Probably, as per school text books it is still spring, and probably we have just played Holi, ‘the festival of spring’ a week back. But barring few, most of the states in India are already under the rage of hot spell and preparing themselves for a more severe summer lying ahead.
Among all the bodily discomforts like rashes, itches, sweating etc, that are inherent part of summer, one thing that is most common in summer across age group is loss of appetite. The mere thought of food especially rich ones, which probably were our weaknesses few days back, start making us uncomfortable. We are scared to put our hands on our beloved biryani or our favourite chicken korma, all of which used to be our life’s motive, just weeks back. And the only thing that the soul and body demand is water.
As lot of favourite and popular dishes take a momentary break from our fancies, to survive it is important we find our alternate ways. And as I have mentioned earlier also, we human beings can do anything. So, we have developed innumerable varieties of light curries and soups along with cool summer drinks that will keep our body and soul at right places during this scorching hot.
A similar story is applicable for today’s dish Shalgom Diye Macher Jhol Or A Light Fish Curry Made With Turnip & Potato for which I am sharing the recipe post. Although may not be originated as the outcome of scorching heat, but this Shalgom Diye Macher Jhol came as a rescue for me when I wanted to have some comfort food in sync with the current weather in Bengaluru, which is really hot, without compromising my typical Bengali blood need, i.e. fish. Turnip though a winter vegetable, is light in tummy and provides a nice break after exploiting our stomach with the rich dishes that we tend to have during winters. And this is the reason why this Shalgom Diye Macher Jhol used to be my mother’s answer to my troubled stomach, after I had overburdened my digestive tract with all my favourite rich winter foods.
Thus, before these precious turnips get away from us for few months, let us catch hold of them and turn them into light and yet flavourful Shalgom Diye Macher Jhol.
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Recipe: Shalgom Diye Macher Jhol Or A Light Fish Curry Made With Turnip & Potato
Preparation Time: Around 21 minutes Time Taken to Fry Fishes: Around 23 minutes Time Taken to Cook Curry: 1 hour 5 minutes Equipment Used: Bowls, a wok, a turner
Ingredients:
- 6 Rohu fish pieces from a 2 kg fish
- 500 gm turnip or 6-7 turnips
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/8 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 8 tablespoon and ½ teaspoon mustard oil
- 2 big to medium sized potatoes
- 1 red chilli
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- ¾ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon jeera powder (cumin powder)
- ¼ teaspoon dhania powder (coriander powder)
- 3 cups water
- 2 green chillies
- Ginger (2.5 cm X 3 cm approx.)
- ½ teaspoon ghee
Method:
- Take out and thaw the fish pieces in advance, if they are frozen
- Clean the fish pieces properly
- Add ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1/8 teaspoon red chilli powder and ½ teaspoon mustard oil to the fish pieces
- Rub the fish pieces with the ingredients properly and keep the fish pieces aside for marination
- Clean the turnips and potatoes. Peel and cut them to big dices. Leave the pieces soaked in water
- Heat a wok and heat 8 tablespoons mustard oil once the wok is hot
- As smoke starts coming out from oil, start frying the fish pieces (1-2 pieces at a time)
- After the fishes are fried, reduce the flame, break red chilli, add bay leaf and fenugreek seeds into the same oil
- Add the diced vegetables into the pan, followed by ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon jeera powder, ¼ teaspoon dhania powder
- Mix the ingredients with a turner. Cover the pan and let the vegetables cook on low flame
- Check the vegetable pieces after around 10 minutes. Add 3 cups water if the vegetable pieces are sufficiently tender
- Slit the green chillies and grate ginger into the pan
- Add the fish pieces when bubbles start forming in the curry
- Cook till you get the desired consistency
- Taste and adjust salt and sugar as you acquire the desired consistency of the curry. I have added another 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon sugar
- Switch off the flame and spread ghee on the curry
Clean the fish pieces properly.
Add ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1/8 teaspoon red chilli powder and ½ teaspoon mustard oil to the fish pieces.
Rub the fish pieces with the ingredients properly and keep the fish pieces aside for marination.
Peel and cut potatoes and turnips to big dices. Leave the pieces soaked in water.
Heat 8 tablespoons mustard oil.
Fry the fish pieces once the oil turns hot.
Reduce the flame, break red chilli, add bay leaf and fenugreek seeds into the same oil.
Add the diced vegetables followed by ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, jeera powder and dhania powder.
Mix and cover the pan and let the vegetables cook on low flame.
Add 3 cups water once the vegetable pieces are sufficiently tender.
Slit green chillies into the curry.
Grate ginger into the curry.
Add the fish pieces when bubbles start forming in the curry and cook till you get the desired consistency.
Taste and adjust salt and sugar.
Switch off the flame and add ghee.
Tips:
- To save time, thaw the fish pieces by keeping them soaked in water
- You may add or reduce the number of fish pieces as per your requirement. Just adjust the quantity of ingredients for marination
- Don’t fry the fish pieces in less oil or on low flame. The pieces might get stuck to the pan and hence they might break
- For even frying, flip the fish pieces once or twice while in the pan
- Don’t thicken the curry too much. This light curry is supposed to be little runny on plate
