Green Pabda Maanch/ Ompak Pabo in Green Gravy

Pabda/ompak pabo fish are very delicate sweet fish loved by every Bengali. Mostly it is cooked with mustard popular as sorshe pabda. But today I thought of cooking it differently with fresh coriander and mint leaves. Relish this awesome fish on a green gravy. I assure you will love it.

Preparation time  10 minutes
Cooking time 20 minutes
Serves  4

Ingredients: 
4 big pabda fish (ompak pabo)
1 small onion
1 big tomato 
6 to 8 cloves garlic
½  cup fresh coriander
½  cup fresh mint leaves
4 green chilly or to taste chopped
2 green chilly silted
½  tsp kalonji / nigella sativa 
½ tsp turmeric  powder
a pinch of sugar
1 whole red chilly
6tbsp oil ( mustard oil or oil of your choice)
¼ tsp ghee/ clarified butter
¼ tsp garam masala powder
¼ tsp fresh cream (optional)
 salt to taste 

Methods Of Cooking:
Clean the fish. If the fish is too big then cut from the middle into two pieces it will help you in cooking the fish. Rub the fish with salt and turmeric powder. Keep aside. Now take onion, garlic, tomato, green chilly chopped, coriander and mint leaves, salt and sugar in your blender and make a fine paste. Heat oil in a pan and then fry the fish till light golden. Keep aside. Now in that oil (you can add a teaspoon more oil if needed) add kalonji/ nigella sativa and dry red chilly broken into halves. Now add you get the smell of fried kalonji then add the green paste. Stir and cook for few minutes till oil comes out from the mixture. Now add silted green chili and a little less than a cup of warm water. Let it come to boil then add the fried fish. Cook for another 6 to 8 minutes. Then add ghee, garam masala and fresh cream if using. Mix with very soft hand. Cover put off the flame and give few minute standing time before serving .Serve with steamed hot rice. Enjoy green pabda maanch.

Happy Cooking!