Bengali Bhetki Begum Bahar Recipe (Spicy Fish Fillets Curry)

Ingredients

• 8 Fish fillet Bhetki (Barramundi/Asian sea bass)
• 1 cup Onion paste
• 1/2 cup Homemade tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon Ginger paste
• 4 Green Chillies
• 2 tablespoons Poppy seeds paste
• 2 tablespoons Cashew nuts paste
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
• 1 tablespoon Coriander Powder (Dhania)
• 1-1/2 tablespoons Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
• 1 teaspoon Cumin powder (Jeera)
• 1 teaspoon Garam masala powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Mace (Javitri)
• 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Whole Eggs peeled and beaten
• 3 tablespoons Corn flour
• 1 teaspoon Ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon Black pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon Green Chilli

Steps

1. To cook Bengali Bhetki Begum Bahar Recipe, wash and clean fish nicely, apply enough salt, and lemon juice all over and marinate for 1 hour.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add beaten egg, cornflour, green chili paste, ginger paste, pepper powder, and salt. Mix well and keep aside.
3. Heat a little oil in a Shallow fry pan and meanwhile, take the marinated fish fillets and dip in the egg mix one by one and shallow fry on a medium flame on both sides till deep golden in color. Close the lid for a minute to help the fish fillet get cooked. Then continue shallow frying without lid till deep golden.
4. Transfer the fried fillets on a paper towel and keep aside.
5. Add a little oil in a Kadai, add mace and just after few seconds, add onion paste and sauté for few minutes till rawness disappears.
6. Now add ginger paste and slit green chilies, and fry till the mix turns golden in color.
7. Add the tomato puree along with turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, Kashmiri red chili powder and garam masala powder. Fry till cooked well and deeper in color.
8. Now add poppy seeds paste and cashew paste and stir well. Sauté for another 3-4 minute.
9. Now add around 1/2 cup of hot water or as per required consistency.
10. Add salt and stir well. Let the curry get a boil. Simmer the flame and cook for 2-3 minutes with lid closed.
11. Once the curry is done, mix-in some nutmeg powder and fresh coriander.
12. Slide the fish fillets carefully into the gravy and turn off flame.
13. Serve Bengali Bhetki Begum Bahar Recipe hot with Steamed rice and Chapatis.