Non veg - Starter

Fish tikka achaari

Ingredients

2 (400 grams) surmai fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1 teaspoon ginger paste

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

2 teaspoons kashmiri red chilli powder

1 teaspoon mustard seeds, roasted

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon onion seeds

½ teaspoon fenugreel seeds

½ teaspoon black salt

1 tablespoon mustard oil

1 cup skimmed milk yogurt, whisked

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Method

• Place the fish in abowl; add the lemon juice, salt, garlic paste, ginger paste, turmeric powder and chilli powder and mix.
• Heat a pan and dry roast the mustard seeds, fennel seeds, onion seeds and fenugreel seeds. Crush them with black salt in a mortar with a pestle.
• Heat the mustard oil in a pan to smoking point. Set aside to cool.
• Add the yogurt to the fish along with the crushed spices and mix. Let it stand for thirty minutes.
• Preheat an oven to 200c/400F/gas mark 6.
• When the mustard oil cools completely add it to the marinated fish and mix.
• Place the fish on a greased rack and place the rack in the preheated oven with a tray underneath it and cook.
• Baste once with butter and cook for ten to fifteen minutes or till done.
• Serve hot.

Don’t be surprised at the rate at which these are polished off the partter! As fish absorbs flavours well, the picking spices and mustard oil mnake this a truly spectacular starter. Fenugreek seeds are rich in iron and calcium and help reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels.