ...Konta ag-e PoDbo konta par-e ei korte korte somoe chole gelo ! Finally settled down here. Anek din paturi banai ni. Tomar recipe ta darun and eiktu onno...ami posto use korini kakhono...Hoe sorshe use korechhi na hoe Odisa-r famous "Mach PoDa" ....sorshe , jeere roshun, lanka bata tar sange amsi guro . Tomar recipe ta try Korbo giye ..ebar dekhi ki ki recipe miss hoechhe...Kal dupur-e delhi raona debo..
    Bhalo theko

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    Replies
    1. Apni Delhi te ferot..boudi koto khushi hobe :-)..Hain Paturi te posto ami O prothom baar he use korlaam ..infact shorshe paturi te ami kono din posto use korina...abroad e shorshe pesha ekto jhamela ache ..r bhalo korey na pishle teto hote parey ..tai posto add korlaam jate bhalo korey bata hog ..anyways blender er pesha r sheel/nora te bata kora onek parthokho hoye ..sheel/nora te pishle result ta beshi bhalo hoye ..mihi korey bata O jaye ..dor-dorey thakle O teto hoye na shorshe..try korle janaben kemon holo..
      Have a happy n Safe journey Ushnish Da..regards

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    2. Ushnish Da,
      Apni jeyi Odisa r "mach-poda" moshla ta bollen ...ota porey ekta kotha mone porlo..when we would get along during summer holidays in our grandparents home, there used to be soo much going on.One fine day my thamma asked me to prepare the moshla on sheel/nora..so I eagerly followed what she told - the moshla that you mentioned- sorshe+jeere+roshun+kancha lonka seyi ta ke grind korlaam sheel/nora te ..then oyi moshla take generously coat kora holo kancha Ilish pieces te and then it was steamed in a steel tiffin box..such similarity in the moshla but the method I am sure is different...

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