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Ruchik Randhap

Food & Memories of Mangalore

You are here: Home / All Posts / Bhapa Maach (Bengali Style Steamed Fish in Mustard Sauce)

February 2, 2014

Bhapa Maach (Bengali Style Steamed Fish in Mustard Sauce)

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Life in Mumbai was great for many many reasons. The most important for a foodie like Roshan and me was the amazing number of restaurants that kept sprouting in the area we lived in. Every weekend we made plans of dinner and a movie. This was before our son was born and then after a short break we tagged him along for every movie that was suitable for kids and every restaurant that was child friendly (well, most restaurants in Mumbai are equipped with baby chairs and staff that can handle broken cutlery and a wailing child)

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Among the many restaurants that we enjoyed going to, Oh! Calcutta was among the ones we really liked. It helped that we lived within walkable distance and that we could walk back home after a delightful seafood meal. The last time we visited we tried out the deep fried Hilsa for the first time along with the Bhapa Ilish (the steamed Hilsa) as it is called in Bengali. At the restaurant when we pored over the menu we weren’t quite sure if we would like the taste of a load of mustard in our curry. Very overpowering we said. But heck no! The taste was so subtle and delicious that we fell in love with it. Roshan was very keen to recreate the flavours at home and it was our first tryst with Bengali cuisine. However we never got around to doing it while in Mumbai where we may have been lucky in finding Hilsa. Nevertheless our attempt at making it with basa fish was also a huge success. I totally loved the flavours – the mustard and coconut are simply married to each other. So hope you like this recipe!
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Bhapa Maach (Bengali Style Steamed Fish in Mustard Sauce)
Prep time: 30 mins | Steaming time: 20 mins | Serves 2

Ingredients:

  • 500 grams of fish (preferably Hilsa) * see notes
  • 1 tablespoon of black mustard
  • 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard
  • 3-4 green chilies (if required deseeded) slit
  • 2 tablespoons of coconut (coarsely ground)
  • 2 tablespoons of thick coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • salt to taste
  • 2 tablespoons of oil (preferably mustard oil)

Method:
1. Wash the fish, drain on a colander and then marinate it with a little salt and turmeric powder for about 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile soak the black and yellow mustard in a little water for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes grind the soaked mustard along with 1 green chili, cumin seeds, turmeric powder and a little salt to a fine paste.
3. Mix the paste with the coarsely ground coconut and the coconut milk. Bring some water to a boil in a idli steamer.
4. Place the marinated fish in a steel tiffin box in a single layer (not one on top of the other), pour the ground paste and coconut milk mixture over the fish, add the remaining green chilies, drizzle some oil and close the lid of the box.
5. Place the box in the idli steamer and steam for about 15 minutes. Alternatively you may even bake in the fish in a preheated oven at 200 degrees C for about 15-18 minutes.
6. Remove from the steamer (or oven if used) and serve with steaming hot rice.

Notes:
1. Hilsa is the much loved seasonal fish that every fish eating Bengali loves. It is pretty expensive when it is in season so you can substitute with any fish preferably white boneless. Try white pomfret or basa. But since Hilsa fish is traditionally used for this curry, it would be great if you could try the dish with the same fish.

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Filed Under: All Posts, Coconut Milk Based Recipes, Seafood Tagged With: Bhapa Maach, Steamed Fish in Mustard Sauce

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Comments

  1. Hamaree Rasoi says

    February 5, 2014 at 5:17 pm

    Delicious and lovely looking bhapa illish.
    Deepa

    Reply
  2. A Berean says

    September 17, 2014 at 9:59 am

    do you have a stove top method for this, instead of steaming?

    Reply
    • Anasua says

      January 22, 2020 at 8:32 pm

      Coconut milk isnot used by us.after grinding mustard..add the coconut in the mixie and grind it again

      Reply
      • Shireen Sequeira says

        January 26, 2020 at 8:03 am

        The coconut milk was used only to mask the strong flavour of the fish. This is a twist we gave to the recipe

        Reply
    • Anasua says

      January 22, 2020 at 8:34 pm

      Use a double boiler method to steam ..if you do stove top then the mustard paste gives another flavour..which also we do. But then that is not bhapa

      Reply
      • Shireen Sequeira says

        January 26, 2020 at 8:02 am

        I always steam the fish curry and don’t cook it on stove top. The alternative I have given is only for those who wish to bake instead of steam

        Reply
    • Farha Rahman says

      July 4, 2020 at 12:25 pm

      One can steam it in stove or gas alternatively with a pan filled with water

      Reply
  3. Shireen Sequeira says

    September 17, 2014 at 10:04 am

    @ A Berean: I have never tried the stove top method. This is traditionally a steamed dish. You can bake it alternatively.

    Reply
  4. A Berean says

    September 17, 2014 at 10:22 am

    can i skip the coconut milk?

    Reply
  5. Shireen Sequeira says

    September 17, 2014 at 11:54 am

    @ A Berean: If you make changes to the above recipe I am not sure it will taste good. Infact it will cease to be Bhapa Maach and will turn into something else so it's your choice 🙂

    Reply
  6. Vanita says

    March 15, 2015 at 4:09 pm

    Delicious fish recipe, enjoyed making and eating it.

    Reply
  7. Shireen Sequeira says

    March 25, 2015 at 6:26 pm

    @ Vanita: Happy to hear that! We made it again today and enjoyed it as well 🙂

    Reply
  8. Pee Gee says

    July 21, 2020 at 3:23 am

    If you don’t have a sealed container, you can make a heavy duty aluminum foil pouch and then use it in a steamer. I have a moktu, but you can use an idli steamer, a rice cooker in steam position, InstaPot in steaming position or just a deep pan with a lid.

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      July 22, 2020 at 6:21 am

      Hi Pee Gee,

      Thanks a lot for those useful suggestions!!

      Reply

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Hi, I am Shireen Sequeira, a food blogger with a passion for exploring different cuisines and cultures. Having lived in several cities across the world, including Mangalore, Bangalore, Mumbai and Dubai, I have developed a deep appreciation for the unique flavours and ingredients that each place has to offer.

My blog Ruchik Randhap is a reflection of my love for food, travel, photography and storytelling. Through my posts, I take my readers on a culinary journey, sharing my experiences of discovering new dishes, meeting home cooks, local chefs and food artisans, and uncovering the rich history and traditions behind Mangalorean recipes and the diverse world of international cuisine.

Whether you're a seasoned foodie or just starting to explore the world of gastronomy, I hope that my blog offers something for everyone. So why not join me on my culinary adventures and discover the world one recipe at a time!

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