Bhetki begum bahar

Debjani Chatterjee Alam’s Bhetki Begum Bahar is a Bengali celebratory fish curry distinguished by specially cut barramundi pieces and a flour-and-semolina coating. Her version fries the coated fish before adding it to a rich gravy with a separately made nut-and-spice paste.

The fish is washed and first marinated with turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder, salt and lemon juice. It is then coated with a paste of egg, all-purpose flour, semolina, garlic paste, ginger paste, Kashmiri chilli powder and salt.

Cashews, raisins, poppy seeds, mace, nutmeg, black pepper and cinnamon stick soak in lukewarm water before being ground into a smooth spice paste. The coated fish fries gently on both sides until crisp and golden, then is lifted from the mustard oil.

Some ghee is added to the same remaining oil and tempered with cinnamon stick, bay leaf, dried red chilli, black cardamom and green cardamom. Onion paste browns before garlic, ginger and tomato pastes cook in; the nut-and-spice paste follows, then the remaining fish-coating batter.

Sugar, salt, turmeric and ground cumin cook into the mixture before water is added and the gravy thickens. The fried fish returns with the remaining ghee and the listed Sahi garam masala powder, and the curry cooks briefly before the heat is turned off.