Indian cooking
Indian cooking / Dishes / Bhajela Saranga
Bhajela Saranga (Baked Fish)

Bhajela Saranga

Baked Fish
Non-vegetarian●●●Origin CoastalPrep 30–40 minutes, plus marinating timeCook 40 minutes

Tender fish fillets coated in an aromatic coconut and chilli paste, wrapped in parcels and pan-fried until succulent and fragrant.

Fish marinade spice

3 gMixed with lime juice and salt for the initial marinade (step 1)
01
3 g1 teaspoon
spice
Stir directly into the lime juice mixture.

Chilli for the spice paste

2 gBlended with the onion, aromatics, and coconut (step 2)
01
2 g2 chillies
spice
Add directly to the blender with the fresh aromatics.

Everything else

01
Whole Indian salmon or salmon · Rawas/Salmongutted, rinsed and patted dry with kitchen paper (paper towel)
1000 g
fish
02
15 g1 tablespoon
souring agent
04
to taste
oil/fat
05
to taste
salt
06
150 g1 onion
vegetable
07
6 g2 cloves
aromatic
08
Ginger · Adrakpeeled and chopped
12 g1 piece
aromatic

Method

  1. Remove the head and fins from 1000 g fish, then cut shallow diagonal slashes across both sides. In a small bowl, mix 15.3 g lime juice, salt to taste, and the fish marinade spice. Rub this seasoning all over the fish, cover, and leave to marinate in the fridge for 15 minutes.
  2. Add 150 g chopped onion, 6 g crushed garlic, 12 g peeled and chopped ginger, 30 g desiccated coconut, and the chilli for the spice paste to a food processor with a splash of water. Puree until you have a smooth, spreadable paste.
  3. Divide the fish into portions and coat both sides thickly with the blended paste.
  4. Lay out 8 squares (25 cm / 10 inch) of softened banana leaves or foil. Place the fish pieces in the middle, fold the wrappers over into sealed parcels, and tie them shut using kitchen twine.
  5. Warm a thin film of vegetable oil in a griddle or frying pan set over low-medium heat. Pan-fry the wrapped parcels for 10 minutes on each side, then carefully unwrap and serve the intact fish.

Don't have something?

Whole rawas or salmon
  • Salmon steak

    Use the same weight; it cooks faster, so reduce simmering by 5–8 minutes and keep the skin on if possible.

  • Whole mackerel

    Use the same weight; it is oilier and stronger, so reduce added oil and simmer for a similar time.

  • Firm white fish fillet

    Use the same weight; it is less oily, so add a little extra oil and reduce cooking time by about 5 minutes.

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.

Lime juice
  • Lemon juice

    Use equal volume or weight; slightly sweeter and less pungent, but otherwise an imperceptible swap.

  • Dried mango powder

    Use 25% of the weight; imparts dry, fruity sourness, best stirred in right at the end of cooking.

  • Tamarind extract

    Use 50% of the weight; delivers pleasant fruity tang but turns pale sauces considerably darker.

Banana leaf
  • Green cabbage

    Blanch large outer leaves for 30 seconds and use as a parcel; use the same size to wrap. No banana aroma.

  • Collard greens

    Blanch whole leaves for 1 minute and use as a wrap; slightly tougher and more peppery.

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.

Onion
  • Shallot

    Use equal weight, finely sliced. Shallots soften and brown faster, giving a slightly sweeter and more delicate base to curries.

  • Cabbage

    Use 80% of the weight, finely shredded and browned slowly with a pinch of asafoetida. Replicates the bulk and natural sweetness in gravies without allium.

Dried red chilli
  • Dried kashmiri chilli

    Use equal weight whole. Fry in hot oil or ghee as tempered spice; gives a richer red colour with slightly milder heat.

  • Red chilli powder

    Use 50% to 70% of the weight. Stir into the oil with ground spices; distributes heat evenly throughout the dish without whole chilli skins.

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.

Ginger
  • Fresh ginger

    Use equal weight; scrape off the skin and grate or finely julienne according to the recipe.

  • Ginger paste

    Use equal weight; stir straight into the sizzling aromatics, taking care as the extra moisture may spit.

  • Ground ginger

    Use 15 to 20% of the weight; add alongside ground spices, noting it imparts warm, dry heat rather than zesty freshness.

Desiccated coconut
  • Grated desiccated coconut

    Use equal weight directly; it is the identical ingredient under a different label.

  • Fresh coconut

    Grate finely and use 130% to 140% of the weight to compensate for higher moisture; toast gently in a dry pan over low heat if a dry texture is needed.

  • Dried coconut

    Grate finely using a microplane and use equal weight. Offers a slightly oilier, toastier coconut profile.

Similar dishes

Lal Machhali
Fish in Red Chilli Chutney
Lal Machhali is much spicier, sweeter, and richer from coconut, whereas this dish has a milder, savory onion and ginger profile.
  • Same: Lal Machhali also cooks fish using vegetable oil, lime juice, ground turmeric, garlic, and dried red chilli.
  • Different: Instead of pan-frying fish wrapped in parcels with onion and ginger, Lal Machhali simmers the fish in a gravy made with desiccated coconut, sugar, and more dried red chillies.
Kothmiratil Machhi
Coriander (Cilantro)-flavoured Fried Fish
Kothmiratil Machhi tastes fresher, heavily herbal, and sharper in heat from the green chillies and coriander, contrasting with the more savory onion-and-red-chilli profile of this dish.
  • Same: Kothmiratil Machhi also coats fish in turmeric, ginger, garlic, and lime juice before frying it in vegetable oil.
  • Different: Instead of being wrapped in parcels with an onion and dried red chilli paste, it is fried uncovered with a heavy paste of fresh coriander leaf, green chillies, and added sugar.
Vatticha Mathi Kari
Spicy Sardines
Vatticha Mathi Kari tastes sour from cambodge and fiery from dried chilli and pepper, while this dish tastes of aromatic coconut, chilli and lime.
  • Same: Vatticha Mathi Kari shares fish, onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, dried red chilli, vegetable oil and salt with this dish.
  • Different: Vatticha Mathi Kari uses sardines and is a simmered curry with cambodge petals, curry leaves, black peppercorn, coriander seeds and fenugreek, while this dish uses rawas or salmon coated in a coconut and chilli paste, wrapped in banana leaf and pan-fried with lime juice.
Kane Kari
Curried Ladyfish
It is spicier and more earthy from the heavier use of chillies, cumin, and coriander, but lacks the sharp citrus acidity of this dish.
  • Same: Kane Kari also uses fish prepared with onion, garlic, dried red chilli, ground turmeric, and vegetable oil.
  • Different: Instead of parcel-wrapping and pan-frying the fish, Kane Kari simmers it into a curry, adding cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and curry leaves while omitting ginger and lime juice.