Indian Style Fried Stuffed Trout
On June 4, 2013 by Meghalee Das
Indian style fried stuffed trout is one of the many ways you can cook this delicious fish. I used rainbow trout, which has a tender texture, mild taste and cooks really fast. A and I just came back from Arkansas where we went fishing on the White River, and got 10 fresh rainbow trout all the way to Austin. For this recipe, I used a modification of my mother’s baked pomfret recipe, where I fried onions, ginger and garlic with Indian spices. This onion masala is then stuffed inside the trout, and the fish is fried in mustard oil till crispy.
Although you can eat it as an appetizer, you can also have it with plain white rice. Bengalis usually serve it with the oil in which the fish has been fried, as it has a lot of flavors. I love having rice with any kind of fried fish and ‘tel’ or oil, fresh green chillies and some onions. Try it and experience an explosion of flavors, as the delicate trout is beautifully balanced with aromatic Indian spices.
Ingredients:
Rainbow trout: 3 medium
Vinegar: 2 tbsp
Salt: 1 tsp
Chopped ginger: 1 inch piece
Chopped onion: 1 large
Chopped garlic: 4 cloves
Chopped green chillies: 2
Chopped coriander or cilantro leaves: 1 small bunch
Chilli powder: 1 tsp
Kashmiri mirch powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
Coriander powder: ½ tsp
Garam masala: ½ tsp
Mustard oil: 4 tbsp
Salt to taste
Lemon Wedges (optional)
Method:
1. Clean and remove the insides of whole medium-sized rainbow trout and leave the skin on. The bones add extra flavour to the fish and since we will be frying it, most of the smaller bones will become crispy and can be eaten without any problem.
2. Score the fish on both sides by making 2 or 3 slanting shallow slits on it. This will allow the seasoning to reach the inner part of the fish and also lead to even cooking. Drizzle some vinegar over the fish and rub it with salt. Keep aside for a few minutes while you make the stuffing.
3. Heat 1 tbsp mustard oil and fry the chopped onions on medium heat for 5 minutes or till they become soft and start to get golden in color. We don’t want them to be crispy or brown. Now add the ginger and chillies fry for another 5 minutes on medium heat. When the onion and ginger look cooked, add the chopped garlic and cook for a minute or two. We add garlic last so that they don’t burn.
4. Now add the spices: chilli powder, kashmiri mirch powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and garam masala. The amount of chilli powder can be increased or decreased according to your preference. Add the chopped coriander/cilantro leaves, some salt to taste, cover the pan and let the masala cook for around 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Stuff the fish with this onion masala. If you have time, you can seal the edges with toothpicks or tie a string around the fish so that the filling does not come out. I did not do that and it doesn’t really make a huge difference. Even if some bits of onions do come out, it helps to further flavour the oil.
6. Heat the rest of the mustard oil in a big flat skillet and when the oil is hot, gently lower the fish into it. Let it shallow fry on medium high to high heat for at least 7 minutes and when it looks crispy enough, turn it and fry the other side for around 5 minutes. The cooking time may vary depending on how thick your pan is. Just make sure the fish is crispy. Don’t turn it more than once because we don’t want a lot of filing to come out.
7. Once the fish looks reddish brown and crispy, take it out of the pan and put it on some paper towels on a platter, so that excess oil is soaked. Sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves and place some raw onion rings and lemon wedges near it. You can eat it as an appetizer or serve it with hot white rice and a few spoonfuls of the onion-flavored oil in which you fried the fish.
- Rainbow Trout: 3 medium
- Vinegar: 2 tbsp
- Salt: 1 tsp
- Chopped Ginger: 1 inch piece
- Chopped Onion: 1 large
- Chopped Garlic: 4 cloves
- Chopped Green chillies: 2
- Chopped Coriander or Cilantro leaves: 1 small bunch
- Chilli Powder: 1 tsp
- Kashmiri Mirch Powder: 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
- Coriander Powder: ½ tsp
- Garam Masala: ½ tsp
- Mustard Oil: 4 tbsp
- Salt to taste
- Lemon Wedges (optional)
- Clean and remove the insides of whole medium-sized rainbow trout and leave the skin on. Score the fish on both sides by making 2 or 3 slanting shallow slits on it. Drizzle some vinegar over the fish and rub it with salt. Keep aside for a few minutes while you make the stuffing.
- Heat 1 tbsp mustard oil and fry the chopped onions on medium heat for 5 minutes or till they become soft and start to get golden in color. Add the ginger and chillies fry for another 5 minutes on medium heat. When the onion and ginger look cooked, add the chopped garlic and cook for a minute or two.
- Now add the spices: chilli powder, kashmiri mirch powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Add the chopped coriander/cilantro leaves, some salt to taste, cover the pan and let the masala cook for around 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Stuff the fish with this onion masala. Heat the rest of the mustard oil in a big, flat skillet and when the oil is hot, gently lower the fish into it. Let it shallow fry on medium high to high heat for at least 7 minutes and when it looks crispy enough, turn it and fry the other side for around 5 minutes.
- Once the fish looks reddish brown and crispy, take it out of the pan and put it on some paper towels on a platter. Sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves and place some raw onion rings and lemon wedges near it. You can eat it as an appetizer or serve it with hot white rice and a few spoonfuls of the onion-flavored oil in which you fried the fish.
