BENGALI FISH CURRY

A popular Bengali dish - fish cooked in mustard oil with ginger, garlic and mustard pastes Preparation Time : 40 mintues Cooking Time : 30 minutes Servings : 4

Ingredients

Rohu fish, 1/2 inch slices 8 Lemon juice 2 tablespoons Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon Salt to taste Mustard oil 4 tablespoons Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon Onion seeds (kalonji) 1 teaspoon Whole dry red chillies 4 Bay leaf 1 Ginger paste 2 teaspoons Garlic paste 2 teaspoons Onions, chopped 3 medium Mustard paste 1 teaspoon Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon Coriander powder 2 teaspoons Green chillies, slit 4 Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 2 tablespoons

Method

Marinate fish fillets with lemon juice, half a teaspoon of turmeric powder and salt. Set aside for thirty minutes.Heat two tablespoons of mustard oil in a pan and shallow fry fish pieces on both sides until slightly browned. Drain on absorbent paper and set aside. Heat remaining oil in the same pan, add mustard seeds, onion seeds, whole red chillies and bay leaf, cook for a few minutes till seeds crackle. Add ginger paste, garlic paste and cook again for a moment. Add chopped onions and cook until slightly brown in colour. Add mustard paste, red chilli powder, coriander powder and remaining turmeric powder. Stir and cook masala until oil starts separating. Add two cups of water and salt, bring to a boil and then add shallow fried fish. Add slit green chillies and cook on a low heat until fish is cooked and oil starts floating on top. Remove and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.