Coriander Fish (Bharia Machli)
Submitted by bears
Whole whitefish stuffed with a fiery coriander, ginger, and chili masala paste, baked until tender and finished under the broiler. Bharia Machli brings bold Indian spice to your dinner table.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
30 minREADY
45 minBharia Machli, which translates to stuffed fish, is one of those Indian dishes that looks like it came from a restaurant kitchen but comes together with a blender and a hot oven.
The masala paste is where the magic lives. Fresh coriander, coriander seeds, garlic, ginger, hot chilies, turmeric, fenugreek, and mustard seeds get blitzed into a vibrant green paste with lemon juice. It smells like walking through a spice bazaar.
That paste gets fried with golden onions and chopped tomatoes, then packed inside and over a whole whitefish before baking. A quick flash under the broiler at the end gives the skin a charred, smoky edge.
Kitchen Tips
- Score the fish with diagonal cuts on both sides so the masala penetrates deep into the flesh.
- Blend the paste until truly smooth. Grainy masala won’t coat or stuff as evenly.
- Cover tightly with foil while baking to trap steam and keep the fish from drying out.
- The broiler finish should take only a minute or two. Watch it closely because it goes from golden to burnt fast.
Ingredients
Directions
Wash and pat dry fish.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt inside and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400f 2.
Blend garlic, chili, ginger, ½ the corriander, corriander seeds, brown sugar, turmeric, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, salt and lemon juice until it all becomes a smooth paste.
Fry onions until they are soft and golden brown.
Add the blended masala and cook until most of the liquid is gone and it starts to leave the sides of the sides of the pan Add the tomatoes and Garam Masala. Fry for 2 minutes more and remove. Coat one side of fish, stuff 1½ cups inside. Close opening, spread the rest of the masala over it. Cover tightly and bake for about 25 minutes. Grill for 1 or 2 minutes in broiler and sprinkle the remaining coriander.
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