Love fish? Try chef Ranveer Brar’s spicy and delicious Odisha-style mustard fish curry. Here’s step-by-step recipe
Odia cuisine is one of the most underrated Indian cuisines. The state is often called the best-kept secret of India, and its dishes prove why. Though you will rarely find them in commercial kitchens and menus, that is changing now.
This spicy, mouthwatering fish curry recipe originates in Odisha. (Ranveer Brar)
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On June 19, chef Ranveer Brar, who was recently appointed as the brand ambassador for the state’s traditional cuisine, shared a recipe for the infamous machaa besara, also known as mustard fish.
Sharing the recipe on social media, the chef wrote, “If you are a machhi (fish) fan and you did not make Odisha style, then what did you do?” The dish is made with rohu, a type of fish. Here are the ingredients and the step-by-step recipe for making the curry:
Ingredients
Green Chillies (roughly chopped) – 2 to 3 no
Garlic cloves – 4 to 5 no
Salt to taste
Yellow Mustard seeds (soak for 1hr) – ¼ cup
Degi Red Chilli powder – 2 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Rohu Fish (cleaned & cut into darne) – 1 kg
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
A pinch of degi red chilli powder
Marinated fish
- For Odisha-style fish curry
Remaining oil
Fennel seeds – ½ tsp
Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
Fenugreek seeds – ¼ tsp
Small mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Nigella seeds – ½ tsp
Onions (roughly sliced) – 1 ½ medium
Prepared Paste – ¼ cup
Raw Mango (peeled & cut into thick wedges) – ½ no
Turmeric powder – 1 heaped tsp
Degi Red Chilli powder – ½ tbsp
Water – 2 cups
Tender coriander stems (finely chopped) – 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Sugar – ½ tsp
Fried Fish
Tomato (cut into dice) – 1 large
Method
Step 1: In a bowl, add green chillies, garlic, salt to taste, soaked yellow mustard seeds, degi red chilli powder, cumin seeds, and mix well.
Step 2: Transfer it into the mixer grinder jar and grind it into a smooth, fine paste.
Step 3: Keep it aside for further use.
Step 4: In a tray or plate, add the fish pieces, sprinkle to taste with salt, turmeric powder, and degi red chilli powder, and marinate well.
Step 5: Keep it aside for further use.
Step 6: In a kadhai or handi, add mustard oil, once it’s smoky hot, place marinated fish pieces and fry them until it’s half cooked.
Step 7: Transfer it into the tray or absorbent sheet and keep it aside for further use.
- For Odisha-style fish curry
Step 8: In the same kadhai or handi, add remaining oil, once it’s hot, add fennel seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, small mustard seeds, nigella seeds and splutter well.
Step 9: Add the onions and cook for two to three minutes, or until translucent.
Step 10: Add prepared mustard paste and cook for a while until the oil separates from the masala.
Step 11: Now, add raw mango, turmeric powder, degi red chilli powder, water, tender coriander stems and let it simmer for seven to eight minutes.
Step 12: Add salt to taste, sugar, fried fish, tomato and cook for another four to five minutes or until it’s cooked.
Step 13: Transfer it into the serving dish and garnish it with a coriander sprig.
Step 14: Serve hot with steamed rice.
