Bengali Indian · Dinner

Mustard fish curry

Name: Mustard fish curry
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Bengali Indian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds; 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds; 5 green chiles, divided; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided; 3/4 cup warm water for soaking, plus 1 cup fresh water, divided; 2 pounds rohu steaks or skinless cod portions; 1 teaspoon turmeric, divided; 5 tablespoons mustard oil, divided; 1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds; 1 teaspoon sugar; 6 cups steamed rice

Rohu or firm white fish in a sharp, silky Bengali shorshe sauce of freshly ground mustard, green chile, nigella, turmeric, and mustard oil.

About 1 hr 20 minTotal

About 50 minActive

$$Cost

ModerateDifficulty

Makes 6 servings

Equipment

Skip straining only if the whites are fully blended; the texture may be less even.
Best single workhorse
Winco 8-inch Fine Mesh Strainer · MS3A-8S
View at Amazon
Best useful size set
Cuisinart Fine Mesh Strainer Set · CTG-00-3MS
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Skip straining only if the whites are fully blended; the texture may be less even.
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How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We compared mesh fineness, bowl size, handle and bowl-rest construction, versatility, cleaning, and stable model identity. Editorial and kitchen testing informed the use cases; manufacturer specifications established materials and dimensions. Kwilt has not strained this egg mixture with these tools.
Winco 8-inch Fine Mesh Strainer · MS3A-8S: The broad mesh lets a full egg mixture pass quickly and remains useful for rice, vegetables, pasta, and sifting. Trade-off: An 8-inch basket is larger than this Recipe strictly needs and asks for more drawer or hanging space.
Cuisinart Fine Mesh Strainer Set · CTG-00-3MS: The medium strainer suits this egg mixture while the smaller and larger sizes make the set useful beyond one Recipe. Trade-off: The lighter construction is easier to bend and less reassuring for heavy daily use than a single restaurant strainer.
Another workable path: You can skip straining if the whites are fully blended and you accept a slightly less even texture. A smaller tea strainer is too slow for this batch.
Sources
Epicurious Winco use review
Food Network tested comparison
Winco product details

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 6 servings

2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
5 green chiles, divided
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
3/4 cup warm water for soaking, plus 1 cup fresh water, divided
2 pounds rohu steaks or skinless cod portions
1 teaspoon turmeric, divided
5 tablespoons mustard oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds
1 teaspoon sugar
6 cups steamed rice

Instructions

Soak both mustard seeds in 3/4 cup warm water for 30 minutes. Drain, then blend with 2 green chiles, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons of the fresh water to a very smooth paste; pass through a to remove coarse hulls.
Pat fish dry and coat with half the turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat 3 tablespoons mustard oil until shimmering, then sear fish in batches for 45 seconds per side; remove while still raw inside.
Lower heat, add remaining oil and nigella, and let it crackle 20 seconds. Stir the mustard paste with the remaining fresh water, remaining turmeric, remaining salt, and sugar, then pour it into the pan carefully.
Bring only to a gentle simmer, add remaining slit green chiles, and nestle in fish. Cover and cook without vigorous stirring until fish reaches 145°F and flakes in large pieces, 5 to 8 minutes.
Swirl the pan to coat the fish, taste for clean mustard pungency rather than bitterness, and serve immediately with rice.

BengalBengali river and celebration cooking

From the table

About this recipe

Shorshe maach is a Bengali family of fish dishes whose freshly ground mustard sauce should remain pungent and clean rather than coarse or bitter.

Shorshe maach names a Bengali family of fish in mustard sauce; hilsa, rohu, katla, and other fish support different household versions. This accessible version favors rohu or cod. Soaking, grinding with salt and chile, and avoiding prolonged high heat all help keep fresh mustard pungent rather than bitter. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Use the strongest visible Bengali rating pair directionally, preserve freshly ground mustard and nigella-oil identity across all three sources, and specify a sieving option plus a measured seafood endpoint.

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