Maachi kok or fish kok, is a sindhi style of cooking fish. Normally only HILSA/ ILISH fish is cooked in this way… we sindhis call Hilsa as PALLO. Here in jakarta its difficult to get pallo aka hilsa. And frankly I prefer using boneless fish fillets with skin on. . As pallo has too many fine bones. But its a easy recipe. .Do try this and have it with khichdi rice or sindhi phulko( chapati). Its a tangy and spicy dish which does not take long to make. I have also made Paneer using the same recipe. KOK over here means uncooked onion tomato marination. Cooked while pan steaming.
Long before Partition, buying Pallo fish was an elaborate affair, and the River Indus in Sindh gave a huge bounty of these fish , especially during the monsoons. Our men ancestors would buy pallo on sundays and this was cooked by the womenfolk , mostly for lunch only, to be enjoyed leisurely.
I have seen my mom preparing this kok pallo on many a sundays, for my grandparents or when we had special guests. She would cook this on a special tawa we had ( before the advent of non stick pans).
On a sigdi( coal flame).
Just before serving she would heat up some brandy in a deep hot metal spoon, flambe it, and pour over the fish..😊( mind you, this was for special guests).
My mom cooked andaz se, is a vegetarian but she could cook super tasty non veg.
200 gms Carp fillet ( Gurame)with skin or any other river fish. Gurame is a fresh water fish.
( I tried using red snapper, which is a salt water fish, but sadly it became too dry.)
Lightly salt it and keep aside for few mins, rinse and pat dry.
In a bowl, add
1 tbsp oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 red tomato finely chopped
1 or 2 chopped green chillies
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger.
1 tsp corriander seed powder
1/4 tsp Amchoor
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chillie powder
Salt to taste…I used 1 tsp.
2 tbsps yogurt.
Mix this together using your hand, giving the ingredients a good massage. ( can use gloves)
Lastly add about 1/4 cup finely chopped corriander leaves.
Keep aside.
Back to the fish.
Heat 2 to 3 tbsps of oil in a non stick pan.
Slip in the fish, skin side down
Cook on both sides till 50 percent done.
Remove in a plate and apply the masala generously on the white part.
Slip the fish back in, skin side down.
Cover and cook on low heat for 10 mins.
The steam will cook the masala and fish.
Done. Sprinkle corriander leaves.
Serve hot.
This same masala can be used for making Paneer kok.
Shared some photos in comments section.
ratisfusionkitchen 