Along with the recipe of Fish kofta Curry, today I am sharing few facts of Mughlai cuisine.
1. Mughlai cuisine is the fusion of Persian and existing north Indian cuisine.
2. Mughal were Moslems and didn't eat Pork. Hindus didn't eat Beef. So both beef and pork were avoided in Mughal cooking. Fowls, sheep and goat, and venison were the main meat dishes.
3. For elegance, silver and gold edible foils were used to decorate foods. The gold and silver ones were used to make dinner-ware.
4. Chinese porcelain was used for beverages. The Durbar became a complete community dinning affair.
5. The Turkic and Afgan during Mughal Sultanate period introduced underground Tandoor (oven) to make Naan (flattened bread). Other items introduced later are Keema, Kebab, Yogurt, Paneer.
6. During Akbar period, the royal kitchen had become a laboratory of Mughal Culinary.
7. Tenure of Jahangir and Shahjahan were the golden period in the evolution of Mughlai Cuisine.
8. Portable Tandoor was developed during Shahjahan's period.
9. During Shahjahan's period Portugese introduce new agricultural products to India such as Maize, Potato, Tomato, Papaya, Pineapples, Cashew, Chili pepper etc. Finally these products got integrated to Mughlai Cuisine.
10. After Aurangzeb's tenure, new centre of ruling power emerged. The centre included Hyderabad, Lucknow, Lahore.
Ingredients to cook Fish Kofta Curry:
1. Mughlai cuisine is the fusion of Persian and existing north Indian cuisine.
2. Mughal were Moslems and didn't eat Pork. Hindus didn't eat Beef. So both beef and pork were avoided in Mughal cooking. Fowls, sheep and goat, and venison were the main meat dishes.
3. For elegance, silver and gold edible foils were used to decorate foods. The gold and silver ones were used to make dinner-ware.
4. Chinese porcelain was used for beverages. The Durbar became a complete community dinning affair.
5. The Turkic and Afgan during Mughal Sultanate period introduced underground Tandoor (oven) to make Naan (flattened bread). Other items introduced later are Keema, Kebab, Yogurt, Paneer.
6. During Akbar period, the royal kitchen had become a laboratory of Mughal Culinary.
7. Tenure of Jahangir and Shahjahan were the golden period in the evolution of Mughlai Cuisine.
8. Portable Tandoor was developed during Shahjahan's period.
9. During Shahjahan's period Portugese introduce new agricultural products to India such as Maize, Potato, Tomato, Papaya, Pineapples, Cashew, Chili pepper etc. Finally these products got integrated to Mughlai Cuisine.
10. After Aurangzeb's tenure, new centre of ruling power emerged. The centre included Hyderabad, Lucknow, Lahore.
Ingredients to cook Fish Kofta Curry:
Katla Fish – 6 pieces (medium size)
Egg – 1
Onion Paste – 3/4 cup
Onion - 1/4 cup (finly chopped)
Onion - 1/4 cup (finly chopped)
Green Chili – 5-6
Ginger + Garlic paste - 1 tbsp.
Mustard Oil – 3 tbsp.
Cumin Seed – 1 tsp
Garam Masala – 1 tsp.
Coriander Powder – 1 tsp.
Red Chili Powder – 1 tsp.
Bay leaf – 1 (big size)
Cloves – 4-5
Cardamom – 2-3
Tomato – 1 (medium size, I made paste from tomato in mixer grinder.)
Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp
Green Coriander for garnishing
Salt to taste
Water
Water
Process to cook Fish Kofta Curry
1. Wash the fish pieces under running water.
2. Spread little turmeric and salt over the fish. Rub them very well. Keep it aside for 10-15 minutes.
3. Heat oil in a deep-bottom frying pan. Once the oil is hot, fry the fishes. But DON’T DEEP-FRY THEM.
4. Take out the fried fishes from the oil and set aside for cooling down.
5. After 10-15 minutes, you have to remove bones from the fish pieces. It takes much time. It is a low-effort but high pay-off task. Make sure that there is not a single tiny pin bones inside the fish pieces.
6. Now add finely chopped Onion, half portion of ingredients such as Ginger+Garlic Paste, Cumin Powder, Coriander powder, Lemon Juice and chopped green chili to the fish. Mix and mash it well.
7. Break the egg on top of mashed fish. Mix well again. Set aside for 10 minutes.
8. Now make small balls from the
mixture. Keep the balls aside.9. Heat the same oil which you used to fry the fishes. Fry these balls. You just need to fry them till golden brown as shown in the image. DEEP-FRYING IS NOT REQUIRED. Set these half-done Fish Kofta aside.
[If you don’t want to fry the fish balls in oil, you can put them in the micro-oven for 10 minutes.]
10. In the same pan, add little more mustard oil. Heat the oil. Add cumin seed, bay leaf, cardamom, cloves. It will crackle in few seconds.
11. Add onion paste. Stir gently and let it be cooked till slightly brown.
12. Add tomato Puree and stir well. Cook it till you feel the raw smell of tomato goes away.
13. Now add rest portion of the ingredients like Ginger+Garlic paste, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder and Green Chili. Stir well.
14. Add Turmeric Powder, Red Chili Powder and Garam Masala and mix well with the boiling curry.
15. Add little water as per your requirement for gravy. Let it be boiled.
16. Check the seasoning and adjust according to your taste. I added salt at this stage. Because after marination, I didn’t add salt.
17. Now reduce the heat. Place the fried Kofta in the curry one by one. Stir once. Turn off the heat after 5-7 minutes.
18. Sprinkle little Lemon juice over the Kofta Curry. Cover the pan with a lid. Let them inside the pan for 10 minutes, so the Kofta can absorb little gravy.
You can serve it with Steamed Rice.
