7 Easy Steps to Cook Large Catla Fish with Posto (Poppy Seed)
One of the favourite and lip-smacking dishes among Bengalis- large Catla fish cooked in poppy seeds, also known as ‘Catla Masher Posto Bhapa’.
This delicious gravy dish requires minimal ingredients but the look and taste of it is spell binding.
Below is the step by step description and ingredients to cook Catla Fish with Posto seamlessly:
Ingredients
- Catla fish – 2 pieces (or more as per your need)
- Poppy seeds – 1 tablespoon
- Watermelon seeds ½ tablespoon
- Cashew nut paste 1 tablespoon
- Green chilies – 4-5
- Onion – 1 (Chopped)
- Garlic & Ginger paste – ½ teaspoon
- Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
- Curd 1 tablespoon
- Onion seeds (kala jeera/kalonji) – ½ teaspoon
- Tomato ½ (sliced)
- Salt as required
- Sugar – a pinch
- Mustard oil – 4 tablespoons
Step 1. Make a paste (posto bata) with Poppy seed, watermelon seed, cashew nut and 2 green chilly with few spoons of water.
Step 2. Marinate the fish with turmeric and salt and fry it till it (in 2 tablespoons of oil) turns golden brown.
Thereafter pick the fishes up and keep it separately.
Step 3. In the same pan add 2 more tablespoons of oil and add 1 pinch of sugar. As the sugar melts immediately add onion and fry till a golden texture appears.
Step 4. Add Garlic & Ginger paste into the golden texture and stir it. Now add curd and posto bata into it. As you stir it add turmeric and salt and cook it till the oil surfaces on top.
Step 5. Now add tomato and mix it well for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes slowly add the 2 fish pieces into the pan.
Step 6. Mix the masala well around the fish by turning it side by side. Be careful not to break the large fish chunks.
Step 7. As the masala is well mixed around the fish add half cup of water, place the lid and let it steam for 10-15minuites.
Take the lid off and your ‘Catla Masher Posto Bhapa’ is ready to be served.
