A modern twist on traditional Bengali mustard fish, these bhetki fillets with oregano and a honey mustard sauce blend sweet, spicy, and herby flavours into melt-in-the-mouth fish. Marinated bhetki fillets are pan-fried until caramelised outside yet flaky inside, then dipped in a luscious honey mustard sauce made with curry leaves. Drizzled with extra honey and garnished with fresh curry leaves, this decadent, crispy fried fish recipe makes an impressive centrepiece for any special meal.
Sunrise tip: Avoid overcooking the fish fillets, as bhetki can quickly turn dry and chewy. Cook just until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 3-4 minutes per side. Additionally, you can replace the curry leaves in the sauce with basil leaves, depending on your personal preference.
Time: 10 minutes
On a small plate, coat the bhetki fish fillets with a blend of ginger garlic paste, salt, Sunrise Kashmiri Mirch Powder, Sunrise Machher Jhol Masala, Sunrise Kali Mirch Powder, and Sunrise Lal Mirch Powder.
Coat the bhetki fillets thoroughly with this marinade. Keep the plate aside for 5-6 minutes to allow the flavours to penetrate the fish.
Time: 5 minutes
In a small bowl, take the Sunrise Mustard Powder and add 3 tbsp of water to it. Then mix it well and let this mixture sit till it is needed in the recipe. This will help soften the seed husk and help bring ut a deeper flavour.
Time: 5 minutes
In a bowl, take the cornflour, flour, chilli flakes, oregano, salt, Sunrise Kali Mirch Powder, and water. Mix well so that there are no lumps and the slurry is neither too thick nor too runny.
Time: 25 minutes
Heat oil in a large pan over high heat. When the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium. Dip each fillet in the slurry, gently scraping off the excess against the side of the bowl, and place the fish fillets in the hot pan. Cook 4-5 fillets at a time.
Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until lightly browned and cooked through. Once the coating turns crispy, remove the fillets from the pan and set aside. Do this for all the fillets.
Time: 10 minutes
To the same pan, add a little oil. Add salt to taste, followed by garlic paste. Saute lightly till fragrant and add ⅓ cup water to the pan. Then add the soaked Sunrise Mustard Powder, Sunrise Haldi Powder, and honey. Let this come to a boil, and then add the curry leaves. Keep cooking the sauce until it is reduced by half.
Time: 5 minutes
Transfer the crispy fried fish fillets to a plate, then drizzle the thick sauce over the pieces. Follow the sauce with a drizzle of honey and chopped curry leaves as garnish. Serve hot as an evening snack or as a starter at a party.
Accompaniment: Onion rings and lime wedges