Macha Besara
rohu steaks in a hot, sour ground-mustard gravy, the Sunday fish curry of coastal Odisha
Allergens in Macha Besara: fish, mustard.
Ingredients
Quantities for 4.
- 600g rohu or katla, cut into 2cm-thick steaks Fishany firm freshwater fish on the bone
- 2 tbsp, soaked in warm water 20 minutes Mustard Seeds
- 5 cloves Garlic3 for the paste, 2 sliced
- 4, 2 for the paste Green Chilli
- 2, chopped Tomato
- 1 tsp Panch Phoron
- 1.5 tsp Turmeric1 tsp for rubbing the fish, 1/2 tsp for the gravy
- 1 tsp Chilli Powder
- 5 tbsp Mustard Oil4 for frying the fish, 1 for the gravy
- to taste Salt
- 500ml Water
- 2 tbsp, chopped Coriander Leavesoptional
Cookware
stovetop, kadhai, blender
Checked against the ingredient list for ten allergens: milk, egg, fish, crustaceans, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, mustard, soy and gluten. Brands vary, so read the label on anything new to you.
Before you start
- Rub the fish steaks with 1 tsp turmeric and 1 tsp salt then cover and refrigerate 15 minutes. This firms the flesh so it does not break in the pan.
- Soak the mustard seeds 20 minutes, then grind with 3 garlic cloves, 2 green chillies and a pinch of salt to a fine paste with 4 tbsp water.
- Pat the fish dry just before frying. Wet fish sticks to the pan and tears when you turn it.
Method
- Grind the soaked mustard, garlic, green chillies and a pinch of salt to a smooth paste with 4 tbsp water. Set aside.
- Heat 4 tbsp mustard oil in a kadhai until it smokes. Fry the turmeric-rubbed fish in one layer, 3 minutes a side, until a light crust forms.Do not move the fish for the first 3 minutes. It releases from the pan on its own once the crust sets.
- Lift the fish out onto a plate. Pour off all but about 1 tbsp of the oil.
- Add the panch phoron to the hot oil and let it crackle 20 seconds, then add the sliced garlic and 2 slit green chillies.
- Add the chopped tomato with 1/2 tsp turmeric, the chilli powder and salt. Cook 6 minutes, mashing, until the tomato collapses and the oil separates.
- Pour in the water and bring to a boil, then simmer 5 minutes.
- Drop the flame to its lowest and stir in the mustard paste. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes without letting it boil.A hard boil after the mustard goes in makes the gravy bitter. Keep it barely trembling.
- Slide the fried fish back in, spoon gravy over each piece, and simmer 4 minutes more.
- Take off the heat, scatter the coriander leaves and rest 10 minutes before serving. The fish keeps absorbing gravy as it stands.
Safe temperatures: Fish is done at 63°C / 145°F, or when it turns opaque and flakes easily. Reheat leftovers to 74°C / 165°F. FoodSafety.gov
Storage
Keeps 2 days refrigerated. Reheat on the lowest flame in a wide pan without stirring, tilting the pan to baste the fish instead; stirring breaks the steaks apart.
Nutrition Good estimate
One serving of Macha Besara (345 g) is about 358 calories, or 104 calories per 100 g.
High protein: 33 g a serving, 37% of the calories
| Per serving345 g | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 358 kcal | 104 kcal |
| Protein | 32.7 g | 10 g |
| Carbohydrate | 6.8 g | 2 g |
| of which sugars | 2.3 g | 1 g |
| Fibre | 2.0 g | 1 g |
| Fat | 22.2 g | 6 g |
| of which saturated | 2.7 g | 1 g |
| of which unsaturated | 17.3 g | 5 g |
Nearest database match used for panch phoron. Estimated from raw ingredients using USDA FoodData Central.
More like this: Gluten-free Indian recipes · Dairy-free Indian recipes · Odia recipes
Times, yields, allergens and nutrition are guidance. Use your own judgement on doneness and on storing. More in About.