FISH SOUP

Ingredients

• 500 grams fish (any kind) (Cut into pieces suitable for frying. Firm white fish such as rohu, catfish, or any locally available variety works well.)
• 4 tablespoons oil (Divided use — some for frying the fish and vegetables, a little reserved for the tempering at the end.)
• 300 grams vegetables (Any firm vegetables such as potato or pumpkin. Peel and cut into large chunks. Do not include brinjal here — it is added later.)
• 200 grams brinjals (eggplant/aubergine) (Cut into large pieces. Added later in cooking so they do not become mushy.)
• 1.5 litres water (Used to make the soup base. Keep the soup thin as directed.)
• 1 teaspoon coriander (Ground or whole coriander seeds — paste together with the other spices.)
• 1 teaspoon cumin (Ground or whole cumin seeds — paste together with the other spices.)
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper (Black pepper — paste together with the other spices.)
• 0.5 teaspoon turmeric (Paste together with the other spices.)
• 2 whole chillies (for paste) (Paste together with coriander, cumin, pepper, turmeric, and onions to form the spice paste.)
• 2 medium onions (Peel and roughly chop before pasting with the spices.)
• 1 teaspoon salt (Added once the soup reaches a boil. Adjust to taste.)
• 8 pieces fried bori (Optional. Bori are small sun-dried lentil dumplings, available at Indian or Bengali grocery stores. Fry until golden before adding.)
• 3 leaves cassia leaves (Also known as Indian bay leaves (tejpatta). Used in the tempering oil at the end.)
• 2 whole chillies (for tempering) (Added to the hot oil for the final tempering (tadka) along with cassia leaves and panch-foron.)
• 0.25 teaspoon panch-foron (A Bengali five-spice blend of fenugreek, nigella, cumin, black mustard, and fennel seeds. Available at Indian grocery stores.)
• 1 whole coconut kernel of a ripe coconut (Variation only. Scrape out the flesh and make a paste to extract coconut milk.)
• 500 millilitres boiling water (for coconut milk) (Variation only. Used to extract milk from the coconut paste.)
• 2 tablespoons flour solution (Variation only. Mix a little plain flour with water to form a thin solution before adding.)
• 2 tablespoons ghee (Variation only. Used in place of oil for the final tempering in the coconut milk version.)
• 0.5 teaspoon cardamom seeds (Variation only. Use seeds from green cardamom pods. Added to the ghee tempering.)
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger (Variation only. Finely mince or grate fresh ginger. Added to the ghee tempering.)
• 3 whole cloves (Variation only. Added to the ghee tempering in the coconut milk version.)

Instructions

1. 1Place the coriander, cumin, pepper, turmeric, chillies (for paste), and onions into a blender or use a mortar and pestle. Add a small splash of water and grind everything together into a smooth paste. Set aside. Tip for beginners: A blender makes this much easier — blend in short pulses, scraping down the sides, until you have a uniform paste.
2. 2Pat the fish pieces dry with a paper towel — this helps them brown rather than steam. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, deep pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the fish pieces in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Fry for 2–3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate. Do not discard the remaining oil in the pot.
3. 3In the same pot with the remaining oil, add the prepared vegetables (all except the brinjal). Stir and cook over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until the vegetables develop some golden-brown colour on the outside. Browning adds depth of flavour — do not rush this step.
4. 4Add the spice paste to the browned vegetables in the pot and stir well to coat. Cook the paste with the vegetables for 1–2 minutes, stirring continuously, until fragrant — this cooks off the raw smell of the spices. Then pour in the water and stir to combine. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil.
5. 5Once the soup is at a rolling boil, add the salt, the brinjal pieces, and the reserved fried fish. Stir gently to avoid breaking the fish apart. If using fried bori, add them now as well. Reduce the heat to medium and let the soup simmer for 10–12 minutes, until the brinjal is tender when pierced with a fork and the other vegetables are fully cooked through. The soup should remain thin and brothy — do not let it reduce too much.
6. 6In a small separate pan or ladle, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat until it is very hot and beginning to smoke slightly. Add the cassia leaves, whole chillies (for tempering), and the pinch of panch-foron. Stand back slightly as they will sizzle and pop. Fry for 20–30 seconds, swirling the pan, until the spices are fragrant and lightly browned — be careful not to burn them. Immediately pour this hot, seasoned oil over the soup in the pot. Stir gently to distribute. Serve the soup thin and hot.
7. 7VARIATION (Coconut Milk Soup): Scrape the flesh (kernel) out of a ripe coconut using a grater or coconut scraper. Place the scraped flesh into a blender and add the boiling water. Blend for 1–2 minutes until a thick slurry forms. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or muslin cloth set over a large bowl. Press and squeeze firmly to extract as much milk as possible. Discard the dry coconut solids left in the strainer — these are the refuse. The strained liquid is your coconut milk. Set it aside for use in the variation below.
8. 8VARIATION (Coconut Milk Soup): Heat oil in a large deep pot over medium-high heat and fry the fish pieces as in Step 2 until lightly golden. Pour in the prepared coconut milk and add the cassia leaves. Mix the flour solution by stirring a little flour into cold water until smooth and lump-free, then add it to the pot and stir gently to incorporate. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add salt once the fish is cooked through — this will take approximately 8–10 minutes. Do not boil vigorously as coconut milk can separate.
9. 9VARIATION (Coconut Milk Soup): In a small pan, heat the ghee over medium-high heat until melted and hot. Add the cardamom seeds, minced ginger, chillies, and cloves. Fry for 20–30 seconds, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant. Immediately pour this ghee tempering over the coconut milk fish soup. Stir gently and serve hot.