Fish curry with cauliflower and Potato/Mach eer dalna

Mach eer Dalna or Fish Curry with Potatoes and Cauliflower

This dish is flavourful and has a tomato base with mild whole garam masala flavours .Goes well with hot steaming rice and a slice of  lemon on side.



Preparation time - 10 min marination of fish and other preparation 10 min
Cooking Time - 30 minutes

Ingredients:-

1. Fish ( I used  3 steaks of Bass fish but you can use Rohu,Carp,Bhetki )
2. 4-5  florets of cauliflower
3. 3 medium Potatoes cut into halves horizontally.
4. 1Indian chilly
5. Half of a big Tomato.
6. 3/4 th of a big Onion.
7. 1 inch Ginger
8. Whole Spices (1 bay leaf,1/4 teaspoon Cumin/Jeera,2-3 cloves,1 inch Cinnamon,2 green cardamom)
9. Masala/ Spice paste ( make a wet paste of  1/4th teaspoon paprika/Kashmiri red chilly powder + 1/4th teaspoon Cayenne/red chilly powder+1/4th teaspoon turmeric powder+1 teaspoon Cumin /Jeera Powder +1/2 teaspoon coriander powder)I used about 4 teaspoon water to make the paste and keep it aside.
10. Half teaspoon Sugar ( optional )
11. Salt for marinating fish and in the curry ( I used 1 teaspoon in the curry and 1/4th teaspoon for marinating the fish )
12. Turmeric powder less than 1/4 teaspoon to marinate the fish.
13. Oil ( preferably Mustard oil  or Vegetable oil ) about 3-4 tablespoon for frying fish and veggies and making the curry.
14. Water as needed to make the Curry consistency.

Preparation:-

1. Chop the Onion and make a paste with little water in the grinder.
2. Tomato minced .
3. Ginger wither make a paste with little water or crush with mortar and pestle.
4. Cut the Potatoes into horizontal  halves.
5. Cut the cauliflower into medium size florets
6. Make the wet Masala/Spice paste with water as stated above.



Cooking:-

1. Marinate the Fish with salt and turmeric and keep aside for 10 mins

2. Take an utensil ( I use non stick ) and add about 4 table spoon of oil and fry the fish steaks properly.If you want to skimp the oil then you may bake the fish in the oven and lightly broil it.

3. Keep aside the fish and in the same oil add the Potatoes and Cauliflowers with a sprinkle of turmeric and salt.I fried them together to save time ,do not cook them completely as you want them to be cooked with the curry also.Keep aside.

4. Add little more oil if required and then add the Sugar and let it caramelize but be careful not to burn it.Maintain the flame between low to medium. If you are not good with caramelizing you can skip the step and add sugar in the curry or skip adding the sugar. I add it for the colour and balancing the sourness from tomato.

5. Then add the whole spices  mentioned under ingredients in point number 8. I add the whole spices and sugar together when caramelizing so that at the same time the flavours of spices are also infused in the oil.
6. Then add the onion paste and go on cooking till oil seeps out.When the oil seeps out add the ginger paste and cook for a minute.

7. Then add the tomato and the wet paste you made as mentioned under point 9 of the ingredients.Go on mixing and cooking. keep the lid covered and intermittently open til you see oil seeps out.

8. Then add the partially cooked potatoes and cook with the masala. then add the Cauliflower florets when the Potatoes are  nearly done. Add water ( preferably warm ) as per your choice of the curry consistency,add salt as per your taste ( I  added 1 teaspoon ) .Let it come to a boil  cover and simmer.

9. Open intermittently to check if  the Potatoes and Cauliflower are done or not and then add the fried fishes .Cook for 2-3 more minutes.Add the green chilly ,switch off the flame and keep it covered  for 5 minutes before serving.

Pictures:-