Tel Koi

Tel Koi

 Calcutta is a place where everything moves at a different pace. Just as gossip keeps a women fresh and healthy, daily visit to the fish market is known to keep the Calcutta men hail and hearty. We Bengali's love our fish and we eat a lot of fish, almost daily. Buying fresh fish for the day is a daily routine for a Calcuttan as rice and fish is a staple diet.


We Bengali's fry our fish before putting it in a gravy unlike many others. Fish meat cooks in very less time and so fry fish lightly and never deep fry the fish too much as the fish meat will harden. In Calcutta, when fresh fish is brought home from the market, the recipe is decided instantly and immediately the fish is cooked for the table. A Bengali will check out the whole fish market and then decide on what to finally buy for the day. Most men know how a particular fish is prepared. Even the fish monger will have a few really good recipes up his sleeve and would know how to cook all varieties available with him!
Therefore, after buying a particular variety you would not need to consult a cookbook.


Tel koi prepared at my place :



Koi Maach.....................................500 grams
Mustard Oil..................................4-5 tbsp+1tbsp raw
Turmeric Powder........................1 tsp
Cumin powder.............................. 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder.........................1/2 tsp
Salt.................................................2 tsp
Sugar.............................................1/2 tsp
Nigella seeds(Kalo Jeere)...........1 pinch
Green Chilly,slit............................4
Ginger Paste.................................1 tsp
Onion paste...................................2 tbsp
Tomato paste...............................2 tbsp
Yoghurt,beaten.............................2 tbsp
Red chilly powder........................1/2 tsp


     Wash and clean the Koi Maach and if make two gushes between the head and tail  so that the sauce enters the fish. Rub 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp salt 
 to the fishes. Marinate and keep aside for 10 minutes.

      Heat the mustard oil in a wok/Kadhai and fry the fish lightly on both sides. Keep aside.
       Add 4 green chillies, slit and a pinch of kalo jeere to the oil.

When they splutter, add the onion paste. Stir fry well till the raw smell of onion goes away. Then add the tomato paste and the ginger paste. Stir fry these too. 

Then add sugar, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, cumin powder, 
coriander powder and salt mixed in a little water and cook till oil separates. 

Add beaten yoghurt and stir well (Stirring will not curdle the yoghurt). Mix and then when it starts to boil add the fish pieces carefully and cover with a lid. 
       This dish, Tel koi doesn't have a lot of gravy and the oil is on the higher side, so too much water is not added.
        After 2 minutes remove cover, put gas flame off and spread 1 tbsp raw mustard oil
over the preparation. 
Mustard oil is very pungent so if you are comfortable only then use it raw in the end.....

The raw mustard oil gives it an authentic flavour.

Enjoy Tel Koi with white boiled rice!!