Wednesday, September 7, 2016

PARSI KHICHRI-SAUCE NI MACHCHI (FISH)

It is said that the best food is simple and tasty …. Khichri - Sauce ni Machchi is one such dish which will tickle your taste buds and leave you asking for more …. definitely a must try in your home soon!

This delightful dish is often served at Parsi weddings and special events, the Khichri -  Sauce ni Machchi is also a popular home-cooked meal, generally accompanied by Basmati rice Khichri  (recipe for Parsi Khichri is give below) However, the Fish Sauce is just as amazing served with plain steamed Basmati rice or pav (bread)



The part that really makes this fish curry stand out from its other curry-peers, is the use of an egg-sugar-vinegar mixture, added at the end of the cooking process, to create a gravy with an absolute magical taste !


Ingredients:

8 filleted chunks of Tuna (you can use Prawns or Shark as well)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp cumin seeds
10 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger
3 green chillies
2 big onions chopped finely
3 heaped tbsp maida
¼ cup white vinegar
3 tbsp sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp oil
3 cups water
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

First clean the fish and marinate in turmeric and salt.




While the fish is marinating, grind together the garlic, ginger,  cumin seeds and green chillies.





In a heavy bottomed pan, heat some oil and fry the chopped onions on medium heat until golden brown.



Next, add in the flour as well as the cumin – chilli mixture to the pan . Roast this mixture, ensuring there are no lumps in the flour.


Once all the oil has been absorbed and the flour is sufficiently roasted (should be light brown in colour), add in 3 cups of water. Whisk the mixture to ensure there are no lumps and it is having a smooth consistency.




Now, add in the Tuna fish. Cover the pan with a glass lid and let it simmer on a medium flame for 12 – 15 minutes until the fish is cooked.



While the fish is cooking, in a measuring cup, measure up the vinegar, sugar and egg. Whisk everything together until it has blended properly.





The fish gravy should have cooked by now. Give this gravy about 7 - 10 minutes to cool down. Once cool, add in the egg and vinegar mixture and give the gravy a good mix.



It will now lose its watery texture and become a bit thick. The gravy will now also get a nice off-white colour due to the white vinegar. At this stage, you may need to adjust the gravy to your palette – you want it to have a sour kick but if it’s too sour, you can add some sugar.
Season with salt and black pepper as per your taste.


 Garnish with chopped coriander and enjoy hot with Parsi Khichri !!