Stuffed Pomfret with green masala or red masala is a wonderful way to eat fish. The green masala is made with a blend of coriander, onions, coconut, and spices then stuffed in the fish and pan-fried until golden on both sides.
Growing up this was one of my favorite fish recipes. Mom made it with a variety of stuffing from the green masala, red masala, vindaloo masala, and sometimes even stuffed it with cooked fish kolim.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Fish - We made it with pomfret but I don't get this fish here so any flat fish would work such as bhuri, denise, etc.
- Spices - we use spices that are commonly used in Indian spices such as coriander, cumin, chili, or cayenne.
- Stuffing -
- Green chutney - we use a combination of fresh coriander and mint leaves with coconut. This adds a nice refreshing flavor to the fish. If you do not like cilantro just omit the leaves and use only the spices with coconut to create a red stuffing. This will still give you a wonderful flavor.
- For the red chutney, we use a combination of red chilies with spices along with the coconut. I still add a few fresh green cilantro leaves for freshness.
- Tamarind - has a unique flavor that is not similar to lemon, lime, or vinegar. But, if you must substitute you can use kokum, dry mango instead.
Tips for Success
- Use a flat fish and make the slits close to the bones.
- Clean the fish well and pat it dry with paper towels otherwise, the stuffing will spill out during cooking.
- Season the fish with salt and lemon juice well before cooking. This will remove the fishy smell.
- Coat the fish well in flour this will give the fish a nice coating and golden color too.
- The stuffing is usually already cooked or does not need more cooking so don't overcook the fish. It needs to cook from the outside to the center. That's it.
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Stuffed Pomfret with green masala is a wonderful way to eat fish. The green masala is made with a blend of coriander, onions, coconut, and spices then stuffed in the fish and pan-fried until golden on both sides
Equipment /Tools
- Frying pan
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 med Silver Pomfret or Sea bass, Denise, or Bouri works too
- 2 teaspoon Chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice or lime juice
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 4 tablespoon All-purpose flour maida
- 4 tablespoon Oil
Ground chutney stuffing
- ¼ Onion roundly chopped
- 1 cup Coriander leaves Kothmir
- ½ cup Mint leaves Pudina
- 2 Chilies green
- ½ inch Ginger chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala
- 1 inch Tamarind small marble
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin powder jeera powder
- ½ tsp Coriander powder dhania powder
- ½ cup Coconut grated or chopped
- ¼ tsp Black pepper powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
Red masala stuffing
- 4 large Dry red chilies soaked in hot water for 10 mins
- 4 large Garlic cloves
- ½ inch Ginger fresh
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala
- ½ cup Fresh coconut
- 1 inch Tamarind small marble
- ¼ cup Cilantro fresh leaves and stalk
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Marinate fish - Clean, trim, and wipe the fish dry. Slit the fish on either side of the bones. Season with salt and pepper. Apply lemon juice, turmeric powder, and chile powder - all over and inside the slits too. Marinate for 30 minutes to an hour. Pro tip - the marinated fish can be left in the fridge for up to 12 hours.
- Green chutney stuffing - In a blender add all the ground stuffing ingredients and blend into a smooth pastePro tip - do not add any liquid as it will make a very soft paste. We want a thick ground paste that will stay inside the fish.
- Or Red chutney stuffing - In a blender add all the ground stuffing ingredients and blend into a smooth pastePro tip - do not add any liquid as it will make a very soft paste. We want a thick ground paste that will stay inside the fish.
- Stuff fish - Divide the stuffing between the two fish. Then, stuff your choice of green or red chutney filling in the fish between the slits. Pro tip - Be generous and make sure to stuff the fish well on both sides of the slit.
- Coat fish - Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a plate. Coat the fish in flour on all sides. Pro tip - The flour helps keep the filling in and will help get a lovely color on the fish during pan-frying.
- Pan-frying - Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the fish on one side for 3 to 4 minutes then use a large flat spatula and flip the fish to the other side then cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Pro tip - Start with medium-high heat for the color then reduce to medium-low heat to prevent burning.
- Serve immediately.
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Nutrition Information
Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 760mg | Potassium: 258mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1123IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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