Some stolen pages of a diary and a recipe for Nabami evening – Grilled fish with red capsicum butter 

Shashthi –  The final day before the four/five days long hiatus. The auto responder in office mail has been set. Last con call with USA client and old buddy Adrian says – ‘Happy festive season’ (they still don’t take the risk of pronouncing Durga Puja). Have to call up Pinaki and Pushkar, the buggers are yet to confirm the Annual MBA batch get together on Nabami. This time it is in my hometown. If I can reach on time then I plan to cover Bosepukur tonight only.

Saptami – Half the plans take a back foot as laziness creeps in and waking up to a holiday has a different feeling. Breakfast and lunch at the society community hall. It is a necessary evil to put up a fake smile and pretend to be really caring about others. A swig of beer before lunch just to relax those tensed muscles on the client escalation which happened in the morning. 4 PM onwards north Kolkata and dinner outside.

Ashtami – Childhood memories of Ma getting ready early morning and taking me for ‘Anjali’ (pushpanjali). Baba was never interested in anjali. Its been 6 years that she is no more. Now I have to hold a pair of tiny hands as I walk towards the pandal. The vibrating phone buzzed while the Anjali was on. Update on client escalation. Poor Biswas – recently married, yet had to fly to Bangalore to solve the client escalation. Afternoon was Khichudi and no one can make me move after that. The max displacement that can happen is to the community function and again luchi and alur dom. We still don’t have non veg on Ashtami.

Nabami – Beer, check. Single malt, check. Old monk, yes old monk also stocked. Only for my best friend Parikshit – he his now a vertical head in a leading bank but will still remember the drink, which was our baptism drink and how we all got sloshed in the college fest. All together 25 people. My wife  is more than happy to have guests at home and like every year she springs this one surprise starter at the last moment.

Life is good here

Grilled Fish with Red Capsicum Butter

Time Taken: 15- 20 minutes

Ingredients:

for the grilled fish:

Any Fish Steak 4 nos (I used King/ Seer Fish in this recipe) Red Chili Powder 1/2 tsp
Garlic Paste 2 tsp Ginger Paste 1 tsp
Maggi Chicken Cube 1 cube Lemon Juice 1 tbsp
Olive Oil 1 tbsp Salt If required

 

For The Capsicum Butter:

Red Bell Pepper 1 large Garlic Clove 1 Large
Butter 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp Salt and Pepper As per taste
Grilled fish with red capsicum butter by pikturenama 1

The red capsicum butter

Method for the capsicum butter:

  • Cut the bell pepper into half. Remove the seed and white part from inside.
  • Take a wire rack and rub olive oil over it. Keep the red bell pepper on the wire rack and place on top of the gas flame or a grill. Keep turning it on all sides (only the outside skin part) and let it roast till the skin of the bell pepper becomes charred. Once it has blackened and become soft, take it off the gas and let it cool down.
  • Peel off the black skin once cooled. Make sure to remove the seeds and all the black parts.
  • In a blender, make a paste of the red bell pepper and garlic clove.
  • Finally add the butter and give it a churn at medium speed. You may need more or less butter depending on the consistency of the bell pepper puree. Adjust seasoning as per taste.
  • You can keep the capsicum butter refrigerated for up to a month at least (I haven’t tried for more, so no idea if it will stay longer).
  • Consume only at room temperature.
Grilled fish with red capsicum butter by pikturenama the grilled fishes

Grilled fishes

Method for grilling of the fish:

  • In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the fish, except the olive oil. Add salt only if required, since the chicken cube has a lot of salt in it.
  • Smear this marinade over the fish steaks and keep them for 15 minutes.
  • Heat a grill pan and pour olive oil when he pan in hot.
  • Place the fish steaks neatly on the grill pan.
  • Cook for about 3 – 5 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the fish.
  • If you want proper grill marks, do not move the fish around the pan. Just be patient, which clearly I was not.
  • Once the fish is done on both sides, take them out on a plate.
  • Serve the fish hot, along with a dollop of red capsicum butter.
Grilled fish with red capsicum butter by pikturenama

Grilled fish with red capsicum butter

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