Bengali Fish Curry
- 15m Prep Time
- 15m Cook Time
- 30m Ready In
A traditional Bengali fish curry made with boneless white fish fillets in a spiced yogurt and mustard sauce. This aromatic dish is served with rice and a drizzle of mustard oil.
Ingredients
- 1 5/16 lbs haddock or cod loin skin on, cut into 5cm/2in pieces
- 3 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp nigella seeds
- 1 fat green chilli pierced a few times with a knife
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp chilli powder
- 4 tbsp plain yoghurt heaped
- 1/2 tbsp English mustard
- 0.5 lemon juice of
- 1 bunch fresh coriander/cilantro leaves and stems chopped
- 1 tbsp mustard oil
- cooked rice
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 8 of 14 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 40 mg
- Iron: 2.44 mg
- Magnesium: 26.6 mg
- Phosphorus: 74.3 mg
- Potassium: 161 mg
- Zinc: 0.89 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 3 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp nigella seeds
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tbsp English mustard
- 1 tbsp mustard oil
- cooked rice
Prepare
- 1 5/16 lbs haddock or cod loin, skin on, cut into 5cm/2in pieces
- 1 fat green chilli, pierced a few times with a knife
- 4 tbsp plain yoghurt, heaped
- 0.5 lemon, juice of
- 1 bunch fresh coriander/cilantro, leaves and stems chopped
Let's Cook
-
Step 1.
Place the haddock or cod loin pieces in a bowl with 1½ tablespoons of vegetable oil, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric. Use your hands to mix well, ensuring the fish is evenly coated. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the sauce.
-
Step 2.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the nigella seeds and cook, stirring, until they start to pop, about 30 seconds. Then add the whole green chilli (pierced with a knife), 1 teaspoon of ground coriander, ¼ teaspoon of chilli powder, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric. Stir to combine the spices and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
-
Step 3.
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the plain yoghurt until it is well incorporated into the spice mixture; it may split, which is fine. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and 300ml (1¼ cups) of boiling water, stirring until everything is well combined. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
-
Step 4.
Stir in the English mustard until fully combined. Gently add the turmeric-coated fish pieces to the pan, stirring to coat them with the sauce. Let the curry cook at a gentle simmer for 6–8 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily. Avoid stirring too vigorously to prevent the fish from breaking apart.
-
Step 5.
Remove the pan from the heat. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the curry, adjusting to taste. Stir in the chopped fresh coriander (cilantro). Spoon the curry onto serving plates alongside cooked rice. Drizzle a little mustard oil over each serving before serving.