Bombay Duck Fish or ‘Lote/ Loytta mach’ (in Bengali) although not being considered as a top grade fish, however can be turned into quite a few tasty preparations. ‘Lote Macher Jhuri’ is one of these finger-licking dishes. With ample use of onion, tomato and garlic, this mashed fish curry will surely rouse your taste buds. In contrary to the traditional fish preparations, the spicy dried fish curry is nothing short of a revelation. I can bet you will finish your plate without a blink of your eyes.

Ingredients to serve 4 :

1. Bombay duck fish (Loytta/Lote mach) – 500 gm.
2. Onion – 3 (medium size)
3. Tomato – 1 (large)
4. Garlic – 5 big cloves
5. Ginger – 1 inch piece
6. Green chilli – 3-4
7. Handful of freshly chopped coriander leaves
8. Turmeric powder – ½ + ¼ teaspoon
9. Red chilli powder – ¼ teaspoon
10. Salt to taste
11. Mustard oil – ½ cup

Procedure :

Remove the head, tail and fin of the fish and clean it well. Cut each fish into 2 pieces. (Generally fish sellers do this part for you.)

Coat the fish pieces with salt and ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder. Keep them aside for few minutes.

Meanwhile roughly chop the onion, tomato, green chilli and two cloves of garlic. Grate the ginger and crush remaining 3 cloves of garlic.

Heat ¼ cup of oil in a kadai over medium flame. Add the fish and start frying it. The fish will release lot of water and also break while frying. As all the water dries up and the fish starts separating oil, remove them from the kadai and keep aside.

Add remaining oil in the kadai. As the oil gets hot add crushed garlic into it and till it changes colour.

Then add chopped onion and fry to golden brown. Add ginger paste while onion gets translucent.

Add chopped tomato and green chilli, fry till tomato gets mushy.

Add ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt. Fry the spices till oil starts separating from the mixture.

Now add fried fish and chopped garlic, mix them very well to the spice mixture. Check for salt and add if needed. Cook the fish for 4-5 minutes over low – medium flame.

Then put the flame off and sprinkle over the chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with plain rice.