Shidol Chutney

Shidol Chutney - A spicy special dry fish chutney.

This is an all time favourite dish of Bengalis from Shillong(Meghalaya); usually a Sylheti Bengali recipe. I grew up having it as I stayed in a colony where there were many sylheti bengali(Group of Bengalis whose roots origin from Sylhet District of Bengal before partition).
Btw its a very good remedy for cold. As its spicy enough open your blocked nose and revive you taste buds.

Let me share  this dish with you guys but the particular dry which is used is only found in North east India specially in Shillong.(And I am not sure whats the english name of it and whether it can be made with other type of dry fish, I need to experiment).

Ok, let me list its main ingredients.
1. Shidol- dry fish
2. Onions
3. Tomatoes
4. Green Chilly
5. Oil
6. Garlic
7. Red Chilly powder
8. Salt
9. Termaric

To start with, soak the fish in hot water for 2-3 min and then remove its head and skin. Head is removed because it make give a bitter taste if used.



 

Now, make a smooth paste of onion, garlic and green chilly in a grinder.

Heat oil in a wok and add the fish into it. You will see that the fish will disintegrate in the hot oil and you will get a pungent smell of it.

Immediately add the onion garlic paste into the wok and steer it will for sometime. Add salt, termaric powder and red chilli powder and continue frying.

Continue frying till the oil starts seperating. Then add the chopped tomatoes into it and steer well.

 

When the tomatoes get little tender, add some water and cook it for sometime.

 

Once the water gets absorbed and you feel the chutney has turned smooth and red as desired, off your gas and transfer it to a bowl.

Your hot and spicy shidol chutney is ready. Have it with rice or roti. I am sure you will love it.

 

Happy Cooking!!!