Kordoi Tenga Maas

Name: Kordoi Tenga Maas
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Assamese
Ingredients: 500 g rohu fish, cut into steaks; 3 star fruit (kordoi), ends and ridges trimmed, sliced; 1 tsp turmeric powder; ½ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi); 3 green chillies, slit; 3 tbsp mustard oil; 2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped; salt to taste

A light, tangy Assamese fish tenga soured with ripe star fruit. Thin, clean and cooling, the perfect last course with rice on a hot day.

Ingredients

500 g rohu fish, cut into steaks
3 star fruit (kordoi), ends and ridges trimmed, sliced
1 tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)
3 green chillies, slit
3 tbsp mustard oil
2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
salt to taste

Method

Wash the fish and rub with 0.5 tsp turmeric and salt. Keep for 10 minutes.
Heat mustard oil till it smokes lightly and shallow-fry the fish for 2 minutes per side until light golden. Remove and keep aside.
In the same oil, add fenugreek seeds and let them turn reddish brown, about 30 seconds.
Add the star fruit slices, the rest of the turmeric and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes, pressing the slices with the spatula until they soften and release juice.
Pour in 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes so the sourness goes into the broth.
Slide in the fried fish and green chillies and simmer gently for 7 to 8 minutes without stirring too much, so the fish does not break.
Taste for salt and sourness, sprinkle coriander and serve hot with rice.

Tip: Use ripe yellow kordoi for a rounded sourness; green ones are sharper, so add fewer. Keep the tenga thin and do not add other spices, it should taste clean.