Boal Bahar

Boal is the native fish known as wallago and scientifically named as wallago attu. This fish are found in large lakes and rivers of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. Today we make a fancy recipe with this oily fish. Not too time consuming easy and quick to make recipe. I am sure you all will love this yummy creamy wallago dish from my part of the world called boal bahar.

Preparation time  15 minutes
Cooking time  30 minutes
Serves  4 

Ingredients :
4 steak  size pieces of boal fish/ wallogo
1 bay leaves 
½” cinnamon
2 green cardamom
2  clove
¼  tsp whole cumin
1 whole red  chily broken inot halves 
2 onion paste
1 tsp garlic paste 
½  tsp ginger paste
1 tbsp yogurt
¼  cup tomato puree
1 tsp  turmeric powder
1tsp red chily powder / or to taste
4 green chilly 
¼  tsp garam masala powder
2 tbsp fresh cream
1 tsp  ghee/ clrified butter
2 tbsp mustard oil + to fry the fish 
little chopped coriander to garnish
1 cup warm water
¼ th tsp sugar
Salt to taste

Methods Of Cooking
Rub the fish pieces with little turmeric and salt. Heat oil and fry the fish till golden but not fry them too much otherwise they become chewy. Be careful while you fry the fish, it’s better to cover the fish as soon as you slip the fish in the oil. Then after frying the fish keep aside. Now heat oil in a pan. Add bay leaves, whole cumin, whole red chilly cardamom, cinnamon, clove. In a bowl take onion paste, ginger paste, garlic paste, yogurt, tomato puree, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt and sugar. Mix well so that they all are well blended. You can put them together in a blender and make a smooth paste.Now as the whole cumin and whole masala start to splutter then add the mixed masala paste. Now stir the spices well for 5 to 6 minutes till oil comes out from the masala. Now add the fried fish and whole green chilly. Stir so that the masala get well coated with the fish. Now add 1 cup warm water. Let it come to boil. Now add garam masala and ghee. Let it cook for a minute. Then add fresh cream mix well with soft hand. Put off the flame. Now add the chopped coriander. Cover and give few minutes standing time before serving. Serve with plain hot steamed or fried rice or pulao. It goes well with all. Enjoy a creamy yummy preparation Boal Bahar.

Happy Cooking!