Gravy Fish Curry
A traditional Bengali-style fish curry made with mustard oil and a simple spice blend, creating a flavorful gravy without ginger or ghee. The key to success is thoroughly cleaning the fish before cooking.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds Fish, firm white fish cut into steaks or pieces (Rohu, catla, or any firm white fish suitable for curry)
- 2 ounces Mustard oil (About 1/4 cup; traditional for Bengali fish curry)
- 4 teaspoons Onions, ground to paste (About 1 medium onion ground)
- 1 teaspoon Ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Ground chilies or chili powder (Adjust to taste)
- 0.25 teaspoon Garlic, ground to paste (About 1 clove)
- 2 cups Water (For the gravy)
- 1 teaspoon Salt (To taste, plus extra for cleaning fish)
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Instructions
- 1Rub the fish pieces generously with salt. Wash thoroughly under cold running water, rubbing the fish to remove any slime or impurities. Repeat this process 2-3 times until the fish is completely clean and no longer slippery. Pat dry with paper towels.
- 2In a small bowl, combine the ground onions, ground turmeric, ground chilies, and ground garlic. Mix with 2-3 tablespoons of water to form a smooth paste.
- 3Heat the mustard oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke lightly. This removes the pungency of the oil. Reduce heat to medium.
- 4Add the prepared spice paste to the hot oil. Fry, stirring constantly, until the paste is fragrant and the oil begins to separate from the spices, about 3-4 minutes.
- 5Pour in the 2 cups of water and add salt to taste. Stir well to combine with the spice paste. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- 6Gently slide the cleaned fish pieces into the boiling gravy. Reduce heat to medium-low. Spoon some gravy over the fish pieces to coat them.
- 7Cover the pan and let the fish simmer gently in the gravy for 12-15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Avoid stirring; instead, gently shake the pan occasionally to prevent sticking.
- 8Remove from heat. Serve hot with steamed rice, spooning the gravy over the fish and rice.
