Maacha Besara, Odia Fish with Mustard & Ambula

The summer tradition of sun-drying salted mango to make ambula, goes hand-in-hand with the preparation of maacha besara is a beloved staple in every Odia household.

As the monsoon rains in Bangalore calm the scorching summer heat, I find myself thinking about my dusty hometown in central Odisha. Summers there mean blistering days, humid nights, frequent power outages, and stifling kitchens filled with the aroma of lembu pani and mangoes. As May arrives, the cruelest month of summer, I disappear into the childhood nostalgia of countless summer holidays spent at my grandmother's house. I am transported back to the sprawling courtyard of our ancestral home, a majestic old house nestled among groves of mango, guava, jackfruit, and coconut trees.

Maacha besara Odia Fish with Mustard & Ambula

The seasonal tradition of making ambula (salted sun-dried mango) was the highlight of our holidays, centred around food and family. Many warm afternoons were spent on the terrace, surrounded by baskets of raw mangoes harvested from our trees. Our 'Ambula afternoons.’ Under the strict instruction of our grandmother and aunts, we wait our turn: after the mangoes were peeled and cut into neat halves, our tiny hands would take fistfuls of coarse rock salt and meticulously coat the mangoes. The most enjoyable part was taking turns shaking the large dekchi vigorously, ensuring that salt and chili flakes covered every surface evenly. Once the preparation was complete, the raw ambula would be placed under the sun in a large clay handi, covered with muslin, for about a week. In the meantime, our only job was to shoo away the pesky crows. Days later, as the ambula matured, it would be moved into airtight glass jars, seeing us through until the next mango season .

Indispensable in an Odia kitchen, ambula primarily serves as a souring agent. It plays an integral role in many traditional fish and vegetable curries, such as maacha besara (fish in mustard gravy), and bhendi khatta (okra and tomato stew in mustard gravy), as well as in chutneys like ambula rai (sundried raw mango raita) and dhaniya chatani (coriander chutney). During the simple and meat-free days of the week, my mother, who has an affinity for all things sour and spicy, would sometimes mash ambula together with green chilies and chopped onion to create an instant accompaniment to rice.

Years later, despite changes in seasons and locations, the craving for a piece of homemade ambula remains. I cannot return home as often as I would like, so I always carry a small jar of ambula for my nomadic kitchen, whenever I do visit. I often attempt a few traditional Odia recipes, and maacha besara is a beloved staple in every Odia household that has even found its place on fancy restaurant menus. A timeless classic and deceptively simple to prepare, this recipe has been passed down through generations in my family. The term ‘besara’ is loosely used to describe any preparation involving a mustard-based gravy. While mustard provides the dish with its distinct character, the tangy ambula adds an exciting dimension.

Ambula, salted sundried mango

This recipe faithfully adapts my mother's technique, passed down to her by my grandmother, her mother-in-law. Ambula, salted sun-dried mango, stands as the most crucial ingredient in this recipe. To prepare it, raw mango halves are combined with rock salt and red chili flakes, and the mixture is left to mature under the sun for a week.

RECIPE FOR MAACHA BESARA or ODIA FISH IN MUSTARD GRAVY

Ingredients
(serves 3-4)

For the mustard paste
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
2 green chilies
4-5 cloves of garlic

For the curry
500 g freshwater fish, such as rohu or catla
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 sprigs of coriander, chopped
2 pieces of ambula
1 slit green chili
½ teaspoon pancha phutana (a mixture of fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, and cumin seeds in equal parts)
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp coriander powder
Salt, to taste

To prepare the mustard paste, dry grind the mustard seeds, garlic cloves, and green chilies while adding a little water in short pulses until you obtain a coarse paste.
Be cautious not to overgrind, as it may make the paste bitter.

Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric.
Heat mustard oil in a pan and shallow fry the fish until it turns a deep golden color on both sides. Set aside.
Heat mustard oil in a kadhai. Add pancha phutana, chopped tomatoes, and green chilies.
Allow to cook until the tomatoes become mushy.
Add the mustard paste, followed by turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder, and salt. Mix well and add one cup of water. Cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes, allowing the pungent smell of the mustard to mellow down.
Finally, add the fried fish and ambula to the gravy, and let it simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. If necessary, add more water for a thinner gravy. Once done, garnish with chopped coriander, cover, and serve hot with plain rice.

*The only important detail to note while preparing maacha besara is not to undercook the mustard, as it can potentially ruin the entire dish. Once the paste is added and diluted with water, it should be cooked on low heat for at least 15 minutes.

Mickey Suman is an independent editor and writer currently based in Bangalore, India. 

ALSO ON THE GOYA JOURNAL