Xukan Maas Pitika

Name: Xukan Maas Pitika
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Assamese
Ingredients: 100 g dried small fish (xukan maas); 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 3 green chillies, finely chopped; 2 dried red chillies; 3 garlic cloves, roasted and peeled; 2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped; 1½ tbsp raw mustard oil; salt to taste

Dried fish roasted till smoky, then crushed by hand with raw onion, chilli and pungent mustard oil. A few pinches finish a whole plate of rice.

Ingredients

100 g dried small fish (xukan maas)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 green chillies, finely chopped
2 dried red chillies
3 garlic cloves, roasted and peeled
2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
1½ tbsp raw mustard oil
salt to taste

Method

Rinse the dried fish quickly in warm water to remove dust and grit, then pat completely dry.
Roast the fish directly over a low flame on a wire rack, or on a dry tawa, for 4 to 5 minutes, turning often, until crisp and lightly charred.
Roast the dried red chillies and garlic for 1 minute until fragrant and slightly blackened.
Remove heads and any hard bones from the fish and crush it with your fingers or lightly in a mortar.
Add the roasted red chillies and garlic and crush together.
Mix in onion, green chillies, coriander and salt, pour over the raw mustard oil and mix well with your fingers. Serve at once with hot rice.

Tip: Roast slowly on low heat; dried fish burns in seconds and turns bitter. Keep the kitchen window open, the smell is strong but that is the flavour.