Sambal stuffed Mackerel Fry

This is one of the Peranakan / Nyonya recipe that comes from the Peranakans, who are the descendants of early Chinese migrants settled in Penang, Malacca, Singapore and Indonesia. 

This is a very easy recipe and can be eaten with hot steaming rice.

Here I have use the ingredients available in my kitchen as normally fresh Turmeric and shallots are used in the recipe but since I didn’t have them, I used powder turmeric and onion. 

P.S. - Belacan is a hardened block of shrimp paste, made from tiny shrimp mixed with salt and fermented used in Malay cooking.

Sambal Paste

Ingredients

1 medium size Onion chopped

4 Garlic Cloves

3 Fresh Red Chillies or 2 tsp Fresh Red Chilli paste

2 Lemongrass stalk

4 Dry Red Chillies

1 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Sugar - (I didn't use)

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Belacan - Shrimp paste or 1 tbsp Fish Sauce

1 tsp Tamarind pulp

3 to 4 tbsp of Water

1 tbsp Oil

Method 

Add the above ingredients except oil in a grinder and grind the ingredients into a fine paste. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the sambal paste and stir and cook the paste for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep the paste aside to cool.

    

For Fish Fry

Ingredients

4 Mackerel - Slit on both the sides of the back bone

Sambal paste

1/4 cup Oil for shallow frying the fish 

Method

Take the fish. Stuff the fish with one tablespoon of sambal paste on each side of the cut. Take a pan, add oil and heat the oil. Shallow fry the fish on medium low heat till cooked on both the sides. Remove fish from pan. Serve the fish with hot steaming rice.

Bhindi Gosht ka Salan

Okra - Meat is a simple recipe from Pakistan and India. In Hyderabadi Cuisine the same recipe is made with more souring ingredients added to the dish. This is mainly a summer dish as the best time for okras to grow is summer, even though now a days it’s found all round the season. This is a medium gravy dish. There are many ways to make it. This dish can be enjoyed with Paratha or Roti.

Ingredients

650 grams Mutton cut into medium pieces

250 grams Okras wash, cut the top and bottom and slit from center

3 medium size Onions chopped 

1 small Tomato chopped

2 Green Chillies slit

Some chopped Coriander leaves for garnishing 

1 tbsp Garlic and Ginger paste

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder spicy 

1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1 tbsp Coriander powder

Salt to taste

1/2 cup Oil

1 1/2 cups of water 

Method

Take a pressure pan. Add 1/4 cup oil. Let it heat. Add the okras and let it cook till fried. Remove the okras and keep it aside. Add the remaining oil in the pan. Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala powder,coriander powder and salt. Sauté the powder masala in oil for few seconds on low flame. Add 2 tbsp water so that the masala doesn’t get burnt. Add the onions, tomato and ginger - garlic paste. Stir and sauté it for a minute. Add the meat and sauté it till the oil separates from the masala. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and let it cook till the meat is tender. To save on time, cover the pressure pan and give 3 whistles. Let the pressure realises. Open the lid and stir. Add green chillies and okras. Stir and let it cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve it hot with roti or paratha.

Kacha Aamer ar Kacha Laal Lonkar Chutney

Due to the intense heat in Mumbai, going into the kitchen and cooking is a big noooo.... The only food I cook is very basic  simple  dal and rice or just some curry to have it with rice and that’s it. Only dish I prefer the most is dal and rice with with some Pickle or Chutney. Here is a superb recipe of Green Mango and Red Chilli Chutney that can be kept for 5 to 6 months in the fridge and it goes well the dal - rice or any fried starter or paratha. In Bengal, Kacha Aamer Chutney is made with panch phoron seasoning and flavoured with roasted panch phoron powder. Taking inspiration from the authentic traditional recipe here is my innovative version of the Chutney.. 

Ingredients 

3 cups of grated Green Mangoes ( Washed, Peeled and then grated )

1/2 cup Red Chilli Pepper paste ( Red Chilli Pepper is a variety of red fresh chilli which is less spicy, cut them into pieces and remove excess seeds, add them into the grinder and make paste)

1 and 1/4 tbsp Ginger grated 

1/2 cup White Vinegar 

1/3 cup chopped Seedless Dates 

1/4 cup Raisins 

2 tsp Roasted Panch Phoron powder 

2 cups Sugar 

1 tsp Salt 

1 tsp Nigella seeds

2 Bay Leaves 

2 Dry Red Chilli cut into small pieces 

2 tbsp Mustard Oil 

2 cups of Water

Method 

Take oil in a pot, add oil, let it heat up. Add the nigella seeds, bay leaves and dry red chilli pieces. Stir and cook until the nigella seeds crackles. Add the green grated mangoes, stir and cook for few seconds. Add ginger, dates, raisins and salt. Stir for 2 minutes. Add the red chilli pepper paste, sugar, vinegar and water. Let it cook and simmer on low flame till the sugar syrup thickens up and looks glossy. Add the roasted panch phoron powder. Stir and let cook for few minutes. Switch off the flame. Let it cool, store the mango and red chilli chutney in a dry glass bottle. Serve the Chutney with dal - rice or it can be eaten as an accomplishment  with any fried starters or paratha. 

Panch Phoron is equal portions of Nigella Seeds, Fenugreek seeds, Celery Seeds, Cumin Seeds and Fennel seeds. As Celery seeds are not always available every where, use Mustard seeds instead of Celery seeds.