Long-whiskered Catfish, known as ‘Shingala’ in Marathi and ‘Aar’ in Bengali, is a much-loved fish across several states in India. Bengalis value it for its subtle flavour. This simple one-pot recipe—shared by Sayani Sengupta—is her family’s favourite. For Sayani, this recipe is true to Bengali cooking. The pungency of raw mustard oil and mustard paste, the heat of chillies, and the sweetness from a medley of winter vegetables make this dish a runaway hit during the cooler months. Slow-cooked in a kadhai, it is fondly known as ‘Korai Chochori’ in Bangla.
| Yellow mustard seeds | 3 teaspoons |
|---|---|
| Poppy seeds | 1 teaspoon |
| Salt | to taste |
| Green chilli, slit in half | 5 + 3 |
| Brinjal | 1, large |
| Onion flower stalks | 16 |
| Long-whiskered catfish, cut into pieces | 8 |
| Turmeric powder | 1 teaspoon |
| Red chilli powder | 1 teaspoon |
| Mustard oil | 5 tablespoons |
| Water | ½ cup + 6 tablespoons |
| Coriander leaves, chopped | 4 tablespoons |
What You Will Need
Kadhai/ Heavy-bottomed cooking pan with lid, mixer grinder, big mixing bowl, measuring spoons and cups
Instructions
In a mixer grinder, add the mustard seeds, poppy seeds, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Dry-grind until the seeds break down into a semi-fine powder.
Add 3 green chillies and 6 tablespoons of water, then grind again to a smooth homogenous paste. Set aside.
Cut the brinjal into medium-sized chunks. Cut the onion flower stalks into 2-inch pieces, discarding the flowers at the top.
Wash the fish thoroughly and drain the water completely.
If using the fish head, keep it aside for another recipe, or cook it along with the other pieces in this dish.
Place the fish pieces in a kadhai or a cooking pot. Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, the mustard–poppy seed paste, 2 slit green chillies, the aubergine pieces, and the onion flower stalks. Pour in the mustard oil.
Gently mix everything together with your hands so the fish and vegetables are well coated. Add water (as required), mix again, and adjust salt.
Place the pot on medium–high heat and allow the mixture to come to a rolling boil.
Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and cook for 8–9 minutes.
Remove the lid and add chopped coriander leaves along with the remaining slit green chillies. Cover again and cook for 1 minute.
Switch off the heat and keep the pot covered for 10 minutes so as to allow the flavours to settle. Serve hot with steamed rice.
Variations:
You can use any fish in place of Long-whiskered catfish for this recipe; if you’re using small fish, reduce the cooking time to 6–7 minutes, as it cooks much faster. For smaller fish, cut the aubergine into smaller pieces so everything cooks evenly. Reduce the amount of water to just a few tablespoons, adjusting according to the quantity of fish being cooked.
Sayani Sengupta is the Cooking Lab Lead for the Millet Revival Project by The Locavore and a home chef based out of Kolkata. She runs her own food brand, Gooseberri, for which she often writes recipes. Her recipes have also featured in Bengali magazines such as Sananda as well as other English publications.
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