Pomfret mustard involves cooking marinated Pomfret fish in a gravy that contains yellow mustard seeds, black mustard seeds, poppy seeds, green chilies, salt, curd and water. The fish pieces get marinated through the application of mustard oil, salt, turmeric powder and Kashmiri red chili powder. The gravy is cooked in mustard oil along with nigella seeds, green chilies and turmeric powder, finished with a little bit of sugar and a few chopped coriander leaves for additional taste and flavor. Read my simple recipe to learn the steps to make pomfret mustard at home.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Pomfret mustard is a very popular dish in India, especially in Bengal.
- Serve it with steamed rice or roti.
- Pomfret mustard tastes slightly spicy, creamy, savory, and pungent.
- Other similar recipes are shorshe ilish, shorshe bhetki, pomfret paturi, pomfret curry, bhetki mach bhapa, ilish mach bhapa, bhetki paturi, and ilish macher paturi.
The Ingredients:
To marinate the fish pieces:
- 5 pieces Pomfret fish (medium size)
- 1 tsp mustard oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
To make the mustard paste:
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp black mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- 3 pieces green chilies
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup curd
- ½ cup water
To make the gravy:
- 4 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji or kala jeera)
- 5 pieces green chilies (whole)
- ½ cup water
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)
I went to see the elderly neighbor who resides nearby because she possesses excellent cooking skills. She demonstrated her cooking method to me while I helped her along to make this dish one day. I documented all her actions in my notebook to remember her entire procedure.
The next weekend when I prepared the dish for my family, the entire house produced a wonderful scent while the food matched her description of how it would taste. My husband considered it one of the best and most complete home-cooked meals while my two sons showed great admiration for the food. I thanked the elderly neighbor with deep appreciation because she dedicated her time to my education.
How to Make Pomfret Mustard? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Wash and cut 5 pieces of pomfret fish (medium size).
Step 2: Marinate with 1 tsp of mustard oil, 1 tsp of salt, ½ tsp of turmeric powder, and ½ tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder.
Step 3: Grind 2 tbsp of yellow mustard seeds, 1 tbsp of black mustard seeds, and 1 tbsp of poppy seeds. Blend 3 pieces of green chilies, ½ tsp of salt, ½ cup of curd, and ½ cup of water with it.
Step 4: Fry the fish. Flip and remove when done.
Step 5: Remove some oil.
Step 6: Add 1 tsp of nigella seeds (kalonji or kala jeera) and 2 pieces of whole green chilies. Add the mustard paste and ½ cup of water followed by ½ tsp of turmeric powder and 1 tsp of sugar.
Step 7: When the gravy starts boiling, add the fried fish pieces and 3 pieces of whole green chilies.
Step 8: Cook for 2 minutes on a low flame. Add 1 tbsp of finely chopped coriander leaves. Check the consistency and doneness. Transfer it to a plate.
Step 9: Your rich and tasty homemade pomfret mustard is ready.
Recipe Card
Pomfret Mustard
Ingredients
To marinate the fish pieces:
- 5 pieces Pomfret fish medium size
- 1 tsp mustard oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
To make the mustard paste:
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp black mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- 3 pieces green chilies
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup curd
- ½ cup water
To make the gravy:
- 4 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 tsp nigella seeds kalonji or kala jeera
- 5 pieces green chilies whole
- ½ cup water
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped
Instructions
- Wash and cut 5 pieces of Pomfret fish (medium size).
- Marinate with 1 tsp of mustard oil, 1 tsp of salt, ½ tsp of turmeric powder, and ½ tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder.
- Grind 2 tbsp of yellow mustard seeds, 1 tbsp of black mustard seeds, and 1 tbsp of poppy seeds. Blend 3 pieces of green chilies, ½ tsp of salt, ½ cup of curd and ½ cup of water with it.
- Fry the fish. Flip and remove when done.
- Remove some oil.
- Add 1 tsp of nigella seeds (kalonji or kala jeera) and 2 pieces of whole green chilies. Add the mustard paste and ½ cup of water followed by ½ tsp of turmeric powder and 1 tsp of sugar.
- When the gravy starts boiling, add the fried fish pieces and 3 pieces of whole green chilies.
- Cook for 2 minutes on a low flame. Add 1 tbsp of finely chopped coriander leaves. Check the consistency and doneness. Transfer it to a plate.
- Your rich and tasty homemade pomfret mustard is ready.
