Name: Bengali Shorshe Bhetki
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 250 g Bhetki Fish, barramundi, cut into thick steaks or fillets; 1 tbsp Yellow Mustard Seeds, soaked for 15 mins; ½ tbsp Black Mustard Seeds, soaked for 15 mins; 2 Green Chili Pepper, divided for blending and for gravy; ¼ tsp Nigella Seeds, kalonji, for tempering; ½ tsp Ground Turmeric, divided (half for marination); 2 tbsp Mustard Oil, divided (must use raw mustard oil at the end); ½ cup Water; ¾ tsp Salt, divided

35 mintotal

Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Medium

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Ingredients

250 gBhetki Fishbarramundi, cut into thick steaks or fillets
1 tbspYellow Mustard Seedssoaked for 15 mins
½ tbspBlack Mustard Seedssoaked for 15 mins
2Green Chili Pepperdivided for blending and for gravy
¼ tspNigella Seedskalonji, for tempering
½ tspGround Turmericdivided (half for marination)
2 tbspMustard Oildivided (must use raw mustard oil at the end)
½ cupWater
¾ tspSaltdivided

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Method

Rub the bhetki pieces with some of the turmeric and salt and leave them for 10 minutes.
10 min
In a blender, grind the soaked yellow and black mustard seeds with a portion of the green chillies, a pinch of salt, and a splash of water into a very fine, smooth paste. Strain the paste if a silkier gravy is desired.
Heat a generous portion of the mustard oil in a pan until smoking. Lower the heat and very lightly shallow fry the fish pieces for just 1 minute per side. Bhetki is very delicate; remove promptly and keep aside.
1 min
In the same hot oil, add the Nigella seeds (kalonji) and the remaining slit green chillies. Let them splutter for a few seconds to release their distinct aroma.
Turn the flame very low. Add a pinch of turmeric to the oil, then the mustard paste straight after. Cook for barely a minute; any longer and the mustard turns bitter.
Add the measured water and salt to taste. Bring the pungent yellow gravy to a gentle simmer.
Gently slide the lightly fried fish pieces into the bubbling gravy. Cover and cook on low heat for 5-6 minutes until the fish is perfectly cooked through.
5–6 min
Turn off the heat. Drizzle the remaining raw mustard oil directly over the top of the curry as a finishing touch. Let it rest covered for 5 minutes before serving.
5 min

How to tell it's done

Incredibly delicate, buttery fish flakes immersed in a pungent, spicy, silky yellow mustard sauce.

Getting it right

Tip

The defining flavor of Shorshe is the concluding drizzle of sharp, raw mustard oil. It provides a sinus-clearing pungency that is the hallmark of authentic Bengali mustard curries.

What to serve it with

Must be eaten with a mountain of steaming hot white rice. No breads allowed!

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