Bengali Mustard Fish Fry – Kasundi Fish Fry
An extra day off is never a bad thing. I created a new thing. A zesty spicy fish fry made with a handful of ingredients. It is made with five ingredients. The key here is Kasundi or a Bengali Fermented mustard. If you do not have this on hand you can use a Dijon Mustard. Increase the amount of horseradish or wasabi. A Kasundi or Mustard Fish Fry is really a neat idea. Easy to make, and satisfies all your Bengali Fish Fry cravings. Kasundi to a Bengali is much like Kimchi, a fermented zesty and essential condiment. The fish fry is zesty, spicy and great as a meal or appetizer. You can make this with chicken tenders as well. An usual and fun addition to any finger food repertoire you will enjoy at all your gatherings to come.
My Kasundi Fish Fry Story
A classic Bengali fish fry with Bengali mustard relish called kasundi is a classic combination. Here I just make it a one-step affair and mix the two together. It is different, but a great marriage of two good flavors. Just the right thing for a holiday weekend. The past couple of days have been unsettling. I will confess it is a riff on the real deal.
The hurricane that somehow did not merit much CNN attention has been devastating to Kolkata. Trees broken, street signs destroyed, electricity turned off and phone lines disconnected. That and so many poor people are left homeless without any help in sight.
A mad scramble, and some frantic calls helped me finally reach my mother. All of this causing a general sense of unrest. When stressed or low, I find myself craving comfort food. As a true Bengali, I love my fried food. I have been toying with the idea of using mustard as a marinade. This fish fry is the result of these thoughtful musings.
This dish uses the mustard and horseradish as a a binding and seasoning base. Instead of preparing an egg batter, I directly dredge the fish in breadcrumbs. This is a softer and gentler binding but works quite well. It is good to let the coated fish rest for some time to seal the coating and then we pan fry. So a lot simpler than your layers of preparing a batter, and then binding. The coating is lighter and great for a quick pick me up.
You can serve this with any condiment of your choice, think ketchup and or Sriracha. Do not forget fresh lime wedges.
Some Tips and Tips
To get the best well-seasoned results,
- Do marinate the fish in the zesty mustard marinade
- Dredge the fish thoroughly and evenly in the breadcrumbs.
- Since we are not using any binding agent, do not skip the time to chill the fish after breading.
- Shake off any excess breadcrumbs before frying the fish.
- Make sure that the oil is nice and hot before frying the fish.
Making these in my new Mealthy frying pan was the highlight of my day. Their new scratch proof non-stick pan with honeycomb laser etching is absolutely stunning. You can see the pan close up in some of the pictures.
If you want to get this along with their stainless steel frying pan or any other Mealthy product, you can use the code SPICECHRONICLES to get $10 off. Another week approaches. And, spring is gradually beginning to make way for summer.
An interesting and zesty take on Fish Fry. This one uses a zesty mustard as a marinade making this much easier and very flavorful.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup prepared Kasundi (Bengali Mustard) or Dijon Mustard (see note)
- 1 tablespoon wasabi or horseradish
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 pounds of fresh fish fillet (any firm white fish, such as cod or halibut works for this dish)
- Breadcrumbs to coat (about 1 and 1/2 cups)
- Oil for frying (about 1/2 cup)
- Sliced Onions and Lime Wedges to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Mix the mustard. wasabi or horseradish and minced garlic in a bowl.
- Cut the fish into 2 to 3 inch pieces and toss in the marinade and set aside for about 30 minutes.
- Spread the breadcrumbs on a large piece of parchment paper. Take each piece of fish with marinade adhering to the fish and coat well with the breadcrumbs. Press down to make sure that the coating sticks to the fish.
- Place in a pan and place this in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Heat a heavy bottomed pan and add in 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil and heat well. Add the fish pieces, about 4 to 5 at a time and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
- Serve hot, with sliced onions and lime wedges.
Notes
If you do not have Kasundi, the Bengali mustard, you need add some cayenne pepper and increase the wasabi or horseradish in the mix.
The hands on prep time is closer to about 30 minutes.