This curry is a very classic West Bengali fish dish that uses fresh dill as the prominent flavour.
The aniseed taste and fragrance is heady in this dish coupled with the customary mustard making this a sensation in your mouth.
All West Bengalis love a mustard curry sauce. The generous use of mustard oil and the potent mustard paste is a beautiful combination adding to the subtle fish flavours.
The addition of dill elevates it to another aromatic level!
I think the proof is only in the taste in this case. You can’t describe how amazing the taste is and any description will fail to do it justice. It’s dill lovers paradise.

I used 6 pieces of Mrigal fish.
It works well with red mullet, monkfish, salmon or seabass.

All measurements using level spoon or measuring cup.
Half cup mustard oil.
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1 cupful of fresh Dill finely chopped, stem included.
2 fresh green chillies slit

Powdered Spice Paste:
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric powder
Mix above powders with 4 tbsp water.

Mustard paste:
3 tbsp brown mustard seeds
3 green chillies
1 inch size ginger
4 tbsp water
Blend the above 4 ingredients together till smooth in food blender.
2 tsp Colmans Mustard sauce, to be added in the curry with the fish (please use Colmans as other brands have too much vinegar).

Garnish:
Small handful of fresh dill
4 green chilli slit lengthways.
(3 for curry 1 for garnish)

Method:
Clean and place your fish in a bowl.
Add 1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
Half tsp salt
Mix well with spices/salt then shallow fry the fish in frying pan till just golden. Drain and put aside.

Curry:
Heat the mustard oil in a pan. When hot add the Fenugreek seeds and wait till they darken to dark brown.

Lower heat and add to this the powdered spice paste with salt.
There will be some spitting, sizzling and a cloud of steam due to the water but that is welcome as a good temper, use a lid straight away if you want, just be mindful and stand back when you add the powdered spices.

Cook the spices here very well. The spices will dry and the oil will split. Add again quarter cup water and cook on medium again until the oil splits and floats.
At this stage add the mustard paste and stir in for a minute or 2.

Add the chopped dill and cook for just few minutes.
Now add 2 cups of water and bring this to a boil, reduce heat and cook on simmer till sauce is reduced and it has thickened a little.
Add your fish, Colmans mustard, fresh green slit chillies and cook covered for few minutes then uncovered till you have a sauce that is like single cream.

The oil should be floating/surfacing now.
Add in fresh chillies for garnish and sprinkle with fresh dill. Quick stir and take of heat.

Serve with hot fluffy rice.

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