Fish Bhuna (Bengali-Style Fried Fish in Onion and Tomato Curry)
Fish Bhuna (Bengali-Style Fried Fish in Onion and Tomato Curry) is a traditional Bangladeshi recipe (from the Bengal region) for a classic curry of fried spiced fish steaks in a curried tomato gravy. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Bengali version of: Bengali-Style Fried Fish in Onion and Tomato Curry (Fish Bhuna).
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Ingredients:
2 small whole head-on dorade or other flavourful white-fleshed fish, cleaned (about 1.4kg total once cleaned)
2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
2 tsp ground turmeric
3 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, divided
Neutral oil, for frying
300g onions, thinly sliced
5cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
340g cored and diced skin-on tomatoes
1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh coriander leaves (and tender stems), for garnish
Method:
Remove the heads from fish (keep these to fry as a snack) and cut the bodies into 3cm thick steaks. In a small bowl, combine the salt, turmeric, and 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder. Sprinkle this mixture all over fish to season.
Add enough oil to a large frying pan to fill it 6mm deep and heat over high heat until shimmering. Working in batches if needed, add the seasoned fish steaks and cook until browned on both sides, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the cooked steaks to a plate, tray, or dish and set aside.
Drain off all but 2 tbsp of oil from frying pan. Continuing to cook over high heat, add the onion and cook until browned in spots (about 5 minutes); reduce the heat at any point if the onion threatens to burn.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the ginger, bay leaf, remaining 1 tsp chilli powder, cumin, and coriander, cooking until the spices bloom (about 3 minutes). Add the diced tomatoes and cook until some of the liquid has cooked off and you have a thick, paste-like curry (about 5 minutes). Finish the gravy with vinegar and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Nestle the fried fish steaks into the curry, gently tossing to coat in the sauce. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve.
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