Fish in Tomato & Green Onion Gravy

Pyaj Koli r Tomato Diye Maacher Jhol

My life and that of my entire family took a marked turn in 1964 when we left our home in Burma and moved to India. One of my clearest memories of that time is the happy times we spent with my Mum's family. Her brother's wife and our Mamima made fish this way with tomatoes and green onions.

So when I came across this recipe on the internet, it made me so inspired that I had to try it out immediately. The tempering at the start of the recipe, I was sure, was quite different from my Mamima's way of cooking the gravy. So I consulted my sister over the phone and she confirmed my suspicions. She used garlic instead of ground mustard for a more palatable flavour. The green onions she used were also different from the leafy onion chives we get outside India. The stems of the onion plant with flower buds at the top, available in India, have a much stronger flavour of onion which made the dish outstanding in every way.

But I decided to try this recipe the way it was written, adding my own adaptations along the way. Any white fish, such as snapper, tilapia or carp, will work for this recipe and it goes without saying that fish cut in steaks with the bones intact, always taste much better than filleted fish. I'll try my Mamima's recipe another time and hope to have luck in my hunt for onion stalks in the Asian markets.


Ingredients
1 lb. fish, cut in steaks
1 bundle green onions, cut in 1" segments
1 large tomato, diced
1 Tbsp. ginger paste
3-4 green chilies, minced
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. fenugreek seeds
1 Tbsp. black mustard seeds, dry-ground coarsely in a haman dista (mortar & pestle)
1 tsp. Kashmiri mirch/paprika
3-4 green chilies, left whole with stem removed
1 Tbsp. mustard oil
salt to taste

Directions

1. Toss fish pieces in turmeric and salt, and set aside for 20 minutes.
2. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil over medium-high heat, fry fish until golden brown and set aside.
3. To the same oil, add remaining 2 Tbsp. oil and temper with fenugreek seeds, minced chilies, and ground mustard seeds.
4. When tempering begins to sputter, add ginger paste, paprika and tomatoes.
5. Season with salt and sugar to taste and stir-fry tomatoes until they break down and oil resurfaces.
6. Add fish pieces along with a cup of simmering water.
7. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until gravy thickens.
8. Turn heat off and garnish with green onions and mustard oil.
9.  Serve over a mound of hot, steamed rice.