Macchi dum-pukht (baked fish)

This is a unique Indian fish dish that I tried during a business trip to Hyderabad, a real foodie town! I was able to finally recreate it after researching many recipe books. The fish is very flavourful, slightly pungent and has a melt in your mouth texture. It also makes for a great presentation as it can be served right out of the oven in the same dish.














Ingredients:

1 pound firm white fish fillets, cut into 2'' pieces

marinade:
3 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
a pinch of cloves powder
a pinch of cardamon powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp fresh, ginger paste
1 tsp fresh, garlic paste
salt to taste


1 large onion, sliced into large rounds, 1'' thick
2 large tomatoes, sliced 1'' thick
2 tbsp mustard oil


Method:

Powder mustard in a coffee grinder, mix with water to form a paste, add salt to taste and let it sit overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix the fermented mustard paste with the rest of the ingredients and marinate the fish for an hour.

In a 10'' baking dish, arrange alternating slices of onions and tomatoes to form a pretty layer. Now cover the top with the fish pieces ensuring there are no overlaps. Drizzle mustard oil on top of the slices and bake in the oven for an hour or until the fish has browned on top.

It might seem like a lot of time for baking fish but it comes out just perfectly cooked! Serve right out of the oven dish with some of the vegetables in the bottom. It pairs well with rotis or rice.