FRIED BATA FISH IN MODIFIED BESARA SPICING

It has been ages since I could open my blog or yours, thanks to the very slow Internet deep in side Sahara deserts. Back home on a short vacation and trying to make up in kitchen and reading missed blogs. 

Fish is a staple diet for most bongs. Hence trying to make up for the fish I did not get to eat. Only fish I got to eat in the desert were shrimps, some fish stakes, flown in from the  Mediterranean  coast, 1800 KM away

This fish, Bata is one of my favorites . It is small and extremely bony but very tasty . I decided to try a fried version with a very well known spicing of Odisha , called the Besara. 
THE RECIPE.
 The besara is cooked with vegetable or a combo of vegetables, fish or dry fish. The spicing is simple . a combination of cumin and mustard paste and a sour note is added through dried raw mango ( called ambula or amsi) , very sour lime or tomato. Traditionally it is dried mango . This is a temple version without garlic or onion and tomato is also not permitted in temple version. Green chili,, red chili powder and turmeric is used as usual.
In a non vege version ( with or without fish) , garlic paste is added to the spicing . The final product will have a curry consistency and may be runny. Here I have dried up the spice to stick to the fish.
INGREDIENTS 
Bata fish ( any fish , small or big will do ) 2 pcs cut to half 
cumin powder 3 tsp
mustard seeds 4 tsp wet ground and filtered 
garlic 6 cloves  paste 
Red chili powder (hot) 1 tsp or more 
green chili 4 
Turmeric powder 1 tsp.
Tomato , one medium , grated to a pulp.
Mustard oil ( preferred) or any other oil 

PROCEDURE 
Marinade the fish in turmeric and salt, keep aside for 30 min.

 ( The lioness share is on the left and the lions share ( the tiny one) is to the right )

Shallow fry the fish to brown on both side. ( one can use raw fish if a Besara curry is made). I like it surface fried and bit hard fried.

Mix the cumin,  chili , turmeric powder, garlic and mustard paste , with 5-7  tbsp water and set aside.
Add 3 tbsp fresh oil or the left over oil from fish frying and heat
Add tomato pulp and fry for few minutes,

 then add the spice mix, green chili  and salt. 

Immediately add the fish , mix , lower heat and cover.

Stir gently from time to time. When the oil starts to come out , remove from heat .

Serve with steamed rice. 

As mentioned earlier, you can make a runny curry ( Jhol ) with all types of vegetables and dried mango as souring agent ..kokum or sour lime is also good .