Shorshe Maach (Bengali Mustard Salmon Curry)
Salmon in a hot, sharp mustard sauce, the UK way to get the flavour of shorshe ilish without hilsa and its tiny bones.
- Time40 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.75 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- 420kcal
- 4.3gcarbs
- 0.7gof which sugars
- 31.9gfat
- 7.6gsaturates
- 30.2gprotein
- 2.4gfibre
- 1.9gsalt
A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Rub the salmon with half the turmeric and half the salt. Leave for 10 minutes.
10 min - 2
Soak the mustard seeds in 100 ml of the warm water for 15 minutes. Blend with 2 green chillies and the rest of the salt for only 20 seconds, until a rough paste. Blending for longer makes it bitter.
15 min - 3
Heat 2 tbsp of the mustard oil in a wide pan until it smokes lightly and the sharp smell softens, about 1 minute. Fry the salmon skin side down for 2 minutes, turn for 1 minute, then lift out.
- 4
Turn the heat to low. Add the nigella seeds and the 2 remaining chillies, slit lengthways, and cook for 10 seconds. Stir in the rest of the turmeric, the mustard paste and the remaining 250 ml warm water. Simmer gently for 5 minutes.
5 min - 5
Slide the salmon back in, spoon the sauce over and cover. Cook for 5 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through.
5 min - 6
Switch off the heat and drizzle over the last 2 tbsp raw mustard oil. Rest for 2 minutes. Serve with plain boiled rice. The sauce should smell sharp and nutty and taste hot, not bitter.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
