Fish with spinach or machli palak is a mouthwatering dish, very simple and easy to make and taste divine. Fish palak curry is very famous in everyday Assamese households as fresh fish is a huge part of Assam cuisine. Machli palak requires only few ingredients to make and the result is lip-smacking good. In some parts of India it is also called hariyali machli that also means Fish cooked in spinach puree with mouth watering green chilly, coriander and some spices. In this machli palak recipe a very healthy version of cooking fish in green gravy is explained. Using very little oil to fry the fish and cooking the whole gravy with selected ingredients so that it provides enough tasty protein and vitamins to satisfy your soul. I am sharing this machli aur palak recipe in urdu for your ease.
Sprinkle salt and carom seeds over the pieces of fish and give fish rest of 30 minutes.
Then wash the fish.
In a wok add some cooking oil and heat it. Shallow fry the fish in this oil. Remember the cooking oil should cover half of the thickness of fish pieces. The oil should be hot enough that as soon as fish pieces hit the oil it starts sizzling but not too much hot as the fish will get brown from outside and uncooked from inside.
Take the fish out after it is fried on any kitchen paper so that excess oil may absorb.
Now in the wok add cooking oil, add whole garam masala and fry for few seconds so that it may release its aroma.
Also add fenugreek seeds, ginger garlic paste and fry these for few seconds as well.
Add chopped tomatoes along with red chili powder, turmeric powder, carom seeds, salt, crushed coriander seeds and mix well.
Cover the pan for 5 minutes and let the masala cook on medium flame.
After the time give another mix then add tamarind in it, mix well.
Cover the pot again for 5 minutes and let everything cook for 5 minutes more.
Add chopped spinach now and combine well.
Turn the flame to low and cook the spinach in gravy for 2-3 minutes, cover the pot as well.
Then add button red chilies, cover the pot again and cook for 5-7 minutes more on low flame.
Now our gravy for palak fish curry is ready. Add shallow fried fish (machli) at this stage and give a gentle mix. Do not mix vigorously as the fish pieces may broke.
Sprinkle garam masala powder and qasoori methi, cover the pot again and cook the palak fish curry for 2-3 minutes on low flame.
After the time give a gentle stir and machli palak is ready to serve.
