Steamed Fish cooked in a healthy mustard blend sauce - Microwave recipe

Steamed fish in healthy sauce (Bengali recipe)

This recipe is inspired by my mother. The sauce was one of her many experiments in the kitchen that turned out to be an absolute hit in the family. 

The recipe is a staple in all Bengali households and is mostly cooked using the famous hilsa. However, I am have used rohu which is easily available all year around.

Mostly the sauce used in making steamed fish is  mostly mustard paste. But given the heat that the paste generates in the system, my Mom goes slow on the usage of mustard seeds and adds a lot of heart healthy ingredients to make the paste less sinful without compromising on the taste. She uses white mustard seeds, white sesame seeds which are considered to be extremely beneficial for the heart, Poppy seeds and soya chunks, all ground to a fine paste.You can read more about the benefits of white sesame seeds here: (http://www.care2.com/greenliving/20-health-benefits-of-sesame-you-wont-believe.html)


Lets look the ingredients:

To make the paste:

• 4 tsp poppy seeds
• 2tsp white mustard seeds
• 4tsp white sesame seeds
• a few Soya chunks



Steamed fish in healthy sauce (Bengali recipe)

Steamed fish in healthy sauce (Bengali recipe)

Other Ingredients:

• 4 pieces of Rohu
• 1tsp mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Green chilies slit into two

Method:

1. Clean and wash the fish pieces and marinate with turmeric powder and a little salt

2. Once you make the paste,add turmeric powder and salt to the paste

3. Coat all the fish pieces with the paste. You might add about 1/4th cup of water to the paste if want a little gravy

4. Add the slit green chilies to the fish

5. Put all together in a microwave safe dish, and cook for about 3 mins in the microwave

And there your steamed fish is ready to go !!

This is the perfect accompaniment with steamed rice for a Sunday afternoon meal. 

Chicken rezalla with a healthy twist

Sunday lunches are an elaborate affair.Ever Since my childhood, I used to wait for Sunday - a day when my family is together for lunch at the dining table.Even today, nothing much has changed. I still look forward to my Sunday meal after a hectic week at work.

Sunday is the day when I try to cook something. I find cooking extremely relaxing and rejuvenating.  Chicken rezalla is a wonderful Sunday lunch menu option. This was introduced in Bengal by the Mughals. Traditionally this is looked in ghee in a rich cashew nut gravy.

However, being a health and fitness addict, I have added certain healthy twists to this authentic dish. Based on my experiences and reviews of people who tried out this recipe, I can say that you can't make out the difference. It is just for you to know ;)

Let's talk about the twists now. The recipe originally has a rich gravy which has kaju paste, ghee and sometimes cream. I didn't want cashew and all in my recipe as it increases the cholesterol value and the calorie count of the meal.

So what did I add for a thick rezalla gravy and not compromise on the health aspect of the meal ? 

Well, I made a paste of poppy seeds, while til, white mustard seeds and soya to enhance the gravy. All of these are healthy and keeps the calorie count much lower.

Let's look at the complete procedure:

 Ingredients:

1. 1kg chicken

2. 5tbsp of onion, ginger, garlic paste

3. 1 cup curd

4. 4tbsp pf poppy seeds

5. 4 tbsp of white til

6. 2 tbsp of white mustard seeds

7. 1/2 cup soya chunks

8. edible ittar to taste (few drops)

9. garam masala paste ( cinnamon, cloves, jawitri, peppercorn, elaichi)

10. 2 tbsp oil

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken using salt, curd and ginger, garlic paste

2. Make a paste of onion, ginger and garlic

3. Heat about 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and add the onion-garlic- ginger paste

4. Fry till the mixture turns brownish in colour. Add the poppy seed-til- soya-mustard paste and cook weel till the oil separates

5. Add the marinated chicken and the garam masala poweder. Cook well till the chicken cooks and changes colour

6. Add water to the pan and cook till the chicken becomes juicy

7. Add a few drops of meetha ittar and cook for about 3 mins

Here, your yummy and healthy chicken recipe is good to go :)

Enjoy the meal and do drop in your suggestions and feedback. 

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