Assam is a place of diversified ethnic cuisines. This state will replenish you with the right kind of flavours. To surely tickle your taste buds! Delicacies with the tinge of Assamese style herbs and flavours leaves you craving for even more and more. Fish is an inevitable part of Assamese food culture. Trying different Assamese style fish curries with the minimum of spices will make you drool for! However, the food is really healthy and nutritious too. So, come on let’s get started!
Here I am sharing three delectable Assamese style fish curry recipes that will make you love fish for even more!
1. MASOR TENGA – TANGY ASSAMESE FISH CURRY
The perfect piping for hot summers. Masor Tenga or you can simply say tangy fish curry is Assam’s signature preparation. It’s an evergreen and popular dish of this region. It takes some minimal ingredients with a little number of spices and less time to cook. It is a slightly sour fish curry because of its unique tangy flavour and a rich taste of fried fish. This fish curry is a must in any basic Assamese menu.
It’s pure bliss with hot steamed rice. Being away from home, Masor Tenga can make you really homesick! So, do give it a try. I am sure you will love it.
Check out the recipe-
Ingredients–
250-300 Gms Rohu Fish (Cut Into Pieces)
Turmeric Powder
Salt To Taste
Mustard Oil
Fenugreek Seeds/Methi Seeds
Mustard Seed ( Optional)
Tomatoes(Cut Into Slices)
Chilly Powder (Optional)
Onions(Slices)(Optional)
Hot Or Warm Water
Green Chilly Slits
Few Chopped Coriander Leaves
Lemon (To Extract Juice)
Recipe-
1. Take some washed fish pieces in a bowl. Marinate the pieces with salt and turmeric and then keep it aside for 5-10 minutes
2. Heat the mustard oil in a kadhai(wok). Shallow fry the fish pieces to a golden brown and then keep them out and set aside. There is a note here do not over fry the fish pieces.
3. Heat mustard oil in a kadhai(wok). You can even use the same oil which is used to frying the fish. Add fenugreek seeds to hot oil. Allow it to splutter.
3. Saute the chopped onions(optional) and green chillies until soft. Add in the chopped tomatoes and stir fry for 5-8 minutes.
4. As the tomatoes go soft, add salt as required and a pinch of turmeric. However, you can also add chopped ginger and garlic to it if you want. And mix it well and cook until the tomatoes are done.
5. Add about 2 cups of water and cover the wok with a lid. Let everything cook together and form an aromatic broth.
6. Cook until the mixture is cooked through and to your desired consistency. And add the fish pieces into the gravy and give it a proper stir. Then cover the wok with the lid and let it cook on simmer.
7. As the gravy comes to a final boil, add some lemon juice to it to get that extra tinge. You can also add coriander to it to get some extra rich flavour.
7. Your Assamese style Maasor Tenga(Assamese tangy fish curry) is ready to be served with some hot steamed rice.
2. Thekera dia Maasor Tenga (Fish with Garcinia Mangostana)
When we are talking about different Assamese fish cuisines, how can we forget the most popular traditional dish “Thekera dia Maasor Tenga” ? This is a lip-smacking Assamese fish recipe with the goodness of the main souring agent known as Thekera.
Ingredients:
250 Gm Rohu Fish(Or You Can Opt For Other Fish Variety Too)
4-5 Pieces Of Thekera
Mustard Oil/Refine
A Medium-Sized Potato (Optional)
A Tsp Turmeric Powder
Salt To Taste
Sugar (Optional)
Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves For Seasoning
Recipe-
1. Soak the thekera in ½ cup of warm water for 10-15 minutes.
2. Mash the boiled potatoes.
3. Marinate the fish pieces with turmeric powder and salt and keep it aside.
4. Heat the oil in a kadhai(wok). And when the oil smokes, add the fenugreek seeds to it. Allow it to splutter.
5. When the fenugreek seeds turn black to raise the heat and fry the fish pieces lightly and keep them aside similarly.
6. Then lower the heat again and add the thekera with the water to it.
7. Add ½ tsp of turmeric powder to it and allow it to boil.
8. Then add another cup of warm water and the mashed potato and bring it to boil again.
9. Add the fish pieces and continue to simmer for 4-5 minutes.
10. However you can add ¼ tsp of sugar, if desired.
11. After that, season the curry with coriander leaves.
12. And finally serve with steamed rice and green chillies.
3. Sorioh dia maasor jool ( Fish in mustard gravy style)
The delicious Assamese fish recipe cooked with the rich goodness of mustard paste. You can definitely have this to get a unique taste of Assamese fish delicacy.
Ingredients-
4 tsp mustard seeds or 2 tsp Indian mustard powder
1 lb/ 500 gm fish fillets – preferably white fish Tilapia pomfret, haddock, cod loins
turmeric powder
salt to taste
green chillies split
mustard oil
finely chopped onion
half-inch cube ginger peeled and chopped fine
finely chopped medium-sized tomato
1 cup of water
finely chopped fresh coriander
Recipe–
1. Prepare a mustard paste by soaking mustard seeds in a small bowl with enough water and cover it completely for 2 hours.
2. Continue to drain water and grind it into a paste in a blender adding water as necessary. Until a fine, foamy and very thin liquid paste is obtained.
3. Prepare the fish by cutting them into the desired size. Coat them with the turmeric and salt. And then leave it aside at room temperature. Shallow fry the fish pieces to a golden brown. Remove the fish and keep aside.
4. Continue in the same skillet to sauté the onions until soft. Let it cool for a few minutes. And then grind the ginger, tomato and the sauteed onions.
5. Tip it back into the skillet and add a cup of water and the green chillies. Cook it until a desired consistent mixture is reached.
6. Place the fish in. Slowly pour the mustard paste. However you can use a strainer if it’s not smooth. Simmer for a few minutes.
7. Taste for salt and add the coriander leaves if desired. Squeeze the juice of half a fresh lemon. And finally serve it hot with boiled white rice.
These are some of the soulful Assamese fish recipes!! And you’ll love all of them if you are fond of fish curries. So finally remember to thank Assam for this beautiful recipe!!