Bengali-style catfish with jujube berries, potato mash and green apple chutney
Try this aromatic recipe for meaty, white freshwater catfish, paired with a tart chutney and chilli coriander mash.
Ingredients
- For the green apple chutney
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1 medium green cooking apple, or other sharp green apple, cored and coarsely grated (skin left on)
4 tbsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 tsp salt
1 tsp caster sugar
1-2 green chillies, or to taste, very finely chopped
2 tbsp roughly chopped mint leaves
- For the Bengali mashed potato
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2 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into quarters
2 tbsp mustard oil
3 red shallots, very finely sliced
2 green chillies, finely chopped
¼ tsp salt
2-3 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
- For the fish
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2 large catfish steaks, washed and patted dry
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp ground coriander
4 tbsp vegetable oil
- For the sauce
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4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 medium white onion, finely sliced
1 tsp salt
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
10-12 dried boroi (Indian jujube), washed in cold water
12 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 fresh green chillies, with a slit along the side of each one
handful roughly chopped coriander stems and leaves
basmati rice, to serve
Preparation method
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For the green apple chutney, mix the grated apple with lemon juice to prevent it from discolouring.
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Hold the garlic cloves with metal tongs or pierce with a metal skewer then hold over a naked gas flame until the skin is charred all over. Set aside to cool then peel off the skins.
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Roughly chop the garlic to a paste then transfer to a bowl and mix in the salt, sugar, chillies, to taste, and mint. Gently stir through the grated apple and transfer to small serving bowls.
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For the Bengali mashed potatoes, boil the potatoes in a pan of boiling water for ten minutes, or until just tender. Drain, tip into a mixing bowl and roughly mash the potatoes with a fork, leaving them quite rough and chunky. Set aside.
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In a separate small bowl, mix the mustard oil, shallots, chillies and salt. Mix firmly with your fingertips or a wooden spoon, squeezing the shallots so they soften, for 3-4 minutes, or until a pungent aroma escapes from the bowl. Stir this mixture into the potatoes along with the coriander. Keep warm.
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For the fish, sprinkle the turmeric, chilli and coriander over the fish. Dip your fingers in cold water then rub the spices into the fish with your wet fingers.
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Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat then slide the fish into the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper.
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For the sauce, heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat then add the mustard seeds (take care as they may spit). Once the mustard seeds start popping in the oil, add the onions and salt.
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Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Stir in the chilli powder, turmeric, cumin and coriander and cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes. Add about three tablespoons of water, or enough to make the spices into a thick paste in the pan. Add the boroi to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes.
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Gently add the fish to the pan, and use a spoon to cover the fish with the onions and spices. Cook gently for 2-3 minutes, adding a splash of water if the sauce starts to stick to the pan.
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Pour in enough water to just cover the fish then cover the pan and simmer for five minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and green chillies and simmer, covered, for a further five minutes. Add the coriander, increase the heat to high, and cook rapidly for one minute.
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To serve, divide the mash into four evenly sized portions and roll each into a ball. Arrange on a serving plate, drizzle drops of mustard oil around the sides and sprinkle with mustard seeds. Spoon the fish on top of the mash and spoon over the sauce.
