Mustard fish curry recipe from Indian cook Mallika Basu
Mallika Basu cooks up her own versions of Bengali Shorshe Macher Jhaal using swordfish
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Your support makes all the difference.Fish in a wholegrain mustard and chilli paste crust is a Bengali speciality. Bengalis are famous for their fish curries, made with fresh water and salt water fish varieties (not sea fish though). The word Jhaal means both spicy hot, and a curry that clings to the fish without being too thick.
In my version, I use Swordfish, which has a texture reminiscent of the stomach or peti section of the Rohu Carp variety. Wholegrain mustard is a great shortcut to use instead of the famous Bengali homemade ground mustard paste. Every family has its own version – this is mine.
Ingredients
• 350gm Swordfish steaks
• Half tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp nigella seeds
• 1 tsp ginger
3 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 4 green chillies
• Half a cup of water
• 2 tbsp flavourless oil
• 1 tsp chopped fresh coriander
• 1 tsp mustard oil (optional)
• Salt to taste
Method
Slice the fish into even sized rectangles and smear them with the turmeric.
In a sauté pan, bring the oil to heat on high. When it's hot, toss in the nigella seeds. As they sizzle up, fry the swordfish for 10 seconds on each side and then remove with a slotted spoon.
Next add the ginger in the same oil and nigella seeds in the pan and stir for a few seconds. When it's golden, stir in the mustard and green chillies. Then add the fish back in and half a cup of water. Lower the heat to a medium, cover and cook flipping the fish over gently two times for about 10 minutes until the steaks are cooked and the curry reduces to at least half it's original quantity. You can insert a fork through the steaks, and if they go through easily, you're done.
Finish by adding salt to your taste, sprinkling over the fresh coriander and drizzling the mustard oil, if you're using it. This is lovely served with steaming hot Basmati stirred through with ghee.
Mallika Basu is a London-based food writer, cookbook author and cookery personality; quickindiancooking.com. Follow her on Twitter @MallikaBasu_ and find more of her recipes for the Evening Standard here.