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Bhetki fish, also known as “Bhala” in West Bengal, is a very common and preferred delicacy in Bengali cuisine. This fish could be easily identified with its long body a short tail. It’s easy to cook as the taste depends on the way of cooking. We can consume it steamed, grilled, shallow or deep-fried, or even directly cook it without going through the mentioned ways.
Considering the health benefits of Bhetki Fish:
- This fish comes with a considerably large amount of Omega-3 and fatty acids which helps in bad-cholesterol reduction and maintains the necessary amount of HDL(high-density lipoprotein) or “good cholesterol”.
- It is also helpful in reducing the risk of cancer.
- However, unlike other fish variants, bhetki comes with a slightly reduced fat content, making it a perfect option for health-conscious people.
Along with that, bhetki has a good proportion of other nutrients like protein and micronutrients including calcium, magnesium and zinc. These nutrients help in maintaining our bone density which could help us out in the long run. Our bone density degrades over time, leading to weakness and joint issues. Hence, it’s necessary to take care of this issue as well. It also comes with a fair amount of vitamin A which is an essential element to maintain eye health. Its consumption in regular intervals can help in better muscle recovery from daily wear and tear.
Nutritional value of bhetki (per 100g):
- Energy: 80 cal
- Carbohydrates: 0
- Protein: 15g
- Fat: 1g
Including bhetki in our regular diet can aid us a lot in the prevention of coronary heart diseases, obesity and atherosclerosis. We can try a mixed variation of bhetki cooking recipes, to switch between different tastes. For example, we can marinate bhetki with curd and our usual kitchen masala in the right proportion for 2-3 hours. After that, we can bake it in an oven or cook it in an air fryer and enjoy the grilled variant.
We could spice it up by preparing its curry with curd and red gravy.
Ingredients are listed below:
- Bhetki fish – 500g
- Salt
- Turmeric
- Red chilli powder
- Curd
- Cinnamon
- Cardamom
- Cumin powder
- Green chilli paste
- Tomato puree
- Ginger and garlic paste
- Bay leaf
- Cashew paste (Optional)
Process to cook Bhetki Fish:
Add some oil to a pan and heat it with the highest flame setting. Once the oil is heated up, shallow fry the fish until it becomes golden in colour. Add cumin, bay leaf, cardamom, and cinnamon for additional flavour.
Take another pan to prepare our gravy and heat it up with some oil. Add some ginger-garlic paste and let it cook on medium flame until the pungent odour goes away. Add some turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and salt (for taste). Let it fry for a few minutes so the flavours can blend in. After that, add tomato puree and the green chilli paste. Mix it well and let it cook until the mix starts releasing water. After waiting for a few minutes, add some curd to enrich the taste and bring a thick consistency with the cashew paste. Add some water and let it cook for a few minutes. Wait for the boils to show up in the mix and then add the fried fish. Give it a light stir for the fish to totally absorb the gravy and after a few minutes turn the flame off.
Add chopped coriander, long stilted green chillies for garnish and enjoy this recipe with long-grained steamed basmati rice.
So, this article was to know the health benefits, nutritional facts and how to enjoy the delicious cooked Bhetki Fish. Have you tried Bhetki Fish yet?
