Bengali Fish Stew

Name: Bengali Fish Stew
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons mustard oil* or vegetable oil, divided; 4 green cardamom pods, crushed*; 4 cloves; 3 small bay leaves; 1 teaspoon panch phoran**; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 2 to 3 green chiles, pricked with a fork; 2 rounded tablespoons ginger paste* (make your own by crushing or blending fresh ginger to a rough paste, adding water, if necessary, to loosen); 2 large cloves garlic, blended to a paste with 1 tablespoon water; 1 tablespoon ground coriander; 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1/4 teaspoon red chile powder; Pinch paprika, optional; Kosher salt; 14 ounces water; 1 pound 5 ounces sea bream, cleaned, pin bones removed, flesh cut into 1-inch pieces; 10 ounces basmati rice, cooked according to packet instructions, for serving