Bhetki Begum Bahar Recipe
The signature Bengali dish, Bhetki Begum Bahar, is a flavorful fish curry made with Bhetki fish, also known as Barramundi. This rich and delectable curry is a traditional delicacy often served at celebratory events like weddings in Bengal.
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Servings: 6 People
Calories: 678kcal
Cost: Rs 800
Ingredients
- 6 pieces Bhetki Mach/ Barramundi Fish refer to the picture for the cut
Marination Stage 1
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
Marination Stage 2:
- 1 Egg
- 2 tablespoon All-purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Semolina / Sooji
- 1.5 tablespoon Garlic Paste
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Paste
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
- ½ Tsp Salt
To make the Spice Paste
- 20 Cashew nut
- 20 Raisin
- 2 tablespoon Poppy seed aka Posto
- ¼ Mace
- ½ Nutmeg
- 15 Black Pepper
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
To make the Gravy
- ½ cup from the step 2 marination
- 3 tablespoon Spice Paste
- 4 tablespoon Onion Paste
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Paste
- ½ tablespoon Ginger Paste
- 4 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Sahi Garam Masala Powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 2 Cinnamon Stick
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 Dry Red Chili
- 1 Black Cardamom
- 3 Green Cardamom
- 2 teaspoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt or to Taste
Other:
- 5 tablespoon Mustard Oil
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
Instructions
- Wash fish chunks thoroughly.
Marination Stage 1:
- Marinate Fish Chunks with Turmeric Powder, Red Chili Powder, Salt, and Lemon Juice for 30 minutes.
Marination Stage 2:
- Make a paste with Egg, All-purpose Flour, Semolina, Garlic Paste, Ginger Paste, Kashmiri Red Chili Powder, and Salt.
- Coat fish chunks with this paste and leave them for 30 minutes.
to make the spice paste:
- Soak Cashew nut, Raisin, Poppy seed or posto, Mace, Nutmeg, Black Pepper, and Cinnamon Stick in lukewarm water for 15 minutes.
- Make a smooth paste of the spices and the nuts.
To make Bhetki Begum Bahar:
- Heat Oil in a deep-bottom pan.
- Fry coated fish chunks in a low flame from both sides till they turn crispy and golden brown in color.
- Strain the fried fish from the oil and keep aside.
- Now add half of the Ghee to the remaining oil.
- Temper the Oil with Cinnamon Stick, Bay leaf, Dry Red Chili, Black Cardamom and Green Cardamom.
- Add Onion paste and cook till the onion turns brown in color.
- Now add Garlic paste, ginger paste, and tomato paste, and cook on a low flame till the oil leaves the edges.
- Add the spice paste, cook till the raw smell oozes out.
- Now, add the remaining batter used for coating the fish chunks.
- Add Sugar, Salt, Turmeric Powder, Cumin Powder, and cook till the spices are cooked well.
- Now add 2 Cups of water and bring the mixture to a boil, and cook till the gravy thickens.
- Once the gravy starts boiling, add fried fish, followed by the remaining ghee and garam masala powder.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes and switch the flame off.
- Don't overcook after adding the fish as Bhetki has having very soft texture.
- Bhetki Begum Bahar is ready to serve!
Notes
- You may cook the Begum Bahar can be cooked with other Freshwater Fishes.
- This dish is signified by the special but of the fish chunks and the way the fish is marinated and fried.
- You may adjust the Red Chili Powder as per taste.
- Instead of All-purpose Flour and Semolina, you may use cornflour to make the batter.
Nutrition
Serving: 150g | Calories: 678kcal | Carbohydrates: 103.5g | Protein: 15.8g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 6.2g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 1155mg | Fiber: 7.6g | Sugar: 60.8g
