Bengali Fish Roe Curry

Palette bomb

Fish roe fritters in a tangy mustard sauce

Serves 4

Fish Roe 150 grams

Gram Flour (Besan) 1/2 cup

Oil for deep frying

Mustard 3 tbsp

Tomato 1 medium

Garlic 5 pods

3 small onions

Mustard oil 4 tbsp + 1 tsp

Green chillies 3

Nigella 1/4 tsp

Turmeric 1/4 tsp

Water 1.5 cup

Salt to taste

Fritters

Mix the fish roe with the gram flour. Add a little bit of chopped onion and salt. Mix well (you may need to add a little water) and deep fry till golden brown.

Spices

Soak the mustard for 10 minutes and make a fine paste with a pinch of salt and one green chilli. I use a stone grinder for the paste. You may want to balance the fineness with the bitterness - if pasted too much it may turn out to be bitter - if pasted too less the seeds stand out.

Curry

Heat 4 tbsp mustard oil. Check the quality of mustard oil. Good mustard oil has a fresh wasabi type aroma. It hits you hard in the nose. If you do not get good mustard oil then you can skip the step where I add a spoon of oil in the end.

Add nigella. When they splutter add a slit green chilli and chopped garlic. When the garlic starts turning brown add the onions.

Cover and simmer. When the onions start turning brown, add the mustard paste, turmeric, salt and tomato. Fry well for a few minutes till the tomatoes turn soft. Add water and bring to boil.

Add the fritters and simmer, covered for 5-7 minutes. Turn off the heat, add a slit green chilli and a teaspoon of mustard oil.

Serve with hot rice.