When I crave for some fish, there’s this one recipe that always comes to mind- Dahi Machha Besara. “Dahi Macha Besara” is an Odia term meaning “Fish in yogurt and mustard gravy”. Besara in Odia basically refers to the mustard cumin gravy that also serves as a base for many vegetarian preparations. It is eaten usually with rice as an accompaniment. Dahi Machha Besara is liberally seasoned with turmeric, garlic, green chilies ,mustard and the use of turmeric imparts a yellow colour to the sauce base. Before being served, slit green chili and raw mustard oil are sprinkled on top for added flavour as well as enhanced appearance.
Living in Coastal area we have the advantage of access to a lot of fresh riverine fish and Rohi or Bhakura fish tops the list. Unlike the sea water salty fish, fresh water fish such as Rohu has this natural sweetness to it. A notable aspect of this Dahi Macha Besara recipe is that the raw fish has to be marinated in salt and turmeric at the beginning. The cooking is done with whipped curd, which brings about a pleasant blend of slightly sour taste. Combined with the pungent taste of mustard paste , the dish promises a unique flavor and experience. You can find another recipe of Dahi Macha here.
Ingredients:
- 4 pc Rohi or Catla fish Pieces
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 3 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 green chilies + 2 slit green chilies
- 10 cloves garlic
- 100 gms yogurt
- 1 tsp chickpeas flour(besan)
- 1/4 tsp nigella seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 2 tbsp mustard oil + few drops for garnishing
How to make Macha Besara Recipe:
- Marinate the fish with salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric and keep aside for 15 minutes.
- Make a fine paste with mustard , cumin and garlic and green chilies. Strain through a sieve and discard the pulps.
- Whisk yogurt with besan and salt and add to the mustard paste, Add 1 cup water to it and keep aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil and shallow fry the fish for 30 secs each side and keep aside. Since I donot like raw fish , i had shallow fried, but if you like you can use raw fish for cooking.
- In the same pan, add nigella seeds, when the seeds starts to crackle, add curry leaves.
- Now lower the flame and add yogurt mustard paste mixture to the pan while stirring continuously.
- Cook till it starts to boil, then add the fish to it and slit green chilli , cover the lid and cook till the gravy becomes thick. Switch off the gas.
- Check seasoning ,add few drops of mustard oil before serving.
- Serve with plain rice.
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