Fulkopi Alu diye Rui Macher Jhol - Fish curry with Cauliflower and Potato

Of all the Bengali Fish Curries that feature various veggies in different permutations and combinations, this one is my favourite. Medium sized florets floating in the curry appeal to me more than the fish pieces. Here's the recipe for ya:

Ingredients:
Rui Fish pieces - 5-6
Cauliflower - 1 small - cut into medium sized florets
Potato - 3 medi sized, cut into quarters
Onion - 2 small or 1 big, finely chopped
Ginger paste - 2" piece
Tomatoes - 2 small
Cloves - 2-3
Cardamom - 2-3
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Star anise - 1 (optional)
Bay leaves - 1-2
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp for tempering + 1 tsp for paste
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp + 1 tsp for frying fish
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 5-6 or more depending on spice tolerance
Coriander leaves - a handful chopped
Sugar - a pinch
Oil - 6 tbsp (I generally mix sunflower oil and mustard oil)

Method:
Preparation:
1. Grind ginger and cumin seeds together to a fine paste.
2. Coarsely pound together cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.
3. Marinate cleaned fish pieces with salt and turmeric powder. Shallow fry till crisp yet soft from within.
4. In the same oil, add some salt and turmeric powder. Shallow fry cauliflower florets till they turn crispy from outside. Keep aside. Repeat the same with potato cubes.

To make the curry:
1. In the same oil, add cumin seeds. When they splutter, add bay leaves, star anise and pounded garam masala.
2. Once nice aroma emanates, add a pinch of salt, add chopped onion. Saute till onions turngolden brown.
3. Add ginger cumin paste and saute till raw smell goes away.
4. Add chopped tomatoes and slit green chillies, once they turn soft, mash them using the back of spatula.
5. Add red chilli powder, salt and combine.
6. Add shallow fried florets and potato cubes and combine.
7. Add water as per desired consistency. Adjust salt of required. Add fried fish pieces and chopped coriander leaves. Let it boil.
8. After the first boil, cover it and let it cook on sim till the veggies are cooked.