Wallago fish curry - Boal machh

‘Boal’ is a catfish delicious in taste, called ‘Wallago’ in English. It is similar to ‘Aar’ but slightly different in the shape of its head. Though it has been popular in the eastern part of Bengal, Bengalis from the western part were not very fond of it in olden times. It is oily and has just one central bone that makes it easy to manage on the platter. It is also popular among northern Indians and I have found it at several places across the northern part of India at Dhabas and food carts serving it fried, curried or battered.

There are some delightful cuisines with this fish cooked in a jiffy. This recipe has been a common one in my grandmother’s kitchen cooked with big pieces of a ‘boal’.

Ingredients:

Boal fish – 6 pieces or 600 gm

Bay leaves – 2 pcs.

Nigella seeds – 1 teaspoon.

Green chilli – 2 pcs. slit.

Coriander, Cumin, and Dried Red chilli are ground and pasted or these spice powders can even be mixed in a little water and a paste made hours before the cooking starts.

Salt to taste.

Mustard oil – ½ a teacup.

Instructions:

Wash the fish pieces and smear them with salt and turmeric powder. Keep the aside for a while.

Heat the mustard oil in a skillet.

Add the fish and add little salt so that the fish doesn’t crackle while it fries. Lightly fry it, not too long.

Pick up the fish pieces from the oil and keep them aside.

Tear the bay leaves into smaller pieces and put them in the same oil.

Add the nigella seeds.

Put in the green chillies and sauté a little.

Add the Coriander, Cumin and Red chilli paste.

Stir it all to mix well.

Add the fish pieces and coat them with the spice mix.

Make a slurry with ½ a teaspoon full of all-purpose flour and one cup of water.

Pour it over the fish and adjust the salt to taste.

Lower the heat and let it simmer for a few minutes.

Serve with steaming rice.