Chital Fish Kofta Curry

Ingredients:
For the Kofta
• 500 gms Chital fish fillet
• ½ tbsp Onion paste
• 1 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
• 1 green Chilli, chopped
• 1 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped
• ½ tsp Turmeric powder
• ¾ tsp Chilli powder
• ¾ tsp Cumin powder
• ¾ tsp Coriander powder
• ½ tsps Bengali Garam Masala powder
• ¾ tsps Salt

For the spice paste
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red Chilli powder
• 1 tsp Cumin powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 2 tbsps Water

Other ingredients for Chital macher kofta curry
• 2 Onions, diced for the paste
• 2 inches Ginger for the paste
• 6 cloves of Garlic for the paste
• 1 large Tomato, diced for the paste
• 3-4 whole green Chillies, for the gravy
• 2-3 tbsps Coriander leaves, chopped
• ½ teaspoon Bengali Garam Masala powder
• 1-2 tsps Sugar
• Salt to taste
• ¼ cup Mustard oil
• 2 cups hot Water for the gravy

Method:
1.    First add 2 onion chunks into a jar of a mixer grinder and close the lid. Pulse it to a smooth paste. Keep the paste aside.

2.    Add 2 inches diced ginger, 6 large cloves of garlic into the small jar of grinder and pulse it to a smooth paste. Add 1-2 teaspoons of water if required.

3.    Again, into a jar of a mixer grinder, add tomato chunks and run the mixer grinder and make a smooth paste. Keep the paste aside.

4.    Take the 500 grams chital fish fillet into a large mixing bowl.

5.    Add ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¾ teaspoon red chilli powder, ¾ teaspoon coriander powder, ¾ teaspoon cumin powder and ½ teaspoon Bengali garam masala powder, one by one into the bowl.
6.    Add ½ tablespoon onion paste, 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste, 1 chopped green chillies and 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves, one by one into the bowl.

7.    Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and cover it. Keep it aside for at least 30 minutes to absorb all the flavours.

8.    After the resting time, mix the kofta mixture once more. Take small portions of the mixture and make small sphere shapes with the help of your fist and fingers. Repeat the process and make kofta with rest of the mixture.

9.    Now put a pan on flame and add mustard oil into it to deep fry the koftas.

10.    Once the oil is hot, add the koftas into the oil and fry them over medium flame for 2 minutes till evenly golden brown from all the sides. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Also, don’t over fry the koftas or else they will turn hard. Strain the fried koftas and keep it aside on a separate plate.

11.    Now remove the excess oil and keep ¼ cup oil into it. Or else you can take another pan and add ¼ cup kofta fried oil into it.

12.    Once the oil is hot, add onion paste (Step 1) and cook them over medium flame for 7-8 minutes until the oil gets released.

13.    Add ginger-garlic paste (Step 2) and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes until the raw smell goes away.

14.    Add the tomato paste (Step 3) and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 5-6 minutes. Stir in between.

15.    In the meantime, take a bowl and add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and 2 tablespoons of water into it. Mix it thoroughly and make a paste of the spices.

16.    Add the spice paste into the pan and mix it well. Cook it in low flame for another couple of minutes.

17.    Add the fried koftas (Step 8) into the masala and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 1-2 minutes.

18.    Add 2 cups hot water into the pan and give a nice stir.

19.    Add salt, 3-4 green chillies and 2-3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves, one by one into the pan and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and put the flame in high until the gravy starts boiling. Then put the flame in low and cook it for another 5-6 minutes.

20.    Add ½ teaspoon Bengali garam masala powder, 1-2 teaspoons sugar into the gravy and give a nice mix.

Check the salt of the curry and add if required. Simmer the gravy for 10-15 more seconds and then switch off the flame.