If you’ve grown up in a traditional Bangladeshi household you will be sure to have consumed a variety of fish curries on the dinner table, along with a huge helping of rice. Fish has been a huge part of many Bangladeshi diets and we don’t want you to miss out enjoying this yummy staple, especially during the Bangladesh Independence Day celebrations.

So thanks to Afelia’s Kitchen we bring you this very special Pabda mas (mas means fish and pabda is known as Indian Catfish).

Pabda Fish Curry is a regular dish in many Bangladeshi households. It’s a simple and easy fish to cook, often cooked with clementine peel or a citrus fruit known as Citrus Macroptera, better known as Hatkhora or Shatkhora in Bengali, and sometimes it can be cooked on its own.

Pabda Mas isn’t a very bony fish for those of you who have never tried this fish. There is one main bone along the body of the fish and some smaller ones along the rib cage, so it’s a good one to try if you’re not experienced at eating/cooking fish.

Before cooking, it’s important you prep your fish, remove the skin, tail, whiskers, fin, the gut and head.

The most important thing to remember when you cook fish is that your masala should be cooked well, because fish cooks through in a matter of minutes the masala should be cooked to remove all rawness from the spices prior to adding the fish. After adding the fish it’s important to coat the fish in the masala while it’s still uncooked (do this with the heat turned down low) – if you try to stir or mix the curry after the fish has started to cook through you’ll end up breaking the fish and exposing the bones.

Once the fish is opaque in colour just top up with water, boil for 10 minutes, add your chillies/coriander and it’s done, as easy as that! So without further ado, let’s cook some fish.

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

For prepping the fish:

• 1 block of frozen Pabda mas, thawed completely (frozen is easier to buy from all good Asian supermarkets)
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp turmeric powder (optional)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
• water as needed

For the masala:

• fresh/dried clementine peel (optional)
• 1 onion (small – medium size)
• 2 – 3 tbsp of oil
• 1 – 1.5 tsp salt (adjust to your taste)
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 5 – 6 green chillies
• water (as needed)
• coriander (for garnishing)

METHOD

If you are using dried clementine peel for this recipe it’s a good idea to soak the pieces with boiling hot water before doing anything else to re-hydrate the peel. There’s no need to do this if you’re using fresh peel.

Those who don’t want to use clementine peel can avoid this part completely.

Peel 1 small – medium onion. Keeping the top of the onion makes it easier to grate.

Using the large side of a grater, grate the onion and set aside until needed.

To prep the fish you need to remove fins, whiskers, guts and tails. This process might take you awhile, but is worth it.

Once all your fish are clean add ½ tsp of salt, ½ tsp of turmeric powder  and 1 tbsp of lemon juice. (Turmeric and lemon is only essential if you feel the fish aren’t very fresh, otherwise just using salt is enough. So, use your judgement and add whatever you feel is necessary for that freshness.

Top up with enough cold water to cover the fish and leave to soak until needed.

In a medium sized saucepan add 2 – 3 tbsp of oil.

Once the oil is hot, add the grated onion, followed by 1 – 1.5 tsp of salt (adjust to your taste, it’s better to add less as you can add more later if you feel you need it).

Stir well and then cover. Cook over a low – medium heat until the onions are translucent and soft (Approx 8 – 10 mins).

After 8 – 10 minutes check to see if your onions are soft, if you feel it’s too dry add a splash of water.

Cook for a few minutes and once you can see the oil has separated from the onions start to add your spices.

Add the clementine peel (dried/fresh) now if you are using this, this will give it time to cook.

Add 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder, mix and allow to fry for a few minutes.

After the spices have fried for several minutes and the rawness has gone, add a splash of water to create a thick masala.

Cover and cook the masala for a further 5 – 10 minutes, over a low flame, whilst you wash the fish.

Rub and massage the fish as you wash it under cold running water.

Drain the water and wash again, several times, until the water runs clear.

Place the fish in a colander and allow to drain once you are happy the fish have been thoroughly washed.

The masala is ready to have the fish added to it once the oil has separated from the onions.

Add the washed fish and gently, using a wooden spoon, coat all of the fish with the masala. This will be the ONLY time you stir the fish using a spoon so make sure you coat everything evenly over a low flame.

Once coated, place the lid back on the saucepan and turn the heat up to medium till you can see water oozing out of the fish.

In the meantime, slice 5 – 6 green chillies and chop your coriander.

Once you can see the fish are looking cooked and solid in colour, you may proceed to add water to create the gravy (shira) for the curry.

Add as much or as little as you like, remember the more water you add to the curry the more watered down the curry will taste. I tend to add just enough water to cover the fish without drowning them (bottom right photo, pun intended lol).

Turn the heat up to full and boil for 10 minutes.

Minutes before removing the curry from the heat add in the sliced green chillies.

Immediately before removing the curry from the heat add the chopped coriander.

Serve your Pabda Fish Curry with plain Basmati or long grain rice and enjoy!