PABDA TEL BORIR JHOL

(BUTTER FISH CURRY WITH LENTIL DUMPLINGS)

The Indian butterfish, delicate, tender-fleshed and full of flavour, is one of the best fish for a light gravy or ‘jhol’ as it is called in Bengal. And the small handmade lentil dumplings, or bori, add to the taste of nostalgic home cooking.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Serves: 2 persons

2 Pabdas (butterfish)

(100 gm each)

60 ml mustard oil

2 pinches of nigella seeds

2 tsp ginger paste

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp red chilli powder

4–5 slit green chillies

4–5 bori (lentil dumplings)

5 gm mustard paste

Salt to taste

1.	Wash and clean the fish.
2.	Apply a mixture of salt and turmeric powder evenly on the body of the fish and keep aside for 10 minutes.
3.	Heat mustard oil in a pan and sauté the fish lightly. Remove and set aside.
4.	In the same oil, fry the bori till brown. Remove and set aside.
5.	Retain 20 ml of the oil, temper with Nigella seeds and slit green chillies. As they splutter, add the ginger paste and sauté.
6.	Take a bowl, add 100 ml water, and add ¼ tsp turmeric powder and ¼ tsp red chilli powder. Mix and pour it in the pan.
7.	Add a further 200 ml of water and bring it to a boil. At this point, add the fish and cover the pan with a lid. Let it simmer till the fish is half cooked.
8.	Remove the lid and add the bori, mustard paste, and adjust seasoning.
9.	Cook till the fish is done and the gravy is of a thin consistency.
10.	Serve hot with steamed rice.