Tangra Maachh er gharoa ranna/Tangra- a freshwater fish – cooked in a homely way
The earliest memories of this dish goes back to my childhood days at my maternal grandparent’s home where my maternal grand mom used to make this dish for us, especially in winter months, when fresh eggplants and spring onions or onion greens were abundant in the market. When cooking this in winter, nani used to cook the dish the night before, leave the dish overnight on the table, properly covered. A thin layer of spice and oil was seen on the following morning; and this added special taste to the dish when served with steamed rice.
Ingredients:
- Tangra maach/ Tangra- a freshwater fish
- Onions (chopped)
- Tomatoes (chopped)
- Ginger-garlic-onion paste
- Turmeric powder
- Chilli powder
- Salt
- Sugar
- Mustard Oil
Preparation:
- Clean and pat dry the fish
- Rub salt and turmeric on them
- Heat oil in a wok till smoking
- Now lower the flame and add the fishes
- Turn the flame to high
- Fry both sides by turning the fish
- Keep aside
- Now fry the chopped onion till brown
- Then add ginger-garlic-onion paste and a little water and cook the masala
- Mix turmeric and chilli powder in a little water and add to the pan
- Add salt and a little sugar
- When fried, add chopped tomatoes
- Keep frying the masala
- When done, add water and bring to a boil
- Now add the fried fish (tangra is a firm fish and therefore required a little more water for cooking)
- Lower the flame and cook
- When the fish has been cooked and softened, cook away the extra water (if any) and take it off the flame
- Swirl a little mustard oil on top
- Note: you can also add potatoes to this dish. In that case, cut the potatoes lengthwise in medium-sized pieces. Add the potatoes after onion is half-fried and fry till potatoes turn golden. During this stage you may also add spring onions or onion greens finely chopped. Then add all the masalas. You can also add fried lentil-dumplings when the liquid is boiling. Some also put brinjal in this. (Fry the eggplant pieces with salt, turmeric and a little sugar and keep aside. Then add them to the dish just before turning off flame).