Doi Maach

Doi maach is a very authentic Bengali preparation served typically at lunch with pulao or white rice on a festive occasion. 

Note: We all know well fish is a very healthy food. Good protein, omega-3 fatty acids and calcium are present in good amounts. At the same time we recommend not to eat excess fish because of contamination. Fish is contaminated with chemicals, pesticides and heavy metals. Not only the marine fish but also the sweet water fish has these contamination problems.

Curd is healthy. We use milk and dairy products to get calcium. With this good argument we overeat this and suffer because excess calcium and protein can remove calcium from our bones. 

What will happen if we eat both, fish and curd together? Can it cause stomach cramps or white patches on the skin?

Fish and curd combination does not cause leucoderma (vitiligo) which can cause white patches on the skin. The reason for this disease is the destruction of cells which produce the skin pigment melanin. This combination cannot destroy the skin cells. Even strict vegetarians get this disease. The regular, traditional fish eaters do not have it more than the average.

There is no scientific basis for this belief. In many countries fish are marinated or cooked in milk and dairy products. Many have no problems.

At the same time we should not forget the milk protein allergy and lactose intolerance. You can enjoy fish and curd moderately as long as there are no problems. I have no problem to enjoy both together. Yes, it is a myth.

Doi maach 

Ingredients

• 5 Pieces fish 
• 5 tbsp Curd 
• 1 Large onion 
• 1 Large ginger 
• 4 tsp Cardamom powder 
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder 
• 1 tsp Cumin seed powder 
• 2 Green chillies (chopped) 
• Oil for frying 
• Red chilli and salt to taste

Method

• Chop onion and grind it to make a paste.
• Grind ginger to make a paste.
• Wash the fish pieces properly.
• Add salt and turmeric powder to fish pieces.
• Heat the oil.
• Fry onion paste, ginger paste, cumin seed powder and cardamom powder.
• Add fish and fry till it gets cooked.
• Now mix curd and chopped green chillies.
• Put it over medium flame till it gets cooked properly.
• Serve Dahi (Doi) Mach hot with rice.

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Surmai Tawa Fry

Indo-Pacific king mackerel or popularly (spotted) seer fish (Scomberomorus guttatus) is a sea fish among the mackerel variety of fishes. It is found in around the Indian ocean and adjoining seas.

It is a popular game fish and grows up to 45 kg (100 lbs) and is a strong fighter, that has on occasion been seen to leap out of the water when hooked. It is excellent tablefare and is primarily caught by sportfishermen trolling with plugs (Rapala or Stretch 25+, 30+) or feathers/jigs, and on 30 lbf (130 N) tackle it is extremely sporting. At times it is possible to catch more than one by casting silver spoons or pirks when one is hooked while trolling.

It is very popular among the countries of the Indian subcontinent including India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. It's a fairly expensive fish that's considered a delicacy in most places. In addition to being cooked and eaten when fresh, it is also used to make fish pickle, usually eaten as a condiment with rice.
It is known by various names, such as Surmai in Marathi, Vanjaram in Telugu,Vanjaram or NeiMeen in Tamil, NeiMeen or Aykkoora in Malayalam, Anjal in Tulu, Arkoli in Kannada, Iswaan in Konkani and Thora in Sinhala.

Surmai Tawa Fry

Ingredients

• 250 g Surmai Fish Pieces 
• 1 1/4 tsp Pepper (crushed) 
• 1/2 tsp Red Chilly Powder 
• 1/2 tsp Chilly Flakes 
• 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice 
• 1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste 
• 1/4 cup Curry Leaves 
• Oil (for frying) 
• Salt (to taste)

Method

• Marinate fish with pepper, red chilly powder, chilly flakes, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, and salt for 30 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pan. Fry curry leaves and add fish pieces. Fry until the fish turns golden brown.
• Serve hot.

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Malabar mathi curry

Malabar mathi curry also known as fish curry, is an Indian dish with Chinese roots. It consists of sardines semi-stewed in a Kerala-style curry with assorted vegetables, such as okra or onions. It is usually served with rice, naan, bread, or tapioca. The dish is most popular in Kerala, Bangladesh, and West Bengal, where rice and fish are staple foods. Other variations may include adding tamarind juice or coconut milk. Malabar mathi curry is a dish of relative popularity amongst Malaysians, Singaporeans, and their tourists, although it is generally not categorized as hawker fare.

The origins of the modern dish can be traced back to Kerala. The dish started as an attempt to extend Indian cuisine to include a wider clientele, notably Chinese customers, who considered curry prepared with fish heads a specialty. Today, most restaurants of Indian, Malay, Chinese, or Peranakan cuisines serve a variation of this dish.

Malabar mathi curry

Ingredients

• 250 g Shell fish or any other fish
• 3/4 coconuts
• 1 big onion
• 4 green chilies
• 2 cm ginger piece
• 1/2 garlic pod
• 1 small onion chopped

Seasoning

• 2 tsp chili powder
• Small ball of tamarind
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek
• 2 tbsp coriander powder
• 1/2 bunch coriander leaves
• 1 tsp aniseed
• 1 curry leaf
• 1 big tomato
• 2 tbsp oil

Method

• Clean and cut the fish into big slices. Peel garlic and scrape ginger. Cut tomato into 4 pieces. Soak tamarind in water. Extract milk from 1/2 coconut and keep aside.
• Roast rest of the coconut gratings with aniseed, chopped onions and curry leaves in 1 tbsp oil till gratings are brown. Grind this mixture to form a smooth paste.
• Grind garlic and ginger to a paste. Fry this paste also in oil.
• To ginger-garlic paste add water, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt. Boil for a minute.
• Cook fish till it is almost done. To this, mix coconut paste along with coconut milk. Finally add curry leaves and coriander leaves. Boil and remove from fire.

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Andhra Chapala Pulusu / Andhra Fish Stew

Andhra Chapala Pulusu or Andhra Fish Stew is one of famous coastal food.  Andhra is more famous for its own spice and this stew made of the tangy tamarind and coriander stew.  This dish is served with rice and mostly seen in coastal areas of Andhra.  Nellore region is more known for this dish.

Andhra Chapala Pulusu

Ingredients

• Cat fish – 2 lbs
• Tomato – 1 medium size
• Onions – 2 medium size
• Green chilies – 6
• Ginger, garlic paste – 1 table spoon
• Methi seeds – 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 2 tsp
• Olive oil – 2 Table spoons
• Poppy seeds – 1 table spoon
• Dry coconut powder – 1 table spoon
• Tamarind – big lemon size ball (add water and microwave it for 1 min prior to starting the dish)
• Salt for taste
• Red chili powder – 1 table spoon
• Coriander leaves for garnish
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

Method

• Clean the fish with salt and turmeric and cut into big cubes
• In a wide non stick pan take ½ table spoon of oil and fry the pieces on both sides until golden brown. Leave it aside without taking out from the pan.
• In another pan take the remaining oil and add finely chopped onions and chilies fry till golden brown.
• Add ginger garlic paste, above onion paste, turmeric powder, salt and red chili powder. Mix the contents thoroughly and fry it in simmer until the raw smell of ginger garlic disappears. Add the poppy seeds mix. Now add 1 chopped tomato, let it cook on low heat until the contents become to paste consistency.
• No need to add water yet since the tomato is added. To this mixture add tamarind juice, add water to the gravy until the right sour taste and consistency is reached, and make sure the salt and chili powder is enough. Let it come to a boil, then simmer for 10 min. becomes semi thick tasty gravy (pulusu).
• Now, transfer all the gravy into the big pan where the fish was fried before. Hold the pan and move it side by side, do not use a spatula to mix since the fish pieces will fall apart. Let it simmer on low flame until the oil separates from the gravy.
• Garnish with garam masala and coriander leaves.
• Serve with hot rice. Tastes great once the dish cools down.

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