Bengali Bhetki Begum Bahar Recipe (Spicy Fish Fillets Curry)

Shaheen Ali

January 2, 2017

1952 Ratings

Time:Prep: 10 M|Cook: 1h 30m|Total: 1h 40min

Makes:4 Servings

Meal:Lunch

Cuisine:Bengali Recipes

Bhetki Begum Bahar is one rich and spicy fish curry that comes from Bengali Cuisine. A very popular dish is Bengali marriages and special occasions. The fish fillets have a typical shape that are marinated and later fried golden. The curry is typically cooked in mustard oil where the richness comes from the poppy seeds and the cashew paste used. The extensive use of mace and nutmeg powder gives the curry an amazing aroma and flavor and also gives a rich look. Serve Bhetki Begum Bahar Recipe with hot Steamed rice and Chapatis.

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Ingredients

For Marination

8 Fish fillet, Bhetki (Barramundi/Asian sea bass)

1 Onion, paste

1/2 Homemade tomato puree

1 Ginger, paste

4 Green Chillies

2 Poppy seeds, paste

2 Cashew nuts, paste

1 Turmeric powder (Haldi)

1 Coriander Powder (Dhania)

1-1/2 Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder

1 Cumin powder (Jeera)

1 Garam masala powder

1/2 Nutmeg powder

1/2 Mace (Javitri)

1 Lemon juice

1 Salt

1 Whole Eggs, peeled and beaten

3 Corn flour

1 Ginger, paste

1 Black pepper powder

1 Green Chilli

Instructions for Bengali Bhetki Begum Bahar Recipe (Spicy Fish Fillets Curry)

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.

In a large mixing bowl, add beaten egg, cornflour, green chili paste, ginger paste, pepper powder, and salt. Mix well and keep aside.

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.

Transfer the fried fillets on a paper towel and keep aside.

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.

Now add ginger paste and slit green chilies, and fry till the mix turns golden in color.

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.

Now add poppy seeds paste and cashew paste and stir well. Sauté for another 3-4 minute.

Now add around 1/2 cup of hot water or as per required consistency.

Add salt and stir well. Let the curry get a boil. Simmer the flame and cook for 2-3 minutes with lid closed.

Once the curry is done, mix-in some nutmeg powder and fresh coriander.

Slide the fish fillets carefully into the gravy and turn off flame.

Serve Bengali Bhetki Begum Bahar Recipe hot with Steamed rice and Chapatis.