Fish Curry (Oriya Style) : ''Dahi Macha''

I say this is 'Mummy Style' Dahi Macha.

This dish is popular in the Eastern parts of India, especially Orissa and West Bengal. There are several ways to make Fish with curd based gravy. I love it best the way my mother makes it and couldn't help but learn it from her. A typical Oriya dish and this is my Mummy's way of making it, hence I have pet named this dish 'Dahi-Macha (Fish with Curd) Mummy Style'.

All that I use:
(Serves 4)

• Fish – ½ kg (though the best is Indian fresh/sea water fish (especially Rohu), any other kind of fish is ok too. I have tried with fillets of different kinds too – Mahi Mahi, Tilapia, Salmon)

• Curd – 2 cups

• Onion – 1 big

• Tomato – 1

• Green chilies – 4

• Curry leaves – Few

• Garlic cloves – 4

• Mustard seeds – 2 tsp

• Mustard oil – 6 tsp

• Salt – To taste

How I make it:

• Cut the onion into broad long slices.

• Chop the tomato into medium sized blocks.

• Slice the green chilies lengthwise, into two.

• Cut the fish into medium sized pieces. (Keep in mind that we won’t be stirring the preparation much so don’t cut the fish into too small pieces, as they will break).

• Stir the curd in a bowl till it is fluffy and uniform.

• Put the garlic cloves and mustard seeds in a blender, with a little water. Blend them into a fine paste.

• Take a Kadhai (skillet - cooking dish). Add all the ingredients including the paste that we just made. Lightly stir all the stuff in the skillet, so that it uniformly gets mixed. Now add the raw fish, making sure that you don’t crush/break the pieces of fish.

• Switch the gas on, cover the dish and let it cook on medium flame.

• In 20-30 minutes the fish will be cooked and you will get the aroma. It indicates that our fish is done and ready to be all eaten up!!

• This dish needs minimal stirring; else the fish pieces will break. The fish will simmer and get cooked slowly.

Don’t you worry, no ways would it smell raw or anything fishy!!!

P.S. - This dish should be prepared with Mustard oil only.