Salmon Maacher Pulao - Fish Pilaf

Fish Pilaf

A complete one-dish meal, this pilaf combines salmon, cauliflower and potatoes with rice for a flavour-filled dish. Fish pilaf needs a strong tasting fish such as ilish or salmon. Both kinds of fish are fatty, omega-3 rich varieties that impart the required flavour to the mild flavours of the rest of the ingredients. It's best to use bone-in fish to maximize on taste so fish heads would also work here.

Salmon Cooked with Onions & Tomatoes in a Mustard Gravy

Salmon Maacher Jhaal

Daddy loved fishing, although he didn't get much time for his hobby. He worked as a family physician at his clinic from Monday through Saturday and half-day on Sunday. I remember the time when, from one of his fishing expeditions, he brought home a sea turtle and laid it on the kitchen floor. We were fascinated by this sea creature, but strangely enough, I can't remember what happened to it. We didn't have it for dinner, I don't think.

When I was living in California, my aunt and I met a family from Burma and Mr. Fenton also loved to fish. His favorite fishing spot was Puddingstone Reservoir and he would return home with loads of blue gill which he would drop off at my place to clean. Blue gill tastes a lot like climbing perch (Bengalis call it koi maach). The taste of fresh caught fish just can't be beat.

Here in Michigan, Hubby has re-connected with a friend from work who has been fishing since he was a young boy. He goes fishing in the St. Clair river and showed me a picture of the salmon he caught a couple of days before. His question was whether we'd like some fresh salmon or smoked, so I asked for a little of both. The smoked salmon was outstanding and I marvelled at how well he had cleaned the fish. There was not a scale in sight and believe me, they were miniscule.

So the fresh piece of salmon brings me right back to this blog. I cut the fillet into cubes and cooked it the way Bengalis love their fish - in mustard gravy. Salmon reminds me of Ilish (or Hilsa) and they both have similar spawning habits. Both species of fish live in the sea or ocean, but make their way back to the river in which they were born and swim against the current to spawn. Just like Ilish, Salmon is an oily fish and is full of flavor.

Easy Easy Tandoori Salmon Curry

Easy Tandoori Salmon Curry
by Rene Chaudhuri

This is my sister's recipe for a very easy Tandoori fish curry. She used wild Pacific salmon in this dish.

Ingredients:

1 lb. (500 gms.) cubed fillets of fish (Pacific Wild Salmon used here)

1/3 pkg. (15 gms.) Shan Tandoori mix, or to taste

2 heaped Tbsp. Yogurt

1½ Tbsp. vegetable oil

Slit green chillies for garnish

Directions:

Marinate fish in Tandoori mix, yogurt and oil for 30 minutes.

Microwave 2 minutes or until fish is firm and flaky. 

Notes: Lime juice can be used to replace yogurt.

This dish will definitely taste better with belly (peti) pieces.

Salmon in Mustard Gravy

Salmon Macher Jhal

Ingredients: 

1 large Salmon fillet, cut in pieces

Phoron:
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
½ tsp. nigella seeds (kalo jeera)

2 Tbsp. posto (white poppy seeds)
4 Tbsp. black mustard seeds

1 large onion, sliced
¼ tsp. turmeric powder
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
Salt to taste
Pinch of sugar
5-6 plum tomatoes
1½ cups hot water 

Garnish with:
1 Tbsp. chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
3 green chilies
1 tsp. ghee

Directions: 

1. Soak mustard seeds and 1 Tbsp. salt in tepid water overnight. 
2. Soak posto in hot water for 15 minutes. 
3. Strain the mustard and blend with posto.
4. Marinate the fish slices for 10 minutes in turmeric & salt. 
5. Fry fish lightly on both sides and set aside.
6. Add 3 Tbsp. oil to pan over high heat and add nigella seeds.
7. When seeds begin to sputter, fry the onions and tomato paste until oil resurfaces.
8. Add blended posto and mustard to the pan.
9. Sauté for 3 minutes, add the hot water, plum tomatoes and fish pieces.
10. Place lid on pan and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
11. Adjust salt to taste and add sugar. 
12. Garnish with coriander leaves, green chilies and ghee.

Fish in Mustard Gravy

Tilapia Macher Jhal

I find that making this dish on the spur of the moment is not  possible because mustard seeds need to be soaked overnight in salt and water to get rid of its bitterness.  Using Coleman’s  Mustard saves a lot of time.  The other time-saver is to add the fish directly to the gravy instead of frying it beforehand.  This steams the fish, keeping it moist and tender.  

Inspiration for this recipe is attributed to Dipanwita Banerjee who is a wonderful cook!

Ingredients:

1 lb. Salmon, Tilapia or Catfish fillets or steaks

Soak next two ingredients for 15 minutes and grind into paste:

3 Tbsp. white poppy seeds (posto)

¾ cup boiling water

Stir into paste and set aside for 10 minutes:

1 Tbsp. Coleman’s English Mustard superfine powder

Phoron:

3 Tbsp. oil

½ tsp. nigella seeds (kalo jeera/kalonji)

2 green chilies, sliced

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 medium onion, sliced

4 Tbsp. Hunt’s tomato sauce (not ketchup) or 2 medium tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup hot water

 Salt to taste

Garnish with:

1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

Directions:

1.    Soak poppy seeds in boiling water for 15 minutes & blend both until smooth.
2.    Stir in Coleman’s Mustard and set aside for 10 minutes.
3.    Cut fish fillets in half.  If using fish steaks, leave whole.
4.    Heat oil in saucepan; add nigella seeds & chilies.
5.    When seeds begin to sputter, fry onions until translucent.
6.    Add tomato sauce or chopped tomatoes, lower heat & simmer until oil resurfaces.
7.    Stir in poppy seed paste & simmer for 5 minutes.
8.    Add ½ cup hot water, bring to a boil and add fish pieces.  
9.    Cook over low heat for 5 more minutes.
10.    Adjust salt to taste, garnish with cilantro and serve.