Doi Maach

Ingredients

• 800 g rohu or carp steaks, about 8 pieces
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 80 ml mustard oil
• 1 large onion (150 g)
• 20 g ginger
• 3 green chillies
• 200 g thick plain yoghurt
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 3 cloves
• 3 cm cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp sugar
• 150 ml warm water
• 1 tsp ghee
• a few coriander leaves

Before you cook

• Rub the fish steaks with 1 tsp of the salt and half the turmeric and leave them for 15 minutes.
• Blend the onion, ginger and one green chilli to a smooth paste.
• Whisk the yoghurt with the flour until completely smooth and lump-free.
• Slit the remaining two green chillies lengthways.

Steps

1. Heat the mustard oil in a wide pan until it smokes, then turn the heat down to medium.
2. Fry the fish steaks for two minutes on each side until they take on a pale gold crust, then lift them out.
3. Pour off all but about three tablespoons of the oil.
4. Temper the oil with the bay leaves, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon for twenty seconds.
5. Add the onion and ginger paste and fry for six minutes until it loses its raw smell and oil beads at the edges.
6. Stir in the remaining turmeric, the cumin, coriander and chilli powder with a splash of water and fry for two minutes.
7. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for a full minute, which is what stops the yoghurt splitting.
8. Whisk in the yoghurt and flour mixture.
9. Return the pan to the lowest heat and stir constantly for three minutes until the gravy is smooth and glossy.
10. Add the warm water, the sugar, the remaining salt and the slit chillies, and let it steam gently without ever reaching a boil.
11. Slide the fried fish into the gravy and spoon some over each piece.
12. Simmer very gently for five minutes.
13. Finish with the ghee, cover the pan and rest for five minutes.
14. Scatter over the coriander leaves and serve with plain rice.