Narasingha Diya Masor jool

Since last evening I was craving for a typical Assamese fish preparation called Narasigha Masor Jool / Fish curry with Curry leaves. We all know what health benefits curry leaves carry within them. Back home, this fish curry used to be a special one; not very regularly cooked like the other tangy preparation or Masor tenga. But atleast once in a month this was made specially if anyone was unwell and was suffering from loss of appetite. We in Assam eat river fish. So this is also made with river fishes.

Here it goes :

Ingredients 

A bunch of tender curry leaves / Narasingha paat ( in Assamese)
Few fish pieces ( I cooked Katla / 3 pieces)
One boiled Potato ( optional)
Turmeric ( To marinate and to put into the curry)
Salt ( To marinate and to put into the curry)
Half tea spoon of mustard seeds
One teaspoon of black pepper powder.
Mustard oil 

Method

Wash the fish pieces and add turmeric and salt and keep aside for 10 minutes. Wash the curry leaves and grind them. I remember while growing up there were a pair of mortar and pestle at home and curry leaves were ground using these. But now it's the job of a grinder. 

Half fry the fish pieces in mustard oil and keep aside. Add one table spoon of mustard oil into a kadahi / vessel. When the oil gets hot, splutter some mustard seeds. Add little turmeric and salt as per taste. Pour the ground curry leaves paste. Let it cook for 5 minutes. Coarsely mash the boiled potato and add into the curry leaves at this stage. As everything gets mixed well, add 2 cups of hot water. Bring this curry to boil. Add the fish pieces now and sprinkle a teaspoon of black pepper powder. Let the fish curry boil for 6-7 minutes. 



Serve hot with steamed rice.

While the curry was boiling, the aroma of the curry leaves filled the kitchen and transporting me back to my childhood. This was the aroma of afternoons at home on school holidays. Why did I grow up!

Assamese Fish Tenga with Cauli Flower

We Assamese love fish. The most famous Assamese fish preparation is of course the Fish Tenga. Tenga means sour in Assamese. Fish tenga is a thin runny gravy with a souring agent like Lemon, Tomato, Elephant Apple (Ou Tenga) or fermented bamboo shoots. Tomato is staple. These days the "Hybrid" Tomatoes lack the sourness required for tenga. Hence lemon to rescue.


This Sunday for lunch I made this oh so Assamese fish preparation. Then I thought of sharing the recipe here. But please note we in Assam have river fish not sea fish. So our fish preparations are made of river fishes.


Ingredients :


I am still home alone. Hence the quantity.


Rohu or Rui Fish - 2 pieces
Tomato - 1
Cauli flower - a small one. May be 200 gms.
Potato - 1
Half tea spoon of Paanch Foron or 5 spices ( Like Bengalis, this is a very important ingredient in all Assamese kitchens)
Green Chili - 1
Half a lemon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tea spoon to marinate fish pieces and 1/2 tea spoon for the curry.
Salt as per taste
Mustard oil - For frying the fish and then making the curry.


To Garnish


Chopped Coriander leaves


The Assamese Fish Tenga with Cauli Flower

Marinate the fish pieces with little turmeric powder and salt for 15 minutes. Half fry them in mustard oil in a pan / Kedahi. Remove the fish pieces from oil and keep aside.

Fried Fish pieces

Boil the potato and cut into medium pieces. Cut the cauli flower to medium pieces too.


In the same Kedahi add little more oil, if required. Once the oil is hot add paanch foron. Add the cauli flower and tomato pieces and fry them. Add turmeric powder. Once these are cooked, add boiled potato pieces and cook everything together for 2 minutes.

Cauli flower, Tomato & Potato getting cooked.

Heat some water and add the hot water into the cauli flower tomato potato mixture. Add salt accordingly. The Assamese fish tenga is a thin runny curry so please keep that in mind while adding salt and water. Squeeze half a lemon into the curry now.


Let the curry come to a boil.  Now add the fish pieces. Let the curry boil in low flame for 6-7 minutes.

Assamese Fish Tenga with Cauli Flower

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.


Serve hot with steamed rice.