Kheemafied Fish -Manipuri Delicacy

This Post is dedicated to Parna of rannabanna of kitchen Notes. Parna co owns this blog with Prerona. But Parna does most of the cooking. Parna never learnt to cook while at home, and so had to learn via the telephone. God save the phone.. But learnt, she did. She is now is a very refined cook, huh!! Do I hear some clap clap clap..there is a whistle too.. Ahh.. that Babumoshai Out there..

Wait, This is also dedicated to all the Bongs who loves fish like fish love water. One can imagine a fish without water, but a bong without fish? Unimaginable. So sad though, most bongs haven't tasted the dish I am going to prepare today. Well I have started it, and I am writing this as the fish is being cooked at low flame... Ummm I can smell it... You won't find a good piece of fish in the dish, because all the fish have been mashed.. Just imagine the gravy, which is what we are going to have with Basmati rice...
May I also dedicate this to Thalassa Mikra, who had asked me to post a Manipuri Fish Recipe. I have much more up my sleeves lol..

We call is Nga Atoiba..( Nga=fish, can you pronounce.. Ng is ka-kha-ga-gha-nga in the devnagari script). Atoiba means well mixed or broken into small pieces or well kheema would be a better word. No Manipuri Feasts , unless it is vegetarian feast during shradh or rath jatra, is complete without this paticular dish. And believe me, ask any of your Bengali relative who had been to Manipur how they liked the kheema fish curry or nga Atoiba. They will surely tell you how they miss it. When Bengali Brides married to a Manipuri return from their Maike( parental home), the first thing they miss is a Nga Atoiba. Trust me.. This is heavenly..

Ingredients:
# 750 grams of Fish(about a pound). Cut the slice into four further pieces. it c\should be about 1 inch cubes as you see. Mix a little turmeric powder and salt and keep aside for half an hour.

# One large potato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes as in the picture above.
# Two medium tomatoes cut the same way in the picture.
# One medium onion, again chopped the way u see in the pic.
# half a kaotori of green peas
And spices- Whole Jeera, jeera powder and dhania powder, heeng( asafoetida), meethi( fenugreek), chilli and turmeric powder.
# 1 inch finger of ginger, 7-8 cloves of garlic both crushed with mortar pestle or mixer.

Break here: Will go and finish it. Also have to take a picture...
Now,
Steps:

Heat oil in a pan, and semi fry the fish. Don't fry till cooked. Just fry as much as the colour slightly turns. Keep aside.

Heat 2 Tbs of oil( use mustard oil if you have), and add 1 tsp of whole jeera and a pinch of heeng and then add the onions.
Fry till Onions are brown and add half tsp of fenugreek, then add the ginger garlic paste.
Add the poataoes and peas and fry together.
Now add half a tsp of turmeric and equal amount of chilli powder.
Add 1 tsp of jeera powder, and 1 tsp dhania powder.
Add the fish, and mix well and add salt to taste. Cover and cook in low flame for 10 minutes.
Take care that it don't get burned, remove the cover and stir from time to time.
Now after the 10 minutes, add the tomatoes and increase the heat.
Fry for 5 minutes, and add 2 cups of water. Cook till potatoes are done and mash some potatoes and tomatoes to mix with the gravy.

Now, for this dish, tempering is very important.
Heat oil in a separate kadhai, or pan.
Add 1 bay leaf, 2 kashmiri chilli, and half a tsp of Jeera. Add half a tsp of Finely chopped ginger.
Pour this into the fish. Mix and garnish with chopped Coriander or Cilantro.

I have just tasted a spoonful. It didn't disappoint me.
Dear Bongs who can cook, try this out. This is one delicious dish I tell you.

I used the fish called Bao, looks like Rohu but slightly darker and quite a bigger head. Katla or Rohu might also be used.

Now, since all the fice pieces are minced while cooking, you will find a lot if spines or thorns.
But, would rose have been so precious without the thorns. Tagore said, "A rose is a great deal more than a blushing apology for its thorns" . It is imprinted at the metro Station at rabindra Sadan, Calcutta.
Be carefull when you eat it, but its worth it.
You may also ask for boneless fish if you are too afraid, or use bigger fishes. it is easier to sort out the bones as you eat since bigger fish have bigger spines.

This is best cooked with a fish that we call sareng. Cooked the same way, but a different fish. In bengali that fish is called Buwal macch.. Try cooking buwal macch this way... And use garlic liberally during tempering( Buwak is smelly, no?)


PS: Instead of onions, we use a particular herb that looks like garlic chives but since its is not available many places and I am still unsure if it is garlic chives, I have used onions. This particular herb is said to be available in All china towns all over the world. Swati, just use Chives and see the taste. if it is good than it has to be chives afterall...

Have a nice weekend.. Peek into my other blog at Anthonysmirror
And please, do leave a comment. It makes us going lol.

Recipe,Fish,manipur,Kheema,Minched Fish,Desi