Doi Maachh

There’s another old recipe called Doi Maachh. My mother has reminded me several times about this classic recipe that my grandmother used to make. It’s a fish recipe with a rich yoghurt-based gravy. We usually made it with a big river fish, like carp- katla or rohu. But you can make it with any other fish you like. It doesn’t use garlic in the recipe so any river fish or a firm fish which doesn’t have a very fishy smell is preferred for this recipe.

We recently remembered the delicious Mouri Katla recipe made earlier but I was reminded of Doi Maachh again by my mother who insisted that she is actually very clear in her memory of a few traditional recipes.

We cried a lot over rains spoiling a few matches that were fixed with a great deal of difficulty. Some people protested that we don’t believe in match fixing. However, truly all friendly matches are fixed.

There’s a great deal of fighting involved now over what match are we talking about when it comes to playdates. Our prince and princesses have examinations and multiple papers to be submitted. Hence, we are unable to release them for boxing or wrestling matches.

Many bamboos have been put up all over the streets as a reminder. And it will take forever to get them sorted and removed from the roads. Already 21 people have died in the process of lifting up a few little babies. We are imploring that we don’t put any further mutton chaap on their heads.

Lakshmi Puja means no Doi Maachh

Now, Lakshmi Puja beckons many fruits, khichuri, laebra, bhaja, narus, mishti. luchi, payesh, halwa and more….I am thinking about whether this is at all necessary? It is on a Sunday, and we can’t give holidays to a few important people on Sundays.

My brother symbolically gave me one nakuldana from his version of a Pujo. This is getting ridiculous. We are going to make that fish today.

So, leaving this recipe here for later as and when you do get the time to make it. Calendars need to be printed for next year and we have given this all-important task to others.

My mother called me a pig for many years because she believed she was more beautiful, graceful, educated and didn’t dig around any dirty places.

I don’t think I can change that opinion that she has held with a great deal of pride. She also shared it with others with a great deal of prejudice.

Plastic Chutney is not good with Doi Maachh

I am holding this statement up with a lot of difficulty. Because life has given us both many other lessons but somehow during odd times these old wounds resurface. Fault lines always burst on the women in the household. Why?

We are taking a quick jog of memory cells to revive a few old, starched sarees. I was called Fooleswari by a few elderly people here. Say it with flowers, books, music or just being there if you can. But I am saying it with a very fishy recipe.

I checked my well-thumbed old recipe book to see if a better version exists. Somehow, I don’t think we can improve upon an old classic that is no longer alive.

My version of it will be nothing like my grandmother’s or my mother’s. Hence, I am going to eat it silently and slyly where nobody can see me. We are not going to expand upon the already existing large crowd of critics who are in this universe ready to provide more feedback.

If you want a big fight- you will need to get a few beady-eyed ruffians who can sit and stare for hours without doing anything! And most of them don’t even utter a word. Later we are sent to a few completely well-regulated routes to view the work done all over the city.

Pineapple Chutney is also no good

Today, we have given up all kinds of arms wrestling but the boti or traditional knife for fishmongers does exist. Let’s not get to Pistols at Dawn. And resolve our budgetary gaps quickly. Why is my mother giving me another saree after I already got 1 new kurta and 4 old sarees from her? 5 Sarees!!! This is very fishy indeed.

I will throw many rounds of fruits now all over the place.

We had some really good shukto and mustard parshe fish during Pujo which was made in the traditional way. But without any coconut. We have banned coconut for this particular lunch menu. But we have used it for the narus during evening Sandhi puja. Management has given us limited coconuts.

We will use plain white oil for making the Doi Maachh and not mustard oil. Such concessions are being allowed for the very vocal protests from our accountant who was surprised to see us using so much of raisins or kismis in the Doi Maachh hidden in a paste.

Complaint letter about Doi Maachh

My mother is sending us on all kinds of errands here and there to get different ingredients at odd hours. She hasn’t learnt how to make a simple complete list. Out of this complaint letter we got a few interesting insights.

One of the key insights received is that we don’t need any potatoes for this particular recipe. But it so happens that there is still some dairy in it. We are extremely concerned about all the lactose intolerant children who are unable to have this fish curry.

So, we will make good later in a theater of our choice.

One of the theaters where all of us students went once for a film chanting Mann 1, Mann 2, Mann 3… to relearn a little bit of counting, had the roof collapse over us.

I am sending our apology for the entire batch of badly behaved children. Was there a case against the theater owners back then? I don’t know.

We also managed to survive a super cyclone later in the next year. Somehow, we were branded as a very unfortunate batch of children who could hear many dogs barking in the night.

Allergic to seafood or just shrimps?

I didn’t know my parents were enjoying golda chingri while I was hiding shamefully under the bed for not being able to cope with the lessons. What was a defeat for me was a huge victory for them.

And that’s how I relearnt everything from the past. My notes are stolen- I don’t have them for any music or dance lessons today. I write no poetry. And I have a simple wish to be a student again.

I have given up my right to a mangalsutra, an engagement ring or a loha and I left all these for the men and women who helped to abuse me over the last 48 years of my life.

I am very close to the Kali temple in case somebody wishes to know. We have had many rounds of debates over who deserves what in life. I only know I have this life for now- we haven’t figured out what to do with it.

Sometimes, a bit of history lessons helps us get through a difficult pumpkin patch. Something is highly itchy and we have to manage that scratch.

Hair oil before the cooking storm

Today I really feel the pain of mothers who want to cook something good and miss their loved ones. Some of them taught the cherished family recipes or relished these together. Maybe I am just a bit too old to be a student again.

Sending my good wishes for a festive season ahead. I have many unfinished little chores. Sending buckets and buckets of water and good wishes to get your laundry done.

After a long time, we have a little quiet to clean up the fish pieces. And then start the cooking process peacefully. As I have repeated several times, we do need the quiet to do the cooking.

And some people are hellbent upon very loud music while there is a lot of patchy network issues. Waking up a few so that kids can go to school all over again.

Missing the school bus or train or any other kind of vehicle used is extremely important. (Oops. Typo there). And we don’t want rash drivers all over the place trying to make it in time.

Doi Maachh is better than Doi Begun

I am reminded of how it is sweeter. Has lesser of known allergens and acceptable to a larger set of people. On popular demand, we are making this rare and very traditional dish for a few. We have multiple weddings coming up in addition to many other festivities in a month or so.

Some of us carry that burden of dressing up the fish and taking it to a few places here or there as pallbearers.

Something Fishy and something blue. We don’t know whether everything we say is true. Much of it is repeated and relearnt. A lot of it is lost through retelling. A little edit here and a little edit there. Each person adds a bit of magic through their own perspective.

I am finding it difficult to narrate many old stories these days as my memory fails. Which is why we have others in the team help us along. We are sometimes not so strong.

No Connection between the people and Doi Maachh

Cooking recipes have a bit of storytelling in the background. Here’s a simple story of how everything I made was rejected. My own kitchen usurped and I was thrown out of my home for various stated and unstated reasons.

I am sending this recipe to those who have the good fortune today to be able to cook what they like and when they wish to have a meal.

In case you like fish and a simple recipe, this one uses very few ingredients, and you may want to try it someday.

Sending my love and hope you get a good Lakkhi/Lakshmi in your home. I was cast off after many years of trying to “fit in”. I am actually a very difficult person, I’m told. All I need to do is earn money and sleep- preferably both at the same time.

Footnote

Kamala Girls School Blues

I can’t smile as much anymore

I have toothpaste from yet another bore

What was missing was 20 odd soldiers

Fighting it zen style in every thicket

And every crowded manhole

You are grieving the loss of a wicket

And somebody is worried about a ticket

Bro, that’s just not cricket.

Check out the ghaats on either side

You may find another body going offside

If you actually feel the loss of a loved one

Remember you were loved in return.

Melting Lemon Drop 25.10.2026