Indian cuisine · Fish & Seafood

Doi Maach

Bengali fish curry in whisked yogurt with cardamom, cinnamon and fried onions – mild and delicately tangy.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 600g firm white fish fillet
• 300g yogurt
• 2 onions
• 1 piece ginger (3cm)
• 5 cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
• 2 green chilies
• 1 tsp sugar
• 4 tbsp mustard oil (or canola oil)
• Salt

Instructions

1. Cut the fish fillets into 5cm pieces, rub with 1/2 tsp of the turmeric and salt and let sit for 15 min.; thinly slice the onions and grate the ginger.
2. Heat the mustard oil in a wide pan until it lightly smokes, then fry the fish pieces over medium heat for 2 min. per side and remove.
3. Toast the cardamom pods and cinnamon stick in the same oil for 30 sec. until fragrant, then add the onions and fry for 8–10 min. until golden brown; set half aside for garnish.
4. Stir the yogurt smooth with the ginger, remaining turmeric, chili powder, sugar and 100ml water until no lumps remain.
5. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the yogurt – this keeps it from curdling – and simmer everything gently for 5 min. until the sauce thickens slightly.
6. Add the fish and the green chilies slit lengthwise, cover and let cook gently for 6–8 min., season with salt and serve sprinkled with the fried onions – basmati rice goes well with it.