LAZY FISH AND POTATO MASALA WITH VEGE OPTION ...SHORT BREAK

These days I am quite busy with some long pending work. I follow 4 D principle of Management , Whenever some work comes, try to  Dump , Delay, Delegate and lastly  Do it, in case you cant do the first 3 Ds..Gone are the days " Jo kal Karo, so aj" instead it is now new mantra Jo aj karo so kal... because we really don't have the luxury to advance any work , we are too packed up today ...So all 1st 3 D options are over for me during last several years..so I am doing it.

BREAK

Finally I managed a break with SOMEONE. She could manage a week's off. We are going to Bangalore for 3 days to attend a marriage and decided to go to Kerala for 4 days ...too little time though to see the wonderful Kerala..I have traveled a lot in Kerala in 70s and 80s ..We ( me and my brother's family) will just hole up in Munnar and Kumarakam. After that , most probably my paid holidays will be over and may have to travel to Japan, Korea or Europe ..( I hate winter out side India)..

So here is a Masala dry curry which was up my sleeves since Milano days, and now used it to get rid of some Sardines in the fridge. I am posting this , so that you  dont forget me ..as such my performance has been very poor, only 50 odd postings over 18 months ..:-( 

THE RECIPE 

This is a normal recipe except that it will take less time to make and you can use all types of fried fish or Liver, and also  any one vegetables like Potato, Parmal, beans, Paneer, Turnips, Yam, Arvi etc ( The firm ones). A dash of vinegar is added to make it tangy. I used a Malabar seasoning ( a secrete from SOMEONE) instead of Bong Panch Phodon and no Garam masala. Of course I used fried fish..I like fried Sardines, one can chew the whole fish along with bones.

INGREDIENTS

8 Sardines cleaned, marinated in Turmeric and salt, dip fried to brown. ( I had only 8 in fridge) 

1 Potato medium-large , cut into fingers ( 8mm X 8 mm and length , as large as the  Potato permits) 

For grinding 

1 tomato chopped 

1 onion medium chopped ( same size as the tomato)

6 cloves garlic chopped

3/4th inch by 3/4th inch ginger chopped

2 green chili chopped ( more the merrier) 

2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped.

For grinding

For seasoning 

1/3rd tsp of Cumin and Mustard seeds.

1/2 tsp Fennel seeds

2 dry red chili

Others

1/2 tsp cumin powder 

1 level tsp Turmeric powder ( you must have seen I use hell of a lot of turmeric )

Vinegar 1 tsp for marinating Potato

Vinegar 2 tsp for the gravy .

Oil 2-3 tbsp ( any oil of your choice but not ghee). ( other than oil, used for frying)

Optional... add as much red chili powder as you want  ( I added 1 tsp, extra hot red chili powder)

PROCESS

Fry the marinated fish and keep aside.

Grind all the ingredients to a uniform paste.

Cut Potato and soak in water and wash and drain dry..add 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp vinegar and mix, leave aside. ( this will give a sourish potato to the core.) 

Fry the potato ( stir fry or deep fry if you are left with enough oil from fish frying) and keep aside.

NOTE: Just before adding potato to the pan, squeeze out the water . ( salt will release water from Potato)

Fried fish, Potato, seasoning and the paste 

Heat oil to smoking and give seasoning.

Reduce heat and add 2 tbsp water to quench the heat so that the seasoning doesn't burn out.

Add the fried potato, the paste, salt, turmeric, Cumin powder  and mix. Simmer covered  for few minutes  to cook the potato.

Add the fish, vinegar and mix. Simmer open pan till the oil starts appearing. 

Saut'e for few minutes and the dish is ready. ( Any excess water will be soaked up by potato..so dont waste time drying the dish,,,but if you want to go ahead and fry the mix further, that too is very yummy).

NOTE : This is a small quantity dish , you want to increase the gravy ? If you double the onion, increase Tomato by half . In this recipe , Tomato and the onion is of same size.

LIVER OPTION

Marinate Liver in salt and turmeric. After adding seasoning, add the liver and saute till the pieces change color. Then proceed with or without potato.

VEGE OPTIONS

As all of you know, Vege food is delicacy for all non vegees and true for me too. Most of these vege options are well tried when I was in Milano. ( The beautiful reception girl used to lend me a mixer-grinder to make huge quantity of this paste ..with a condition that I will treat her and her boy friend with Indian Vege dish once in a while. I was surprised that the girl and her BF had become veges...I was more than glad to make many  dishes for her and her BF..including Malabar or Chetinad paneer , Patato, Zucchini  etc  etc...you should have seen the girl eating with red chicks,  running nose and eyes and still asking for more....great satisfying moments of life...

Potato option 

Boil Potato , and cut then into chunks. soak the potato in salt and vinegar ( little) and fry to golden brown...proceed as above adding potato at the last moment.

 Paneer option

Same as above , cut the Panner into chunks, prick with fork, marinate in salt and vinegar , deep fry to spotted brown and proceed.

Other vegetables ( hard ones , haven't tried soft ones like Brinjal, pumpkin, ridge gourd etc)  

Cut the vege to 1 inch pieces, soak in salt and Vinegar and proceed,.

OK friends...I will be reading your blogs during my break ...please keep cooking , I believe cooking is a great stress reliever apart form the great satisfaction we get, when our near and dear ones give a smile and appreciate the taste ...It is so satisfying ( well we all know it, I dont have to say )

Happy cooking and I will miss you all for some time ...