Preparing fish in poppy seed paste

Fish in poppy seed paste is an delicious and tempting. The poppy seeds have nutritional value and even easy to digest. Fish in poppy seed paste is a bengali dish eaten with rice or chapati. Poppy seeds add texture and also help to thicken a curry. Nigella seeds also termed as ‘seed of blessing’ have a nut like peppery taste, when its tempered in butter or oil adds flavor to the curry. This curry goes well with any sweet white fish but back in native. Rohu also called as Rui fish is used.

Ingredients –

6 medium size Fish pieces

1 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt as per taste

Four green chillies for poppy seed paste( adjust as per your spice preference)

4 tbsp Poppy seeds

3-4 tbsp Mustard oil for cooking + 2 tsp mustard oil for marinating the fish

1/3 tsp Nigella seeds(kalonji)

1/2 cup finely chopped Onions

one medium Tomato roughly chopped

Half tsp red chilli powder ( adjust as per taste)

Finely chopped corriander for garnishing- 1 tbsp

Serving- 2

Method –

Take the poppy seeds in a mixer or spice grinder. Grind coarsely 2-3 times.

Then add ingrediants such as 4 green chillies , pinch of salt and a quarter cup of water or as required.

Also again repeat the process 3-4 times for a smooth mixture. Keep poppy seed paste aside.

Furthurmore marinate clean fish pieces with half a teaspoon of turmeric powder, pinch of salt and 2 teaspoon of mustard oil.

Now heat 3-4 tbsp mustard oil in a pan. When oil is smoking hot, add fish pieces and shallow fry them, till it turns red on both the sides.

Keep the fried pieces aside.

In the same pan, add nigella sides. When seeds stop to crackle, add the onions and fry them till the onions turn light brown.

Then add ingrediants such as chopped tomatoes, salt , turmeric powder, red chilly powder and the green chillies.

Cover with a lid and cook the mixture till the tomatoes become soft and mushy.

Add poppy seed paste. Fry this mixture till oil separates.

Add water for gravy consistency. Boil it. Add the fish.

Cook for 5 minutes then garnish with coriander.

Finally serve hot and enjoy !