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Sheem Bichi Diye Koi Maach

Sheem Bichi diye Koi Maach

Choto Mashir sheem bichi diye Koi Maach. An offbeat combination of flat bean seeds and koi maach. A sublime no onion-no garlic curry . Perfumed with freshly ground cumin and coriander .Yet another classic from a Bangal household .Enjoy!
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Bengali
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 7-8 medium sized koi maach
  • 100 g dried flat green bean seeds (sheem bichi in Bengali)
  • 2 potatoes cut into batons
  • 1 tsp ginger paste
  • green chillis slit
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1-2 bay leaves
  • 2-3 dry red chilies
  • 1/3 cup mustard oil
  • salt to taste
For the masala paste
  • 1.5 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1.5 tsp coriander seeds
  • 2 dry red chilies
  • 2 bay leaves

Method
 

For the masala paste
  1. Soak the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, dry red chillies and bay leaves in water for 3-4 hours. Drain from water, grind to a fine paste with just a splash of water.
For the curry
  1. Soak the dry flat green bean seeds (sheem bichi) overnight . Drain from water. One seed at a time, gently press the seed with your thumb. The fine seed membrane shall peel off easily. Remove for all the seeds.
  2. Pressure cook the seeds in salt water, 1 whistle or so.
  3. Smear the koi maach with just a pinch of turmeric and salt.
  4. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a kadhai, shallow fry the koi maach. Keep aside.
  5. In the same pan, fry the potatoes, keep aside.
  6. Add the remaining mustard oil into the same pan, throw in the cumin seeds, bay leaves and dry red chillies. Allow the spices to splutter.
  7. Stir in the ground masala paste, ginger paste and the remaining turmeric powder. Continue to stir fry over a medium flame until the masala starts to release oil.
  8. Pour 2 cups of warm water, throw in the potatoes, chillies and boiled flat green bean seeds. Gently place the fried koi maach in the curry. Cover and cook over a medium flame for 7-10 minutes. Serve hot.