Tok Maach - Green Mango Fish

Tok Maach

Tok (sour) Maach (fish) takes me back to my childhood in Burma, where this dish was prepared by my mother using Topshe Maach/Mango Fish and green mangoes. Mum would slice the flesh of the green mango and immerse the slices in the gravy to create a tart and lip-smacking Tok Maach.

This Tok Maach I made was inspired by a recipe I found in a food group on Facebook called Flavours from Undivided Bengal. What caught my attention in this recipe was that the mango slices were blended to a paste rather than leaving them whole. The resulting gravy was thick and full of flavour. For those of you who don't have access to Facebook, I have reproduced the recipe with my adaptations and adjustments.

Any white fish is suitable, although rui maach/grass carp or a whole fish like topshe/mango fish taste the best. Serve with hot, steamed rice for a comforting meal.

Ingredients

1 lb. fish fillets or steaks

4 + 1 Tbsp. mustard/vegetable oil

1/2 tsp. nigella/kalo jeera seeds

2-3 green chilies, slit

1 Tbsp. kasundi or hot mustard paste

1 small or 1/2 large green mango flesh, peeled and chopped

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1 Tbsp. ginger paste

1/2 tsp. turmeric powder

1 tsp. Kashmiri mirch/paprika

2 Tbsp. cilantro, minced

2-3 green chilies, slit

salt to taste

Directions

1. Blanch onions and garlic, drain, blend to a paste and set aside.
2. Blend green mangoes to a paste and set aside.
3. Toss fish pieces with salt and turmeric and set aside for 10 minutes.
4. Heat 4 Tbsp. oil in a skillet, fry fish until lightly golden and set aside.
5. In the same oil, sputter nigella seeds and 2-3 green chilies, just until charred.
6. Add onion-garlic paste, ginger paste, salt, turmeric and paprika, and stir-fry until oil resurfaces.
7. Add mango paste and a cup of boiling water.
8. Return fried fish to skillet along with mustard paste.
9. Bring gravy to a boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
10. Remove from heat, drizzle remaining mustard oil around edges and garnish with cilantro and green chilies.

Serve with hot, steamed Basmati rice.