Keski fish with hyacinth beans or Keski mach diye shim. Either way its the combination of 2 bengali favourites. The shim or hyacinth bean, a winter veg that is very popular and sought after due to its versatality. Hyacinth bean is a flat bean, 1 of many in India but savoured by bengalis. More about Hyacinth beans and other bengali veg LET’S TALK ABOUT VEG!

Then the keski fish, also a very popular tiny fish which again is very versatile in its use.
Together, they are a match made for any bengalis plates!

Shim or flat beans go well with fish. They are cooked with meat too but much of its culinary use is in vegetable curries or fish dishes. Its eaten frequently with fish in mustard curries or jhol, a saucy style fish curry such as Fish with potatoes and hyacinth beans or a bhuna such as Snakehead Fish Bhuna with Hyacinth Beans<br>Shim Diye Shol Macher Bhuna

This dish, some will call it a ‘khoru’ meaning a dry dish using veg. Its usually dried slowly on low heat at the end so as to let the masala just catch on the bottom then fold and repeat. Its that process of browning that gives it its distinctive name, flavour and taste.

So all I say is give it try!

INGREFIENTS:

1 block of frozen keski fish
2 tsp salt
1 small tomato chopped
2 med onions
1 tsp sugar
12 flat beans/shim cut into strips.
1 chef spoon oil
3 green chillies chopped
1 tsp cumin powder
Handful of fresh coriander chopped

Clean your keski and pick out the debris. Find out how here How To Clean Dried/ Fresh Keski Fish

METHOD:

In a clean bowl add your keski, half a teaspoon of turmeric, half a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of chilli powder and fresh chilli minced. Mix this up and put aside.

Next in a pan add a drizzle of oil and when the oil is hot place your marinated keski in the oil and let it gently cook on a medium heat. Do not stir this just move your pan and jiggle it until will the keski looks opaque.

Next gently turn the keski over with a palate knife or fish slice and you will now cook it for another few minutes without stirring it again.

Next remove your keski with a slotted spoon and place in a dish and set aside.

Heat the oil. A non stick is easier in case the fish catch.

Add the onions, chopped chillies, sugar and salt. Fry until the onions are translucent.

Now add the fresh tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes are mushy and the oil appears to have split. Cook for a few minutes at this stage stirring frequently so the tomatoes are fried slightly.

Next add a little water, a quarter cup and cover and cook for a few minutes untill the water evaporates.

Now lower the heat, add the chilli powder and turmeric.
Stir fry this gently on low heat for a few minutes just until oil is splitting.

Add the flat beans, keski fish and gently fold the keski fish in. Be diligent as you do not want to brrak the delicate fish up. Cover and cook stirring occaisionally until the flat beans are tender.

When the beans are tender sprinkle the cumin powder over and fold in. This is the game changer. It will add a delicious flavour and keep this as its at the end. Just cook for a further few minutes on covered or until you see little sizzles of fat if you make a little space in pan. Its a sign you have no liquid residue.

Lastly add the fresh coriander, fold in and you are ready to serve.

Tips:

If you want you can freeze the sauted keski fish but use within a month.

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