Chuna Machha Chadchadi - almost

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When I'm working from home & don't have any urgent meetings to sit on... I crave for some good old "Pakhala bhata" with some fish fry or some other sort of fritters... after all, rice for lunch is good :)

What I tried today is a Odiya favorite dish which is made on lazy afternoons with the smell of small fish (aka Chuna Machha) spreading all around... But I used smelt fish (which is the nearest to what we get in Odisha). I have tried other recipes with this fish which are in the blog already. This one is a quicker version & dry-ish dish for accompanying the all time favorite "Pakhala Bhata".





What I used

  • Smelt fish (1Lb), cleaned, marinated with salt & turmeric for around 20 mins. 
  • 1 small red onion sliced
  • 1 small tomato chopped
  • 1 table spoon of mustard paste (Mustard seeds + garlic + green chili + cumin seeds + water)
  • 1 tsp pancha phutana
  • Mustard oil
  • Salt & turmeric
Process here
  • Heat mustard oil in a non-stick pan (its the best pan for soft fish like smelt)
  • Fry the marinated fishes very carefully till light red in color. Remove & keep aside
  • In the same oil (add some more if need be) add panch phutana & wait till it splutters
  • Next add the onions & fry till golden brown
  • Next goes in the mustard paste + tomatoes + wee bit salt & turmeric
  • Mix & cover & cook until the tomatoes are soft
  • After 7 -8 mins (on low flame) open cover, add red chili powder & mix well.
  • At this point, add some warm water & cover and let the masala bubble up.
  • Open cover, add the fishes, mix well & add little more water & then cover again.
  • After 2 or 3 mins, transfer everything to a bowl (don't keep in the pan else the fish might get harder)

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