Celebrating radiant citrus - Fish Curry with Kaffir Lime leaves ( Lebu Pata diye Maach )

If you have been reading , by now you would have figured how big a fan i am of lime and everything else lemony in this world . Quite honestly , each time , i am in the kitchen , I get lured into the all overpowering aroma of the Kaffir lime . What makes me most happy is that this flavor fits perfectly well , both in the world of sweet or savory . While the leaves are widely used to flavor Thai, Cambodian and Vietnamese cuisine , it is also quite dominant in the cuisines of Bengal as well . I have also shared in one of my earlier blogs how easily these leaves of beauty can be stored for weeks together , in the freezer , without diluting its aroma by a minuscule .

If you check , you will probably find multi recipes available online ,where you can mix and match the kaffir leaves with variety of ingredients but if you ask me , the truth is , the best recipes are the one's where the flavor of the Kaffir lime is allowed to shine . This particular Fish curry with Kaffir lime leaves is my own creation and reflects my pure unadulterated love for citrus . It is refreshing , very easy to put together , also very light , summery and soul fulfilling in matter's of aroma . I have used Barramundi ( Bhetki ) but you can use any river water carp fish / chicken . Let me take you through this cooking process...Do give it a try and let me know how you like it !

Things you will need :

• 06- 08 peices of Barramundi or Bhetki ( Bengali pieces )

• 01 small onion paste

• 01 small onion , thinly sliced

• 02- 03 green chilli - slit

• 04- 05 Kaffir lime leaves

• 01 tsp ginger paste

• 02 tsp turmeric powder

• Salt to taste

• 03 tbsp Mustard Oil

• 1/2 tsp paanch phoron

• 02 cups of water

Steps to follow

• Marinate the fish with salt and 1 tsp turmeric powder and keep aside for 15 mins.

• Heat oil in a kadai and saute the marinated fish lightly in the oil and keep aside ( Be very delicate white sauteing the fish as Barramundi is a very fragile and soft varient - fry one piece at a time or take a larger vessel , to avoid the fish from breaking )

• In the same oil , add the paanch phoron and the slit green chillies.

• To this , add in the onion paste , along with the ginger paste , remaining turmeric powder and salt. Saute this on light flame for 05 mins

• Once the onion paste is translucent , add in 02 cups of water along with the kaffir limes and bring everything to a roaring boil .

• Next , add in the sliced onion and the bhetki pieces and cover cook on low flame for 20 mins . Adjust the seasoning and serve hot with steamed rice !