Instant Chili Pickle

Jalapenos - around 10, remove the stem, wash and dry well
Mustard Oil - 1/4 cup
Mustard Seeds or Paanch Phoron - 1/4 tsp
Rock Salt - 1/2 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Coarsely Crushed Yellow Mustard and Fenugreek Seeds - 2 tbsp.
Yellow Mustard Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Red Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
White Vinegar - 3 to 4 tbsp.
Jaggery / Gur - 2 tsp

Cut the jalapenos into thick roundels

Heat mustard oil in a sauce pan. Add the mustard seeds or paanch phoron. Add a pinch of Hing.

Then add the jalapenos, crushed mustard and fenugreek seeds. Cook for a minute.

Add salt, jaggery, red chili powder, turmeric, mustard powder, vinegar and mix well and cook for a minute more.

Remove from heat, cool and transfer to a glass bottle. Store it in the refrigerator.

Adapted from http://kichukhonn.blogspot.com/2015/04/is-teacher.html

Fish in Yogurt Gravy

Fresh Fish Steaks / Fillets  - 5 (I used red snapper here)
Oil - 2 tbsp, if possible use mustard oil
Green Cardamom - 1
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Cloves - 4
Bay Leaf - 1
Dried Whole Red Chilies - 2
Red Onion - 1 small, finely grated
Plain Whole Milk Yogurt - 1 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Gramflour / Besan - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp (reduce the quantity if you want a light yellow gravy)
Green Chili - a couple, depending on your taste
Salt
Raw Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Apply a little bit of turmeric and salt to the fish pieces. Heat a skillet with a little mustard oil and shallow fry the fish steaks till light brown on both sides. Keep aside.

Beat the yogurt well. Add a tbsp of besan, salt, sugar, turmeric, mix well and keep aside

Heat a heavy bottomed pan. Add mustard oil and once the oil is hot, add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf and dried reed chili. Then add the grated onion and cook on low fire till the onion begins to caramelize.

Remove the pan from the heat and keep aside for a few minutes. Slowly add the yogurt mixture and  green chilies and bring the pan back to low heat. Gradually increase the heat and cook on medium heat till the gravy reaches desired consistency. Add the fried fish steak and simmer for a minute more. You could also reduce the gravy considerably and make it a dry curry.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

Adapted from http://kichukhonn.blogspot.com/2011/02/doi-maach-rohu-fish-in-yoghurt-gravy.html

Kanta Chorchori

Mix of Fish Bones & Head
Mustard Oil - 2 tbsp.
Onion - 1, thinly sliced
Ginger - 1/2 inch, grated
Potato - 1 thinly sliced
Green Chili - 2 chopped
Tomato - 1, thinly sliced
Raw Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Coriander Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Steam the bones lightly to half cook them. Alternatively the bones can be kept raw. It will only increase the cooking time a little.
Heat a tbsp. of mustard oil till smoking hot in a cast iron pan. Add the bones and fish head, sprinkle some salt and turmeric and cook till they are done. Remove and keep aside.
Heat the remaining oil in the pan. Add sliced onion, green chili and ginger. Cook for a few minutes and then add the sliced potato. Cook on medium high heat till the potatoes are almost done.
Add sliced tomato, salt sugar, turmeric, red chili powder, cumin and coriander powder and mix well. Cook till the tomato gets mushy. (Instead of tomato and the other spices you can also use fresh mustard paste, salt  and turmeric. This will give a totally different taste).
Add the fish bones and mix. Cook for a few minutes more. Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top and serve hot.