Methi Fish
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There are many foods that one grows up with as a kid and over the years learn to love them and enjoy them in different ways. For me methi is one of them. It is a bitter green found more extensively in the north part of India and is in abundant bloom in the winters. As a child I knew only two ways of eating methi – it was methi aloo and methi paratha or poori. And I could never wait for it to be methi season and for me to relish these! Fresh raw methi does taste bitter so it needs to be cooked very well and paired with appropriate ingredients for its flavors to be released. Starch in the form of potatoes and flour are excellent companions.
Several years ago, I stumbled upon Kasoori methi and it was love at first taste! Kasoori methi is a special kind of methi that is available as dried leaves. You can find it along with the other Indian spice mixes (masalas) in the stores. It is the hidden background flavor behind so many restaurant favorites – the kind that you go back for again and again. It adds an amazing aroma and taste when added to several Indian preparations. Kasoori methi can be added as is or the leaves can be crushed and then added as a flavor at the end. Kasoori methi is also great for making parathas or pooris and I often add them before the kneading of the dough is done.
In sunny Singapore, thanks to the beauty of being able to import, we get fresh methi all year round. Over the years I have been able to experiment with methi in several ways and now it is a staple in my kitchen. No trip to the Indian grocery store is ever complete without buying a bunch of fresh methi leaves. And they are used to make the usual methi dishes or added to chicken or paneer. Methi leaves can be blanched and used in combination with blanched spinach leaves to make saag chicken or gosht. I also like to add fresh chopped methi leaves to the usual dough for chapattis to give them extra flavor and of course make them more nutritious :)
In several Indian restaurants I have tried methi fish and it is one preparation of fish that I have come to love immensely. Fish pieces are pan fried/deep fried with a thin coating of flour/eggs/cornstarch, whatever is your choice and then added to this methi flavored gravy. Pair it with some steamed basmati rice or piping hot naan and you have heaven on your plate! If there is one fish dish that I love more than anything else, it is methi fish. It has everything going in it – the tender chunks of fish, the flavorful gravy, tons of spices and the underlying aroma of methi. I will encourage all fish eaters to try this one. And for the vegetarian folks, you can always replace the fish with paneer or steamed vegetables to still enjoy the flavors. And yes, this tastes just as good with chicken!
A common question that comes up is on the choice of fish to make different dishes. And I am in no way an expert on the kinds of fish that can be used for various dishes but I am now developing a sense for what kind of fish would taste better than the others with a certain set of ingredients and with a desired end taste in mind. For this recipe, any white fleshed fish will be good. Avoid using fish which have a strong flavor as that may overpower the rest of the ingredients. Chunks of boneless white fish will be wonderful like cod or haddock. I tried this dish using pomphret and it worked very well. My family does not like bones in their fish so I ended up cooking the fish first and debone it after it is cooked as that is much easier for me vs. the deboning of the raw fish. When I debone, I make sure that the fish still stays in chunks and retains its outer crust that came about with the coating and the frying. That also helps to stop the fish from disintegrating into the gravy and stay together as big chunks.
Ingredients
- Fish – 600 gms cut into pieces
- 1 egg
- 1 cup maida (all purpose flour)
- 1/4 cup vegetable/canola oil for frying the fish
- 2 teaspoon kasoori methi
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- Salt, pepper, red chilli powder to taste
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 2 medium tomatoes (chopped)
- 1 inch fresh ginger root (grated)
- 1/2 - 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh methi leaves / ¼ cup dried methi leaves
- 2 green cardamoms
- 2-3 cloves
- 1/2 inch piece of cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Cut the fish into pieces of desired size and pat dry. Sprinkle the fish with salt, pepper, red chilli powder and 1 tablespoon dried methi leaves. Set aside for a few minutes.
- 2
In a flat dish/plate, put the flour and season with some salt and pepper. Mix well. Crack the egg into a bowl and add 2 tablespoons milk/water to it. Add a pinch of salt and fish curry masala to the egg and beat lightly with a fork/beater till all the ingredients are combined.
- 3
Dip the fish pieces one by one into the flour, egg followed by flour till the pieces are well coated. Keep aside on a wire rack to ensure that the coating sticks to the fish.
- 4
In a shallow pan, add the ¼ cup of oil and heat over medium heat. Fry the fish pieces one by one till they the fish is cooked and pieces are well browned on both sides. It will take 2-3 minutes for the first side and 1-2 for the second time. This cooking time will vary depending on the size of the fish pieces and accordingly you may need to cook more or less.
- 5
When the fish is done, remove to a paper towel and let the oil drain out. Once the fish is warm enough to handle, debone it and keep aside.
- 6
In another pan, add 2 teaspoons of oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and ginger and cook for 2-3 minutes till the onions become soft. Add the tomatoes and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and cook for another 2-3 minutes till the tomatoes are soft and cooked. Add ½ cup milk to this along with a heaping tablespoon of coriander powder and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the masala come to room temperature and then blend the above mixture in a food processor or blender.
- 7
Return the mixture to the pan and add the whole spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves) and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add methi and cover and cook for about 5 minutes over low heat such that the methi gets cooked. You need to check once and if the methi tastes bitter still, cook for a few more minutes.
- 8
Add the cream to the gravy and check for consistency. Add the fish, season with salt and red chilli powder. In case the dish looks very thick, add some milk or cream. Cover and keep over very low heat for 3-5 minutes for the flavors to absorb well. Don’t cook over high heat/cook for long time else the fish will become dry. Don’t stir too much, as it may break up the fish into very small pieces. Sprinkle with fresh chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice and mix lightly. Serve hot with naan, chapatti or steamed rice.
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