Dahi Machha

The sauce is yoghurt and the turmeric is what makes it yellow.

Fish. Not vegetarian — contains fish.

Ingredients

700 g rohu, in steaks
400 g yoghurt, whisked
300 g potatoes, in thick slices
2 onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic paste
2 teaspoons mustard seeds, ground to a paste
2 teaspoons turmeric
3 green chillies, slit
1 teaspoon garam masala
4 tablespoons mustard oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
300 ml water
20 g coriander leaves

Method

THE SAUCE IS YOGHURT AND THE TURMERIC IS WHAT MAKES IT YELLOW. Its article says both: fish in a SPICY YOGURT-BASED SAUCE, and THE USE OF TURMERIC IMPARTS A YELLOW COLOUR TO THE SAUCE BASE. That yellow is the point of comparison with Machher Jhol, as on its own page, which uses tomato to go red -- same fish, same potatoes, same mustard oil, and the two dishes are told apart across a room by their colour. So no tomato goes in this one at all.
THE YOGHURT IS WHISKED AND ADDED OFF THE HEAT. Four hundred grams, beaten smooth, stirred in with the pan off the flame, then brought back over the lowest heat. Dropped into a hot pan it splits.
IT IS SIMMERED, NEVER BOILED, AFTER THAT. Yoghurt and a rolling boil do not coexist.
THE FISH IS FRIED FIRST, AS IN THE RED ONE. Rubbed with turmeric and salt, browned, lifted out, returned at the end.
THE MUSTARD IS GROUND TO A PASTE, NOT USED WHOLE. Its article names mustard among the seasonings. Ground mustard is pungent and slightly bitter and it is what stops a yoghurt curry tasting bland.
THE POTATOES ARE IN ITS INGREDIENT LIST AND THEY GO IN FRIED. Its article names fish, dahi, potatoes, mustard, turmeric, garlic and chilli peppers.
TWO TEASPOONS OF TURMERIC IS MORE THAN SEASONING. It is the colour, and it needs to cook in the oil for a minute before any liquid or it tastes raw and chalky.
THE GARAM MASALA IS LAST, OFF THE HEAT. As with every gravy on these pages.
IT IS SERVED WITH RICE AND FINISHED WITH CORIANDER. Its article says chopped fresh coriander may be sprinkled on top for flavour and appearance both.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under India · All recipes