Machha Thukuthuka (Non - Veg)

Ingredients:

250 gm very small fish (chuna machha)

2 teaspoon mustard (sorisha)

½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)

5 cloves of garlic (rasuna)

3 teaspoon mustard oil (sorisha tela)

juice of half a lemon (lembu rasa)

1 teaspoon turmeric powder (haladi gunda)

1 teaspoon chili powder (lanka gunda)

4 curry leaves (bhursunga patra)

½ teaspoon panch phootan mixture

(panch phooutan: cumin+ mustard+ nigella+ fenugreek+ aniseed )

Salt to taste

Method:

Wash the fish thoroughly by taking out their tails. Also clean the insides by removing the gall bladder and intestine etc. This is done to avoid any possible bitter taste. Add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and salt to it for marinating. Make a fine paste of mustard, cumin seeds and garlic. Now heat mustard oil in a pan and add curry leaves and panchafutana to it. When the futana starts cracking add the mustard+cumin+garlic paste. Add water to the pan. Then add the remaining turmeric powder and chili powder. Once the water starts boiling put the marinated fish into it and add salt to taste. When the curry starts boiling add lemon juice and keep the pan on the flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Now the chuna machha thukuthuka is ready to be served hot and relished by all. This item is very popular in Berhampur.