Zamin Doz Machhli

Zamin Doz Machhli refers to a traditional fish dish from the royal kitchens of Awadh. The old recipe of the Zamin Doz Machhli uses a whole fish that is stuffed with spices, sealed in an earthenware case, buried in the ground and cooked by placing cowdung-cake fire on the ground above. It is a strenuous effort to cook and takes 6 to 8 hours to cook this dish. Zamin Doz Machhli has a hearty earthy flavor. In the olden days, Zamin Doz Machhli was prepared in special earthenware cases according to the size and shape of the fish to be cooked. The special earthenware cases were made to order from/by the Kumhars or potters (potter-maker) according to the size and shape of the fish to be cooked. The case would fit the fish like a glove and moisture would be absorbed by it. The final product would have an earthy flavour. As such luxuries are rare these days the fish-shaped case can be substituted with the easily available roti-dish or the flat curd setting dish. Zamin Doz Machhli can also be prepared in an oven by covering marinade and by baking in a casserole dish at the lowest temperature for approximately one hour. Zamin Doz Machhli is generally serve with Roomali Roti.