Mourola macher bati chorchori

Bethica Das’s Mourola Macher Bati Chorchori is a semi-dry Bengali fish preparation steamed in a sealed steel tiffin box. She identifies the small river fish as Mourola, or Mola Carplet, and combines it with sliced vegetables, mustard oil, mustard paste and spices.

The cleaned, rinsed fish is marinated with salt and turmeric. The sliced onion, garlic, tomato and potato, slit green chillies, coriander leaves, mustard paste, nigella and ground spices are mixed with the mustard oil in a bowl.

The marinated fish and a little water are gently mixed through the same ingredients. The mixture is transferred to the steel tiffin box and its lid closed securely.

Water is brought to a boil in a pan, with a stand holding the sealed tiffin box above it. The pan is covered and the fish mixture steams over low heat.

The box is allowed to cool before its lid is removed. The cooked mixture is gently stirred and served with steamed rice; the author describes a semi-dry finish rather than a runny curry.