AI-generated image
Tandoori pomfret
तंदूरी पापलेट (tandoori paplet): whole pomfret in yogurt, ginger-garlic and Kashmiri chilli, roasted hot
Tandoori pomfret is a fixture of Mumbai's coastal restaurants and Koli fishing families' feasts, especially in the cooler months when silver pomfret is at its best. Whole fish are slashed, given a lemon-and-salt first marinade, then coated in thick yogurt with ginger-garlic, Kashmiri chilli, ajwain and garam masala and roasted until charred at the edges and juicy inside. Suitable as part of a balanced diet: high-protein fish with no batter. About 280 kcal and 6 g carbohydrate per portion; serve with onion-cucumber salad and mint chutney. The usual mistake is using runny yogurt, which slides off and steams the fish; strain it first. Chef's tip: a spoon of roasted gram flour (besan) in the marinade helps it cling and char.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
First marinade
- 2 whole pomfretabout 400 g each, cleaned
- 1 lemonjuiced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
Second marinade
- 5 ½ oz thick (hung) yogurt
- 1 ½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp ajwain (carom) seeds
- 1 tbsp gram flour (besan), roasted
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- ½ tsp salt
To serve
- 1 red onionin rings
- 1 limein wedges
- ½ tsp chaat masalaoptional
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Cut 3 deep slashes on each side of the 2 whole pomfret. Rub with 1 lemon juice, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp ground turmeric and leave in the fridge for 15 minutes.
15 minStep 2: Mix the 5 ½ oz thick (hung) yogurt, 1 ½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 1 tsp garam masala, ½ tsp ajwain (carom) seeds, 1 tbsp gram flour (besan), roasted, 1 tbsp of the 2 tbsp mustard oil and ½ tsp salt into a thick paste.
3 minStep 3: Pat the fish dry and coat it all over and into the slashes with the paste. Marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
60 minStep 4: Heat the oven to 450°F (400°F fan) with a rack over a lined tray. Lay the fish on the rack and brush with the rest of the mustard oil.
10 minStep 5: Roast for 18–20 minutes, turning once, until charred in spots and the flesh near the bone is opaque and flakes easily.
20 minStep 6: Serve with 1 red onion, 1 lime and a sprinkle of ½ tsp chaat masala.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tandoori pomfret take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lemon?
- Lime, or 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice per lemon (no zest from bottled juice).
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
SakarpadaSweet fried dough diamonds
Sakarpada (shakarpara) are little sweet diamonds of a rich dough made with ghee, milk and sugar, fried until golden and crunchy. They are a Diwali favourite with tea, and the cubes go into bhusu too. They keep for weeks in an air-tight tin.
Moreton Bay bugsSlipper lobster with garlic butter
Moreton Bay bugs are the flat, shovel-nosed slipper lobsters caught off the Queensland coast around Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, and for Queenslanders they are a summer treat, split and grilled at the beach house. The tail meat is sweet and rich, somewhere between lobster and prawn. Buy them raw, frozen or fresh, from a fishmonger and ask them to halve them if you like. A common mistake is overcooking, which makes the meat rubbery; it is ready the moment it turns white. Chef's tip: grill flesh side down first to mark it, then turn and baste in the shell.
Australian
Paneer biryaniRice and moong dal in coconut milk
A mild, creamy biryani: rice and husked green gram roasted in ghee, then cooked in coconut milk with peas, carrots, potatoes, peanuts and cashews, and finished with soft fried paneer and a fresh coriander yogurt. Serve hot, garnished with more fried cashews and paneer.