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Leafy Fish Mustard Fry: A delight for the fish lovers

Some days you just don't feel like eating the usual food. You want something interesting, different, filling yet healthy. Yesterday was one such day. Something different, something new, experimental was the need of the hour. So, my mom tried something new for the night. She prepared Leafy Fish Mustard Delight. This is nothing but small fish stuffed in gourd leaves, dipped in mustard, rice and gram flour paste.

How she thought of the recipe

She sorted and cleaned the leafy vegetables which you would always find in our house. We also never run short of fish in house. Mom selectively took the small fishes and mixed it with onion cut into small rings, chopped garlic and chopped green chili. She then poured mustard oil, salt for seasoning.

Stuffing the fish

She then placed the seasoned fish stuff in the middle of the leaf, folded it from all the sides and locked it with toothpicks nicely.

Making the batter

She mixed mustard paste, rice powder and little gram flour with a pinch of salt and sugar and water to make a nice thick batter.

Frying

She dipped each patty into the batter and fried it in oil. I prefer shallow frying so she did that.

Serving

The Leafy Fish Mustard Delight goes best with freshly cooked boiled rice. It should be eaten hot and fresh to get the best of it.

You will feel the individual flavors of the ingredients with each bite. And if you are a fish lover you will just love it and want more.

Bengali Kalo Jams: sweet dark balls soaked in sugar syrup

Kalo-jams (bengali term) are dark colored, almost black, sweet balls, soaked in sugar syrup. They are a little larger and darker in color than the Gulab Jamuns. It is a hot favorite with the Bengalis who are known to have sweet tooth.

Ingredients

Khoya or Mawa

Paneer or Indian Cottage cheese

White flour or maida

White oil or ghee for deep frying

The sugar syrup should be prepared the usual way. Add 1/2 tsp of green cardamom powder, 1 tsp. rose water or a few drops of rose essence, or a few strands of saffron (optional).

Making the kalo-jams

Grate and mash mawa and paneer solids into a bowl.

Add flour and make a smooth and soft dough. Knead it well.

Make about 1- 1 1/2 inch balls and then shape them into round shapes, by rolling between your palms.

Heat oil to low-medium hot, not smoking hot or the kalo-jams will burn very quickly.

Fry kalo-jams in small batches, until they are dark brown in color.

Dip immediately in warm syrup. They will absorb syrup and enlarge in size but remain floating in syrup. They roughly double in size after they are soaked in syrup.

Serve at room temperature.