Macchh’er Dhokar Dalna/Fish & Lentil Cake Curry By Pritha Dutta

This is one of the trick recipes that a Bengali Kitchen can surprise you with. Present this dish before your family and friends, and ask them to guess what it is, before tasting, of course. Well, to me, meal times are all about conversations. This is one time when I try to gather the family ’round the table, together, and spend some time in each other’s company. Meal time is an oasis of connecting with dear ones in times when everyone is beyond imaginable busy. How do you celebrate your mealtimes?

The recipe is from the kitchen of Pritha Dutta, who is a home cook; who also offers some of her condiments under the brand-name ‘PriServes’.

Ingredients :

1. For the Dhoka :
Rohu/Katla Fish – 3 pieces/300 gms (fried, de-boned and mashed)
Chana Dal – 1 cup (lightly dry roasted, soaked for 3-4 hours and ground into a fine paste)
Onion Juice – 1 tbsp
Ginger paste – 1 tsp
Green Chilli Paste – 1 tsp
Fennel/Mouri seeds – 1 tsp
Asafoetida – a pinch
Baking Powder – ½ tsp
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Salt & Sugar to taste
Mustard Oil for deep frying

2. For the gravy :
Onion Paste – 2 tbsps
Ginger & Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp
Tomato – 1 large (pureed)
Red Chilli Paste – 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
Bay leaves – 2
6-7 Cloves, 2 inch Cinnamon Stick and 5-6 Green Cardamoms – Dry roasted and roughly ground
Salt & Sugar – to taste
Raisins – a handful
Water – 2 cups
Mustard Oil – ½ cup
Ghee – 1 tbsp

Method :
Blend all the ingredients stated above for the dhoka, except for the mustard oil. Now grease a flat-bottomed with raised sides microwave proof dish with ghee and pour the mix in. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Check with a fork if it’s done. If not, microwave for 3 more minutes. Remove and set aside. Once the cake has cooled down reasonably, cut it into bite size cubes. Those without a microwave can steam the mix in a pressure cooker. Now heat oil in a kadai and deep fry the dhoka pieces. Set aside.
For the gravy, heat fresh oil in the kadai. Add the bay leaves. Add all the masalas and the pureed tomato except for the garam masala and the raisins. Cook in low flame till oil starts to leave the sides. Add 2 cups of water. Raise the flame and bring to a boil. Add salt and a little sugar. Add the garam masala. Add the dhoka pieces. Simmer in low flame for about 5 minutes. Add raisins (optional) and 1 tbsp of ghee. Remove from heat. Serve hot with steamed rice, pulao or bread of choice.