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Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Auntyji's Khatta Macchi

Hey everyone.. it's time to fish!

Fig. 1. Auntyji's Khatta Macchi

This is from my Mom's recipe collection. Mom got this recipe from their childhood neighbour "Auntyji".

Every neighborhood has a motley assortment of residents. Some befriend us, some are just polite acquaintances, some quarrel with us and some ignore us. Almost every family knows an Auntyji in the 'hood. She's our building friend Chickoo's Mom, or she is Mom's polite companion when together they wait at the bus stop for us kids to return from school. Sometimes she's the neighbor who picks up our milk when we take off for a day and forget to update the doodh-wala.  And sometimes she is the bagal-wali Auntyji with the beautiful rose garden who is always on the look out for notorious gulab-chors (rose-thieves).

Auntyjis enter our lives and leave our lives as they move on with their own. Some leave with Chickoo, the building friend. Some leave with the school bus. Some Aunties leave behind real packets of milk while some leave behind memories of fresh, fragrant roses and ethical conundrums about ownership and longevity versus joy, beauty and spontaneity.

Mom has some marvelous stories to tell about her Auntyji and her family who were friends with Mom's family. Sometimes you get a real lot from family friends. So much that you can pass it on even to the next generation! We may not be neighbors with Auntyji anymore. But Auntyji left with us one very treasured heirloom! Auntyji's Khatta Macchi has been made and relished by my Grandma, my Mom and now me!

On behalf of my Mom and our family, thanks to Auntyji for this recipe and all the memories that came along with it. 

Ingredients: 
Surmai (I used Tilapia) - 1 lb.
Onions - 2 medium, finely chopped
Jeera/Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Methi/fenugreek seeds - ½ tsp
Tomatoes - 2 medium
Green chillies - 1
Curry leaves - 4 or 5 leaves
Tamarind concentrate paste - about 1/2 teaspoon
Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon
Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
Haldi - 1/2 teaspoon
Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Cilantro leaves for garnish

Procedure:
1) Fry chopped onions with jeera, methi seeds, tomatoes. Grind this to a paste.
2) Heat oil, add chopped green chillies, curry leaves, ginger garlic paste, haldi, chilli powder, tamarind paste, salt and the above ground paste. 
3) Add water. When boiling, add fish. Cook. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

I served this with rice and dal. Yumm!! :) Thanks, Auntyji for your eternally loved recipe!

Cheerio and thanks for reading everyone!

17 comments:

Sushma Mallya said...

Looks really delicious, love the colour of the fish curry!

indosungod said...

Yes auntyjis makes the neighborhood livilier and interesting. The fish curry is almost the same way I make it. My mom adds some roasted methi powder towards the end and tht is the only difference

Cham said...

It is a sweet and short story about "auntyji".
Tilapia dish sounds delicious!

Aparna S Mallya said...

Yum yum! I'm sure the tomatoes and tamarind work together to give a nice khatta taste. NO wonder it's called so!

(btw, my word verification word is 'drool'!)

SS blogs here said...

Thanks Sushma! Yes, the curry is bright! :)

Indo, I like the idea of roasted methi powder. Will try! Thanks!

Thanks, Cham! :)

Thanks, Aparna! Drool.. haha.. that's way cool!

Simplyfood said...

Lovely dish.

SS blogs here said...

Thanks, Nayna! :)

Jaya M said...

SS,
Loved Auntyji's account here ..almost similar memories we have too :-)
khatta Macchi looks delicious..hugs and smiles

SS blogs here said...

Thanks, Jaya! Good to see you.

Mehjabeen Arif said...

Looks perfect ! will sure give this a try..

New to ur space and Happy to follow u..
Do visit me a stime permits..
http://comeletseat.blogspot.com

SS blogs here said...

Thanks for stopping by, Mehjabeen!

M D said...

Nice writeup on auntiji. Good recipe for fish lovers.

SS blogs here said...

Thanks, Mallika! :)

Anonymous said...

thanx SS for dropping by and am glad that I found your yummy blog..
and this tilapia sounds too good

SS blogs here said...

Thanks, Sukanya! Cheers!

Miri said...

That is one delicious looking fish curry....

SS blogs here said...

Thanks, Miri! :)

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