
Masor Tenga
A light, tangy Assamese fish curry featuring tender fish and grated bottle gourd simmered in a tart tomato broth.
fish seasoning
1.5 gRubbed onto the fish (step 1)tempering spice
7 gFried in the hot oil (step 3)Everything else
Method
- Place 500 g fish in a shallow dish, coat thoroughly with the fish seasoning and a pinch of salt to taste, then cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Heat 54 g mustard oil in a deep pan or wok over high heat. Fry the fish for 1 to 2 minutes per side until lightly browned, then transfer with a slotted spoon onto paper towels to drain.
- Reduce the heat to low, add the tempering spice, and fry for about 2 minutes until it turns a light golden brown.
- Add 500 g bottle gourd to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, then mix in 480 g tomato and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes more.
- Pour in 500 g water and bring the liquid to a boil. Return the fried fish to the pan, reduce the heat, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in 5.1 g lime juice.
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River fish

Firm white river fish filletUse an equal weight; cut into the same size pieces and add near the end so it does not flake apart.
PomfretUse an equal weight; it is softer, so simmer gently for 3–5 minutes less.
Catfish filletUse an equal weight; it holds well in curry but is richer, so skim excess oil if needed.

Ground turmeric

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

Mustard oil

Peanut oilUse equal weight. It handles high-heat cooking well, but lacks the signature pungent, nasal heat of mustard oil.
Vegetable oilUse equal weight. Neutral in flavour, so your curry will lack the characteristic Bengali or North Indian pungent punch.

Fenugreek seed

Mustard seedUse 50% of the weight, crush or grind. Sharper heat and less maple-bitter; fry briefly in oil before adding.
Caraway seedsUse the same weight, crush lightly. Similar bitter-seed note but more aniseed; reduce other sweet spices slightly.
Ajwain seedsUse 25–30% of the weight, crush. Much stronger thyme-like flavour; do not overdo.

Bottle gourd

Ash gourdUse the same weight; peel, deseed and cut into similar pieces. It is firmer and slightly more watery, so add a little less water and cook 5 minutes longer.
CourgetteUse the same weight; no need to peel. It cooks faster and releases water, so reduce the recipe liquid by about 10% and add it later.
ChayoteUse the same weight; peel and remove the stone. It stays firmer, so cut it smaller and cook a few minutes longer.

Tomato

Tomato puréeUse 40% to 50% of the fresh tomato weight mixed with a splash of water. Imparts a deeper red colour, thicker sauce, and slightly sweeter cooked flavour.
Plain yogurtUse 60% of the weight, whisked smooth and added on low heat. Provides rich body and sourness, though the gravy becomes paler and creamier.

Lime juice

Lemon juiceUse equal volume or weight; slightly sweeter and less pungent, but otherwise an imperceptible swap.
Dried mango powderUse 25% of the weight; imparts dry, fruity sourness, best stirred in right at the end of cooking.
Tamarind extractUse 50% of the weight; delivers pleasant fruity tang but turns pale sauces considerably darker.
Similar dishes

- Same: Kerala Thakkali Meen Kari and this dish are both thin, tangy fish curries built on tomato, turmeric and lime.
- Different: Kerala Thakkali Meen Kari adds onion, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, coconut oil, black mustard seed, Kashmiri chilli powder and ground coriander, and it uses monkfish and extra water instead of bottle gourd, fenugreek and mustard oil.

- Same: Machhali Tamatarwali shares fish simmered in a tomato-based curry with this dish.
- Different: Machhali Tamatarwali uses firm white fish fillets, ghee or vegetable oil, onion, asafoetida, cumin, chilli powder, ginger, coriander, semolina, green chilli and coriander leaf, while this dish uses river fish, mustard oil, fenugreek, bottle gourd and lime juice and lacks onion and those ground spices.

- Same: Meen Godavari and this dish are both tangy fish curries that use fenugreek seed, ground turmeric, and salt.
- Different: Meen Godavari uses fresh coconut, tamarind extract, chilli powder, green chilli, black pepper, coriander, and a large amount of vegetable oil, while this dish uses mustard oil, tomato, bottle gourd, and lime juice and lacks coconut and tamarind.

- Same: Kothmiratil Machhi also features fish seasoned with ground turmeric, salt, and lime juice.
- Different: Instead of simmering fish with tomatoes, bottle gourd, and fenugreek seeds in mustard oil, it coats the fish in a blended paste of fresh coriander, green chillies, ginger, garlic, and sugar before frying it in vegetable oil.


















