Macher Charchari is an absolute charred deliciousness to die for and it is made with seasonal vegetables along with generous amount of onion and garlic sometimes. Bengali cuisine has very unique names of cooking methods for vegtarian dish and non-vegetarian dish, such as jhal. jhol, kosha, ghonto, ghyat, bhaja, pora, labra and last but not least chorchori or charchari. Today's post is Charchari and it's a Bengali delicacy with dry type charred mixed vegetables dish or sometimes veggies mixed with small fish and fish head.
Bengali cuisine uses veg item with non veg items together specially with fish. Fish curry known as macher jhol or jhal with the additions of array of different seasonal vegetables. This Bengali special Macher Charchari with some sort of small fish with potato, eggplant and lots of onion, garlic, fresh green chilies Ma used to make all year round, sometimes even with fish stakes. I make this dish with wild caught fresh smelt fish.
Making Macher Charchari needs little care as these fish are very fragile while cooked. They fall apart easily. I shallow fry in batches, then veggies are swallow fried separately and at last I layer veggies and fish in the pan to cook over medium low heat and let water to evaporate without stirring. It sizzles at the end wonderfully and leaves a charred bottom. A wonderful charred fish and veggies goes fantastic with plain rice.
Lately I have been broiling smelt fish in the oven with minimum oil instead of swallow frying. This method is less messy as frying in a pan splatters too much. I use mostly eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, onion, ginger garlic, fresh green chilies, salt, turmeric and paprika for nice color. No other spices and gorom mashala needed at all.
Ingredients~
1 lb. smelt fish, cleaned, gutted, washed and pat dried
2 medium Chinese eggplants, cut into wedges
1 large potato, cut into medium thick strips
1 big tomato, cut into wedges
6-7 chilies, 2 cut into thin slices
1 cup onion, julienned
1 1 /2 tsp ginger, julienned
2 tsp garlic , julienned
A few sprigs of coriander leaves
3/4 tsp salt or to taste
1/3 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 cup oil
1/8 cup water
Smear smelt fish with little turmeric and salt. Arrange the fish pieces in the baking sheet in a single layer and drizzle with 1 tbsp oil. Broil on high heat for 7 minutes each side, turning once. While fish is browning in the oven heat remaining oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Saute potato, eggplant,ginger garlic, green chilies with paprika, salt and turmeric, stirring often for 5-6 minutes. Add in onions to the pan and stir fry for a few more minutes, then add in tomato wedges and stir fry until the vegetables just tender. Reduce heat to medium. Take some veggies out of the pan and place some cooked fish over the veggies left in the pan and finish off with veggies. Pour water over layered fish-veggies and cover the pan for 5 minutes. Shake the pan gently occasionally and let the veggie and fish layer sizzle for a while uncovered. Make sure not to burn the bottom too much. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with coriander leaves and extra green chilies. This is truly deliciousness of smelt fish and spiced veggies. Serve with plain rice. Enjoy!
 |
| Happy Cooking! |
No comments:
Post a Comment