RAG Demo

Tag: Mustard oil

  • Aloo Pitika

    Pitika means mash, and Assamese cooks make it from almost anything: potato, brinjal, tomato, dried fish or masoor dal. Aloo pitika is the most common and often the first dish served on a plate of rice, alongside dal and a tenga. It is also a favourite comfort dish on rainy days with khichdi.

    The secret is pungent raw mustard oil, which gives the mash a sharp, nose-tickling edge that sets it apart from other potato dishes in India. Finely chopped raw onion and green chilli add crunch and heat, and coriander adds freshness. Some families mash in a boiled egg or a roasted dry red chilli for extra smokiness.

    At a glance

    RegionAssam
    CuisineAssamese
    DietVegan
    CourseSide dish
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time15 minutes
    Total time25 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientspotato / mustard oil / onion / green chilli

    Ingredients

    • 4 medium potatoes (about 500 g)
    • 1 small onion, very finely chopped
    • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
    • 1 1/2 tbsp raw mustard oil
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 1 dry red chilli, roasted (optional)

    Method

    1. Boil the potatoes in salted water or pressure cook for 3 whistles until completely soft. Drain and peel while still warm.
    2. If using the dry red chilli, roast it directly over a low flame for 10-15 seconds until it darkens and smells smoky, then crumble it.
    3. Mash the potatoes with your hands or a fork until smooth, leaving no lumps.
    4. Add the onion, green chillies, coriander, salt and roasted chilli.
    5. Pour in the raw mustard oil and mix well with your fingers so the oil is evenly absorbed.
    6. Taste and adjust salt, then shape into a mound or small balls and serve at room temperature.

    Tips

    • Mash the potatoes while warm; cold potatoes turn gluey and do not absorb the oil as well.
    • Use kachi ghani mustard oil and do not heat it – the raw pungency is the whole point.
    • Add a boiled egg mashed in for 'kani aloo pitika', a popular home variation.

    Serve with

    Rice, dal and masor tenga, or with khichdi.

  • Machher Jhol

    Machher jhol is the everyday fish curry of Bengal, eaten across Kolkata and village homes alike, and the phrase maach-bhaat, fish and rice, sums up Bengali identity for many people. Jhol means a thin, light gravy, as opposed to the richer kalia or the mustard-heavy shorshe. It is typically made with rohu or katla, the freshwater carp of Bengal's ponds and rivers.

    The fish is rubbed with turmeric and salt, fried in mustard oil until golden, then simmered with potatoes and sometimes cauliflower or brinjal in a broth spiced with cumin, ginger and green chillies, tempered with kalo jeere (nigella). It is light, warming and fragrant, the sort of meal cooked for someone recovering from illness, and always eaten with steamed rice.

    At a glance

    RegionWest Bengal
    CuisineBengali
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrohu fish / potato / mustard oil / turmeric / cumin

    Ingredients

    For the fish

    • 6 pieces rohu or katla (about 500 g), steaks with skin
    • 3/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 4 tbsp mustard oil

    For the jhol

    • 1/2 tsp kalo jeere (nigella seeds)
    • 2 green chillies, slit
    • 2 medium potatoes, cut into long wedges
    • 1 small tomato, chopped (optional)
    • 1 tbsp ginger paste
    • 1.5 tsp cumin powder
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 1 tsp salt, or to taste
    • 1/2 tsp sugar
    • 2 cups hot water
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

    Method

    1. Rub the fish with turmeric and salt and set aside for 10 minutes.
    2. Heat the mustard oil in a kadai on high heat until it just begins to smoke, then lower the heat to medium. Fry the fish in batches for 2-3 minutes per side until golden. Do not overcook; it will cook more in the jhol. Remove.
    3. In the same oil fry the potato wedges with a pinch of turmeric and salt for 4-5 minutes until lightly golden on the edges. Remove.
    4. Add kalo jeere and green chillies to the oil and let them sizzle for 10 seconds.
    5. Mix ginger paste, cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli powder with 3 tbsp water to a paste and add to the kadai. Fry on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, adding a splash of water if it sticks, until oil separates. Add tomato if using and cook until soft.
    6. Return the potatoes, add salt, sugar and 2 cups hot water. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
    7. Slide in the fried fish and simmer gently, uncovered, for 4-5 minutes so the fish absorbs the broth. The gravy should stay thin.
    8. Finish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

    Tips

    • Heat mustard oil to smoking point first to take away its raw pungency.
    • Add hot water, not cold, so the fish stays tender.
    • In summer, many Bengali homes add sliced patol (pointed gourd) or brinjal along with the potatoes.

    Serve with

    Steamed rice, a wedge of gondhoraj lebu (lime) and a green chilli.