Indian cooking
Indian cooking / Dishes / Bangda Masala
Bangda Masala (Crispy Fried Mackerel with Tamarind & Curry Leaves)

Bangda Masala

Crispy Fried Mackerel with Tamarind & Curry Leaves
Non-vegetarianOrigin west of India

Crispy fried mackerel coated in a tangy tamarind, curry leaf and chilli paste, then crusted with semolina. It is sharp, lightly spicy and crisp outside with moist fish inside.

Mackerel marinade masala

16 gBlended into the tamarind marinade paste (step 1)
Blend with the garlic, ginger, tamarind, curry leaves, oil and salt until smooth.

Everything else

01
Whole mackerel · Bangdawhole, gutted, trimmed and cleaned
800 g2 mackerels
fish
02
63 g6 tablespoons
grain
03
20 g2 tablespoons
flour
04
~0.3 gpinch
salt
05
Vegetable oil · Telfor shallow frying
to taste
oil/fat
06
to taste
fruit
07
Garlic · Lehsunlarge, roughly chopped
6 g2 cloves
aromatic
08
Fresh ginger · Adrakroughly chopped
10 g2½ cm
aromatic
09
36 g2 tablespoons
souring agent
10
1.2–1.5 g5–6 leaves
herb
11
to taste
salt
12
27 g2 tablespoons
oil/fat

Method

  1. Blend 6 g garlic, 5 g ginger, 36 g tamarind paste, 1.2–1.5 g curry leaf, 27 g vegetable oil, salt to taste and the mackerel marinade masala (7.8 g kashmiri chilli powder, 3 g ground turmeric and 5.4 g ground coriander) with about 3 tbsp water until smooth.
  2. Rub this paste over 700 g mackerel, inside and out, then chill for 1 hour.
  3. Mix 63 g coarse semolina and 19.8 g rice flour in a bowl with 0.3 g salt.
  4. Press each mackerel into the semolina mixture, turning to coat all sides and keeping the crust even.
  5. Heat enough vegetable oil for shallow frying in a heavy-based frying pan over low–medium heat. Fry the fish for 4–5 minutes on each side, turning gently so the crust stays intact. Alternatively, line the pan with baking paper before adding the oil and fry in the same way.
  6. Serve with lemon wedges.

Don't have something?

Whole mackerel
  • Whole pomfret

    Use the same weight; it is milder and less oily, so add a little extra oil and simmer for a similar time.

  • Whole fish

    Use the same weight and choose a firm fish; score it and adjust simmering by 3–5 minutes depending on thickness.

  • Sardine

    Use the same total weight; sardines are smaller, so use several and reduce cooking time by about 5 minutes.

Coarse semolina
  • Semolina

    Use the same weight; it is finer, so add liquid gradually and soak for less time.

  • Fine semolina

    Use the same weight; it absorbs faster and gives a smoother, less grainy texture.

  • Cream of wheat

    Use the same weight; toast it first if the recipe calls for roasting, and watch the liquid.

Rice flour
  • Cornflour

    Use about 60–70% of the weight for thickening; for coatings use the same weight but the crust is denser.

  • Plain flour

    Use the same weight for coatings; contains gluten, browns faster and is less crisp.

  • Fine semolina

    Use the same weight for crisp coatings; coarser texture and needs a short rest.

Vegetable oil
  • Peanut oil

    Use 1:1 by weight. Handles high-heat frying identically and introduces a very subtle, pleasant nuttiness.

  • Ghee

    Use 1:1 by weight. Yields a much richer, authentic aroma and a glossy, heavier mouthfeel.

  • Mustard oil

    Use 1:1 by weight. Heat until smoking, then cool slightly before cooking to temper its intensely pungent, sharp mustard kick.

Lemon wedge
  • Lime wedge

    Use the same weight; it is sharper and more floral, so taste before adding extra salt or sugar.

  • Lemon slice

    Use the same weight; a slice gives less juice than a wedge, so squeeze it or add a little lemon juice.

  • Lemon juice

    Use about 10–15 g juice for one wedge (roughly 2 tsp), adding at the end; it lacks the peel's aromatic oil.

Garlic
  • Garlic paste

    Use equal weight. Fry gently in oil or ghee with the ginger; incorporates smoothly into curries without visible minced bits.

  • Garlic powder

    Use 15% to 20% of the weight (about 1 g for every 5 to 6 g fresh cloves). Whisk into sauces; gives a savoury, toasted garlic flavour without raw pungency.

  • Shallot

    Use 1.5 times the weight, very finely minced. Sauté until golden; provides savoury allium sweetness, though it lacks garlic's pungent sulphur bite.

Fresh ginger
  • Ginger paste

    Use equal weight. Sauté in hot fat until the raw allium smell disappears; slightly wetter, but provides identical warmth and pungency.

  • Ground ginger

    Use 20% to 25% of the weight (1 g for every 4 to 5 g fresh). Stir into the gravy; adds peppery heat and warmth, though it misses the crisp, zesty kick of raw root.

Tamarind paste
  • Tamarind pulp

    Use 120–150% of the weight and strain; pulp is less concentrated, so simmer a little longer to thicken.

  • Tamarind extract

    Use 150–200% of the weight and reduce gently; extract is already diluted.

  • Lime juice

    Use 60–70% of the weight with a pinch of jaggery; sharper, so add near the end off the heat.

Kashmiri chilli powder
  • Dried kashmiri chilli

    Grind deseeded dried pods to an equal weight of powder; gives identical vivid red colour and gentle warmth.

  • Red chilli powder

    Use 25% of the weight mixed with sweet paprika for colour; straight red chilli powder is substantially hotter and will make the dish fiery.

  • Chilli powder

    Use one-third of the weight; the sauce will be less intensely red and notably sharper in heat.

Ground turmeric
  • Ground ginger

    Use 50% of the weight. Mimics turmeric's warm, earthy, rhizome background, but provides none of the golden-yellow colour.

  • Saffron

    Steep a tiny pinch (0.1 g per 2 g turmeric) in 2 tbsp warm water; use to match the rich golden hue. Contributes an aristocratic, honeyed floral flavour rather than earthy bitterness.

Curry leaf
  • Bay leaf

    Fry 1 bay leaf for every 5 curry leaves in hot oil; imparts a warm, woodsy background note, but misses the citrus-sulphury punch entirely.

  • Lime juice

    Add a small squeeze (about 5 ml per sprig of curry leaves) right before serving; provides sharp citrus top notes without the toasty, herbal aroma.

Ground coriander
  • Coriander seeds

    Dry-roast lightly in a pan and grind to a fine powder; use equal weight (1:1). Offers a noticeably fresher, brighter citrus note.

  • Ground cumin

    Use 50% to 75% of the weight. Lacks the floral, citrusy profile of coriander and turns the gravy heavier, earthier, and darker.

  • Garam masala

    Use 50% of the weight and stir in near the end of cooking. Adds warmth and depth since it contains ground coriander, but introduces stronger spices like clove and cinnamon.

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Whole Roasted Sea Bream with Black Pepper, Curry Leaves, Tamarind & Chilli
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Whole Roasted Sea Bream with Black Pepper, Curry Leaves, Tamarind & Chilli tastes tangy, spicy and aromatic with a soft steamed texture, while this dish is sharp and lightly spicy with a crisp semolina crust and moist fish inside.
  • Same: Whole Roasted Sea Bream with Black Pepper, Curry Leaves, Tamarind & Chilli shares tamarind, curry leaves, Kashmiri chilli powder, ground coriander, garlic, ginger and turmeric with this dish, and both are fish dishes.
  • Different: Whole Roasted Sea Bream with Black Pepper, Curry Leaves, Tamarind & Chilli uses a whole sea bream wrapped in banana leaf and roasted with onion, black pepper, lemon, coconut oil and sugar, while this dish uses mackerel coated in semolina and rice flour and fried in vegetable oil.
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Bharleli Paplet tastes richer and tangier from lemon, tomatoes and raisins with gentle spice and crisp roasted skin, while this dish is sharper from tamarind, lightly spicy and crisp outside with moist fish.
  • Same: Bharleli Paplet and this dish are both fish preparations seasoned with Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, ground coriander, garlic, ginger and vegetable oil, and both include a sour element.
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Tandoori Masala Fish is tangy from lemon and yoghurt, gently hot and rich from cashews with a turmeric-lemon edge, while this dish is sharper from tamarind, lightly spicy with curry leaves and crisp outside with moist fish inside.
  • Same: Tandoori Masala Fish shares with this dish Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, ground coriander, garlic, ginger, salt and vegetable oil, and both use a souring element and a hot spice paste or marinade on fish.
  • Different: Tandoori Masala Fish uses whole sea bream with Greek yoghurt, cashew nuts, chickpea flour, lemon juice, smoked butter or ghee and ground white pepper, and it is baked, while this dish uses mackerel with tamarind paste, curry leaves, semolina and rice flour and is fried.
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Parsi Fish Patia is tangy and lightly sweet with tender fish in a tomato gravy, while this dish is sharp, lightly spicy and crisp outside with moist mackerel inside.
  • Same: Parsi Fish Patia shares fish, garlic, Kashmiri chilli powder, ground turmeric, ground coriander, salt and vegetable oil with this dish.
  • Different: Parsi Fish Patia uses cod simmered in a tomato, onion, malt vinegar, lime and jaggery gravy, while this dish uses mackerel fried in a tamarind, curry leaf and chilli paste with a semolina and rice flour crust.