Tomato Maach (Fish cooked in a tomato based gravy)

Today I'll share a fish recipe which I have recently cooked from the famous Bengali Cookbook, "Bong Mom's Cookbook", the writer is none other than Sandeepa(Bong Mom), my inspiration of blogging and over the time she has become also a good friend of mine. If you are

a Bengali, you 'll love to read this book, not only for the quick and easy recipe she shares from her grandmother or mother or from her own kitchen, also for the small incidents she shares from her typical bengali households which we all can relate too in such a humorous way, that you'll stick to this book until you finish or you'll read it again and again. If you are not a Bengali and want to learn Bengali food, her recipes are totally outstanding.
   I tried many traditional bengali recipes from her blog (www.bongcookbook.com) and today I've to share this absolutely simple but different recipe of fish, Tomato Fish from her book. This is her mom's recipe and she tells, in winter her mom used to cook this dish when freshest and juiciest tomatoes are in plenty. These tomatoes give the fish curry a lovely red color and tangy taste, just prefect with hot rice in winter. I could not miss this opportunity to try out this recipe, when I saw my husband bought few kilos of tomatoes one such winter day. I added some potato and cauliflower to this curry, but she didn't. You can also skip but as per my taste it tasted awesome.

You Need :
Sweet water Fish(Rohu/Katla/Bhetki/Salmon) : 3-4 pcs., I used Katla
Potato : 1, cut lengthwise in thin slices
Cauliflower : 5-6 pcs., cut into medium size florets
Tomato : 2, medium (pureed)
Ginger paste : 1 tsp.
Green chillies : 2-3(as per your tolerance level), chopped
Turmeric powder : 1 tsp. (for cooking) + 1 tsp.(to marinate the fish)
Cumin powder : 1 tsp.
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp.
Salt to taste
Sugar : 1/2 tsp.
Oil : 2 tblsp.(for cooking) + 2 tblsp.(for frying the fish)
Light Cream : 1 tsp. (optional), I skipped
 For Tempering :
Methi/fenugreek seed : 1/4 tsp.
Hing/Asofoetida : 1/4 tsp.
Bay leaves : 2

How To:

• Wash and clean the fish pieces. Drain off the excess water. Rub with turmeric powder and salt and keep aside for at least 20-30 minutes. Heat 2 tblsp. oil in a pan and fry the fish pieces from both sides till golden brown. Always fry fish in medium-high heat. Remove and keep aside. 
• In the same oil, fry potato and cauliflower florets with little salt added till golden brown. Remove and Keep aside.
• Heat 1 tblsp. oil in another oan for cooking, temper with methi seeds, bay leaves and hing. When the spices sizzle, add chopped greenc hillies and tomato puree. Lower the flame and let the tomato puree cook for 2-3 minutes. 
• When you see there is no raw smell coming out of tomatoes and it thickened a bit, add cumin, red chilli and turmeric powder. Mix well with tomato puree and fry the masala well. Add Sugar and mix. Add fried potato and cauliflower pieces and mix well with spice paste. 
• now add 1 cup warm water and add salt to taste. When it starts to boil, add fish pieces and let it cook covered with a lid. When vegetables are cooked and gravy thickened and you get your desired consistency of gravy, remove from heat. 
• After you remove it from fire, can add 1 tsp. light cream to the gravy but I skipped. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.