Course: Main
Serves: 4-5
Difficulty level: Advanced
Ingredients
- 3 lb catfish fillets or cut into 3” pieces (or any boneless, skinless fish filet)
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste or garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste (or more, if needed)
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 3 tbsp Machli Masala Add to Cart
- 1 tbsp toasted, coarsely ground cumin powder Add to Cart
- 1 tbsp toasted, coarsely ground coriander powder Add to Cart
- ¼ cup oil
- 2 tbsp dried fenugreek (methi) leaves
- 2 tsp garam masala Add to Cart
- 4 whole dried red chilies
- 1 tsp whole cumin seeds Add to Cart
- 3 cups water
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Directions
- Wash and pat dry the fish filets or pieces.
- Mix the fish with ginger-garlic paste and ½ tsp salt and lemon juice. Set it aside.
- Heat a steel pan, not a non-stick one, and add a few drops of oil. Add the onions and roast it to medium brown. Expect it to stick due to the lack of oil.
- Grind the onions, cumin powder, coriander powder, and tamarind paste with some water and set it aside.
- In a non-stick pan, heat oil and add the whole cumin seeds. Let them brown.
- Add the dried red chilies and fry till it turns medium brown. Turn the stove to a low setting and let the oil cool.
- Add the blended onion with other spices that you set aside earlier and Machli Masala to this browned cumin and red chiles followed by 3 cups of water. Let the curry cook for 15-25 minutes.
- While the curry is cooking on medium heat, heat a non-stick shallow pan and add the oil.
- Fry the fish a few pieces at a time marinated in ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, and salt till they turn medium brown.
- When the sauce thickens, taste and adjust with more spices, tamarind paste, or salt as needed.
- Add the fish pieces and simmer for another 15 minutes.
- Enjoy with rice, chips, or naan or in a sandwich.
Note: This recipe can be made using either an Authentic Indian Spice Blend or an Expedition Spice Blend. Indian cooking is about intuition, not precision—so feel free to adjust the spices as needed.