Ingredients:
6 mullet fish (parshe mach), cut and cleaned properly
1 tomato, chopped
4 green chillies, slitted
2 dried red chillies
1/2 tsp nigella seeds (kalo jeera/kalonji)
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1-2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp cumin powder (jeera)
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (or as per your tolerance)
1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp sugar
4-5 tbsp mustard oil
As needed salt (according to taste)
2-3 cup warm water
Instructions:
1. Rub the fishes with turmeric powder and little salt.
2. Heat oil in a pan and fry the fishes one by one till they are light brown in colour and the skin gets wrinkled. Remove from the oil and keep the fishes aside.
3. Heat oil again and add nigella seeds and dried red chillies. Stir for few seconds and add the green chillies and stir until they splutter.
4. Now, add the chopped tomato, 1/2 tea-spoon turmeric powder, red chilli powder, Kashmiri chilli powder and salt and stir until the tomato becomes mushy and the spices gets fried on low to medium flame.
5. Add 2-3 cups of water and give a quick mix. Cover the lid and bring it to boil.
6. Now, slowly and carefully add the fried fishes, lower the flame and cover the lid. Cook for around 15 minutes or till the fishes are well cooked. Don’t overcook as the fishes are delicate and prone to break.
7. Also, check the consistency of the gravy, there should be enough gravy in the curry.
8. Once the fishes are well cooked, sprinkle sugar and cook for another 2 minutes.
9. Turn off the flame and remove to a serving bowl. Your Parshe Macher Tel Jhaal is ready to be served now.
10. If you want you can garnish it with chopped coriander leaves. Some people like it. Though, I don’t prefer to add coriander leaves as this kills the aroma of the fish. Parshe has is own aroma and that is amazing.
