Fish Curry with Dry Elephant Apple (Ou Tenga)

Hey there!  I'm back again, after a long time. It's more than six months now, that I haven't written a single word in my blog. Sometimes staying motivated  to keep posting new posts everyday isn't so easy. But, I am back with a new recipe now. It's a simple Assamese style fish curry recipe or masor tenga cooked with dry elephant apple (ou tenga). 

Dillenia indica, commonly known as elephant apple (ou tenga in Assamese) is used as a souring agent in Assamese cuisine.  We can eat both raw (by making a chutney) and cooked elephant apple. Assamese people eat ou tenga by adding it in lentil curry (dail) and by making sour fish curry (masor tenga). We can also preserve elephant apple by just sun drying it. At first let me share the recipe of Sun dried elephant apple. 

Sun Dried Elephant Apple :

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 elephant apple 

METHOD:

STEP 1 

Remove the petals of the elephant apple with the help of a sharp knife. 

STEP 2
Cut the soft petals into small slices. 

STEP 3
Put the elephant apple slices under direct sunlight for some days. (5-7 days) 

STEP 4
Turn the slices  once per day and don't forget to bring the drying tray inside at night.

STEP 6
Once the slices become dry preserve it in a airtight container.

You can use these dried elephant apple slices to make fish curry. A very delicious pork recipe can also be made with these dried elephant apple slices and I'll share the recipe some other time. Now without further delay let's jump to the main recipe. 

Fish Curry with Dry Elephant Apple :

 INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pieces of Rohu fish 
• 1 potato 
• 1/2 tsp panch phoron
• 1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste 
• 3-4 chopped green chillies or 1 ghost chilli (bhut jolokia) [use the amount of chilli according to your taste]
• 1/2 cup dry elephant apple slices 
• 1/2 + 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder 
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 
• 3-4 tbsp oil
• 1-2 cups water and
• salt to taste

METHOD:

1. Boil potato, peel and mash properly. Keep aside. 
2. Soak dried elephant apple slices in lukewarm water.
3. Wash fish pieces under running water and rub with salt and turmeric. 
4. In a pan heat mustard oil. Fry fish pieces and keep aside. 
5. In the remaining oil add panch phoron. When crackling add ginger garlic paste. 
6. Add turmeric powder, cumin powder and red chilli powder. 
7. Add soaked dry elephant apple slices. 
8. Add chopped green chillies and mashed potatoes. Mix everything well. 
9. Add salt. 
10. Add water and fish pieces. 
11. Bring to boil and cook for sometimes on medium heat until the gravy becomes thick. Add more water if required. 
12. Remove from heat. Serve hot with steamed rice. 

If you like this recipe, then you may also like:

* Elephant Apple Chutney