Bengali style climbing perch curry
![How To Make Tel Koi](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/How-To-Make-Tel-Koi-1.png)
Tel koi is A fish curry prepared using very limited spices with excess oil(must be mustard oil) and this is one of the traditional and famous dishes in the Bengali kitchen. In Bengali Tel is oil and Koi is a type of fish called Climbing Perch in English, its ability to survive out of the water for hours, provided it is kept moist. They are able to jump or climb slightly steeper slopes when moving on the fields. It has an additional respiratory organ, for they can survive in moist for long periods without water. Tel Koi suggest Koi fish prepared in excess oil. The marinated koi fishes are fried and then simmered in a medium-thin gravy made with chilies, and ginger and added with extra oil finished in a warm, spicy, cumin, flavored sauce, this is How To Make Tel Koi.
Equipment
A Kadai or a frying pan
A serving plate or bowl
A blender Ladle
Ingredients for How To Make Tel Koi
- 500 Gm koi mach(climbing perch)
For Spice Paste
- one and a half tbsp whole cumin seeds
- Ginger-2 inch
- red chilly-2
- green chilly-2
For Preparing the Curry
- mustard oil-1/2 cup
- 1 tsp nigella seeds (or Kalo jeera)/panchforon
- turmeric powder-2 tsp
- green chilies, -2
- salt to taste
For Marinating the fish
- mustard oil-2 tbsp
- turmeric powder-2 tbsp
- salt-2 tbsp
How To Make Tel Koi
- Clean and wash the koi fishes.
![Tel Koi step1](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tel-Koi-step1.png)
- Coat them with turmeric powder and salt to marinate for 20-30 minutes
![Tel Koi step2](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tel-Koi-step2.png)
- Soak the cumin seeds and red chilies for half an hour.
![Tel Koi step3](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tel-Koi-step3.png)
- Peel ginger, add it with soaked cumin and dry chilies in a blender and make a paste
![Tel Koi step4](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tel-Koi-step4.png)
- Heat oil in a wok, season it with oil before use to avoid the stickiness
![Tel Koi step5](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tel-Koi-step5.png)
- Slowly drop the fish, don’t try to accommodate more fish at a time, fry them in stages.
![Tel Koi step6](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tel-Koi-step6.png)
- Once fried on one side, turn it over to another side.
![Tel Koi step7](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tel-Koi-step7.png)
- Place them on a plate to further use
![Tel Koi step8](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tel-Koi-step8.png)
- Heat oil in a pan, add panchforon/Kalo zeere for tempering( here I used panchforon, you can use nigella seeds)
![Tel Koi step9](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tel-Koi-step9.png)
- Slowly add the spice paste of ginger – cumin and cook for a few minutes
![Tel Koi step10](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tel-Koi-step10.png)
- Now put turmeric powder and cook for 2-3 minutes. At this point, the gravy should release oil
![Tel Koi step11](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tel-Koi-step11.png)
- Add water and allow this to cook for 3-4 minutes and come to a boil. Add salt
- Slowly drop the fish and allow them to cook for another 8-10 minutes in simmer
![Tel Koi step12](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tel-Koi-step12.png)
- Take them out from the oven and serve with piping hot rice
![Tel Koi step13](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tel-Koi-step13.png)