Rohu fish curry (Bihari style) using mustard

Married in a Bihari family, I learnt from my mother-in-law this Rohu fish curry (Bihari style) using mustard. Lets learn their style of favorite non vegeterian dish today exactly as is prepared in their state of Bihar.

Washed Rohu fish pieces

INGREDIENTS :

FOR MARINADE :

(1) 1 Kg Rohu fish

(2) 1 teaspoon of Turmeric powder / Haldi 

(3) 2-3 teaspoon of Red Chilli powder

(4) 2 teaspoon of Salt

FOR GRAVY :

(1) Half piece of a medium sized Onion, coarsely chopped

(2) Two small Tomatoes, coarsely chopped

(3) 2 whole green chillies

(4) 4 whole red chillies (Add as per spicy taste required)

(5) 5 cloves of Garlic

(6) 2 teaspoon of Jeera / Cumin seeds

(7) 2 pieces of Cloves

(8) 3 pieces of green Cardamom (green elaichi)

(9) 4 teaspoon of yellow Mustard seeds (Pila Sarso)

(10) Half teaspoon of Black Pepper powder

(11) 4 teaspoon of Coriander seeds (whole)

(12) 1/4 teaspoon of Methi seeds / Fenugreek seeds

(13) 1/4 teaspoon of Turmeric powder

(14) 4 tablespoon of Mustard oil (Sarso ka tel)

(15) Cooking oil, preferably Mustard oil for frying fish

(16) Salt to taste

(17) Coriander leaves for garnish

METHOD :

(1) Clean the pieces of fish thoroughly under water. Marinate it with 3 teaspoon of salt (Approximately), 1 teaspoon of Turmeric powder and 3 teaspoon of Red Chilli powder.

Keep aside for 15 minutes.

Marinated Rohu fish pieces

(2) Keep the ingredients for preparing gravy on a plate as shown, all together. The ingredients are Onion, Tomatoes, whole green chillies, whole red chillies, garlic cloves, Jeera, Cloves, green Cardamom, yellow Mustard seeds, black pepper powder, Coriander seeds (whole).

(3) Transfer these into a grinding jar and add half glass of water. Then grind the mixture to form a smooth paste as given in the images.

(4) Heat Cooking oil, preferably Mustard oil in a kadhai / wok and shallow fry all the fish pieces and keep them aside.

(5) I carried on the process of making gravy in a separate kadhai.

Heat 4 tablespoon of Cooking oil / Mustard oil in a separate kadhai / wok.

(6) Add 1/4 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds / Methi dana to this warm oil and wait for the colour to change.

(7) When this happens, add the ground paste from the grinding jar into the kadhai.

(8) Add 1/4 teaspoon of Turmeric powder and salt to taste.

Saute the paste for 3-5 minutes. 

(9) Add 1 glass of water to this and simmer for 5 minutes.

(10) The gravy will dry up, keep adding water and simmer till 20 minutes are over and the gravy is cooked well and the oil separates. 

Various stages of simmering and cooking the gravy are shown below.

(11) When the gravy is cooked and the raw smell of the onion disappears, add the fried fish pieces. 

(12) Add water to adjust the thickness of the gravy and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes over low flame

(13) Fish curry is ready.

(14) Serve it in a serving bowl, with coriander leaves garnishing over it.

(15) Serve it with plain rice and aloo bhujia / Potato dry sabji,