Bhetki Paturi

Bhetki paturi, or more properly bhetki macher kolapaturi, may be a relatively new entrant within the Calcutta food scene.

The basic fish paturi marinade has just ground mustard, green chillies, turmeric, mustard oil and salt. The pungency of the mustard could also be diluted with yoghurt which also adds some sourness, or coconut also adds texture and flavour, flavorer paste, or by simply using more yellow mustard than brown.

The fish fillets are often individually wrapped in small parcels or are often cooked all at once, layered during a large leaf parcel—either steamed or pan-fried on low heat.

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg bhetki mach
• 10g salt/as per taste
• Basic mustard paste
• 25g hung curd
• 50g mustard oil
• 8 pcs slit green chilies

BASIC MUSTARD PASTE

• 100g mustard seeds
• 15g green chilies
• 30g salt/as per taste

METHOD
MAKING THE MARINADE
Soak mustard seeds (I am using 50% brown and 50% yellow mustard) in room temperature water.

We would like to start out with the essential mustard paste. try to keep the water in the marination as low as possible.

It should be more like paste and fewer sort of batter for best results. In an electrical grinder add water a small bit at a time, scrape the mixture and grind again. This takes patience. Grinding the mustard properly is that the most vital step of this recipe.

Grind 100 g mustard, 25g charmagaz, 30 g salt, 15 g green chilies, and three g turmeric into a paste with touch of water. Stir in 50 g of mustard oil, and 25 g of hung curd.

BASIC STEPS
1. The basic steps are getting to be an equivalent regardless of which variation of marinade you select to travel with.

2. Try and get fresh (non-frozen) bhetki or another white fish. it’s vital that your fillet are dry. Wipe the fillets with a clean cloth or paper towels until they’re dry and that they feel sticky to the touch. Alternatively, you’ll place the fillets on a flat tray lined with folded cloth or paper napkins to soak up any water, and leave them uncovered within the refrigerator (not freezer) overnight.
3. Marinate the fillet with salt and place them within the fridge for 20–30 minutes while you prepare the musturd marinade. Make the mustard marinade. Coat the fish fillets with the marinade.
4. Meanwhile, wash and cut some banana leaves into rectangular sheets, for individual bhetki fillets. Gently toast them on a pan assail medium heat this may increase the malleability of the banana leaves, ensuring that they don’t crack when folded. Remove from heat and put aside.
5. If making individual parcels, take a banana-leaf sheet ahead of you. Spoon some mustard marinade paste within the center of 1 of the sheet. Set one piece of the fillet thereon. Again put some more of the paste. Put a slit green chili and drizzle of raw mustard oil.

6. Carefully while wrapping the fish with the banana leaf ensuring that it’s fully covered. If you discover that your leaf is torn, wrap another layer of the leaf around it. Tie this parcel up securely with a cotton string (don’t use synthetic or it’ll melt when heated).
7. If you’re making one large parcel, confirm you measure the pan or tray you’re getting to be cooking it on, otherwise, you may find yourself with a parcel that doesn’t fit or lie flat. Use a minimum of 5 layers of banana leaves at rock bottom and three or more on the highest.

COOKING Of PATURI
1. Steaming: you’ll steam the parcels during a single layer for ten minutes or until the interior temperature of the fillet is 62ºC.

2. Pan-fry: you’ll heat a frypan or kadai, coat the pan with a touch oil and cook the parcels for about 10 minutes. So, we also placed a couple of pieces of burning coals on top. This creates a light smokey flavor.