Bharlele Paplet/ Stuffed Pomfret (angel fish)
This is a traditional Maharashtrian recipe elevating the simple flavours of coriander and coconut combined with the earthy flavours of ginger, garlic and green chillies. This emerald paste is stuffed into the fish and smeared on it as well, finally shallow fried with a light coating of semolina and rice flour.
If you have been looking for a different yet delicious recipe for fried fish, try this out. This is delicious!
Bharlele Pomfret
A delicious Maharashtrian style fish preparation using fresh green masala
Ingredients
- 4-6 small-medium sized pomfret
- 1 big handful fresh coriander leaves, washed and drained
- 1 inch ginger
- 10-12 cloves peeled garlic
- 4-5 green chillies
- 1 cup fresh or frozen grated coconut
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp Maharashtrian garam masala (ghati masala)*
- salt to taste
- 5-6 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice*
- 1/2 cup semolina flour
- 1/2 cup rice flour
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1/4 cup water or as required for grinding
Instructions
- Clean the pomfret and make a slit in the middle to make place for the filling. Also make few slits on the pomfret to allow the masala to flavour
- Grind together coriander, chillis, lemon juice, garlic and ginger to a smooth paste using little water.
- Set aside one portion of this paste and grind the remaining paste with fresh coconut into a smooth paste
- In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil and gently warm the ground coconut and coriander paste with turmeric powder for 2-3 minutes to take out the pungency from the raw ginger and garlic. set this paste aside to cool
- Meanwhile, prepare the flour coating by mixing the semolina and rice flour in a wide plate. Season this with cumin powder, a pinch of garam masala and salt
- Carefully stuff the fish with the ground coconut and coriander paste
- Smear the outside of the fish with the reserved paste (paste without coconut)
- Gently dip the fish into the seasoned flour mixture until coated evenly on both sides
- Heat up a frying up with 3-4 tbsp of oil
- Shake off the excess flour from the pomfret and place it carefully into the pan
- Fry each side for 4-5 minutes or until cooked.
Notes
- Frying the ground paste is essential, else the stuffing tastes of raw ginger and garlic
- You can substitute the lemon juice with tamarind paste
- Increase or decrease the number of green chillies to suit your spice preference
- you can substitute the Maharashtrian masala with garam masala of your choice
