Name: Bhapa Rui | ভাপা রুই
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 4 nos. Rui maach / Rohu Fish / Carp; 1 tsp Mustard Seed Powder; 1,1/2 tsp Poppy Seeds; 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder; 3 Green Chilies; Salt to Taste; 2 tbsp Mustard Oil; Juice of 1/2 Lemon

This Bengali fish recipe of bhapa rui is probably one of the healthiest preparations of all. It is steamed, with a minimum of spices and helps retain the flavour and goodness of the fish intact while cooking. For greater ease, we are going to cook this bhapa rui macher recipe in a regular microwave oven.

Like most other Indian fish recipes, this rohu recipe is gluten-free. It is also dairy-free as we are using coconut cream instead, and nut-free. Another plus is that this recipe for bhapa fish in the microwave oven comes together in just 10 minutes.

How to cook Rohu fish in Bengali style?

For as long as I can remember, fish has been a compulsory side-dish for lunches at home. There would be rice accompanied by a serving of dal or lentils, a sabji or vegetable side dish, and a fish to fulfil our daily protein needs.

Though we have a wide range of Bengali fish recipes to choose from. For regular meals, most of the time we would get Rohu or rui mach. The reason is its availability in abundance at much cheaper rates.

There is no getting around the fact that we Bengalis cannot live without our daily share of fish in our meals. So, at one point in time, it becomes imperative to look for a source of protein that is easily available and equally good in taste. Rui mach or rohu fish ticks all the boxes in the criteria list. This riverine fish is sweet in taste and perfectly complements the flavours it is cooked with. Whether it is the pungency of mustard seeds or the tartness of yogurt, this fish is the man-friday of all.

This Bengali steamed mustard fish recipe is probably one of the easiest as well, and can be cooked within 20 minutes tops. Needless to say, it has saved me on many hurried mornings or when I am expecting guests at short notice.

Table of Contents

Ingredients for Shorshe Posto diye Bhapa Rui Mach

Rui Mach or Rohu Fish, an alternate would be Basa, Barramundi, or any other freshwater fish
Mustard seeds
Mustard Oil
Poppy seeds – optional; alternatively white sesame seeds
Salt
Turmeric Powder
Green Chilies
Lemon juice
Coconut Milk

Recipe instructions

This rui mach bhapa recipe is so healthy and absolutely fuss-free. You can either steam it on your stove-top steamer or cook it in your microwave oven. Both ways, it is absolutely delicious!

To start with, we need to clean the fish pieces and make sure that there are no scales on them. Then rub some salt and turmeric powder on them. Keep it so for at least 30 minutes or so while we prepare the mustard gravy for this bhapa rohu recipe.
Grind the poppy seeds first till it’s a white, smooth paste. I have used my NutriBullet here, which is perfect for grinding small quantities of ingredients like poppy seeds perfectly. Only then add the mustard seeds and give it a quick buzz a couple of times. This is to avoid them turning rancid by over-grinding.
These mustard seeds & poppy seeds are going to be the base of the gravy of this bhapa rui mach recipe. Mix the rest of the ingredients and some water to create the gravy.
Finally, lay down the pieces of fish in a baking dish and pour the gravy on them. See that they are well submerged. Finally, drizzle some mustard oil if you are partial to the pungency of raw mustard oil, just as we are. Place a couple of sliced green chillies before sealing the dish with a cling film sheet. Poke a couple of holes in the cling film so that it doesn’t burst open while cooking in the Microwave oven.
If you can get a few Kafir lime leaves or Kafir limes (Gondhoraj Lebu), then you can use them as well. Place the leaves on top of the fish along with the chillies, and you will get a wonderful aroma to this dish. In case of lemons, just drizzle some of their juice on the top.

I guarantee that in the next 10 minutes, you will have some delicious rui mach bhapa, ready for your dinner table!

Make-ahead or Freezing Option for this Rui Macher Bhapa recipe

You can easily make a double batch of this bhapa rui mach in Microwave oven. This dish has very little gravy to it, hence a longer shelf life. In fact, this rui maach bhapa recipe tastes even better the next day after it has rested in that gravy and soaked in all the flavours for over a day.

More Bengali Fish Recipes

Ready to cook? Pin this recipe, share it with friends, and explore more Bengali classics on our blog. Happy cooking!

Follow me or Subscribe to my Channel

Bhapa Rui | ভাপা রুই

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Bengali

Servings 4 People

Equipment

MagicBullet Blender
Glass Baking Dish – Microwave Safe

Ingredients

4 nos. Rui maach / Rohu Fish / Carp
1 tsp Mustard Seed Powder
1,1/2 tsp Poppy Seeds
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
3 Green Chilies
Salt to Taste
2 tbsp Mustard Oil
Juice of 1/2 Lemon

Instructions

If you are using Mustard Seeds powder like me, then soak it with some salt in warm to tepid water for 10 minutes.
Take Poppy seeds and buzz them with some water to make a smooth paste of it. Now, add the soaked mustard powder in it and pulse it together with some turmeric powder, lemon juice and a green chili.
Take a glass baking dish and put it in your steamer. Now, dip each piece of fish in the mustard-poppy paste and lay it in the baking dish. Once all the fish pieces are laid side-by-side, pour the remaining paste over the fishes.
Drizzle some mustard oil on top and lay 2 green chilies slit in halves.
Now, steam it for 7-10 minutes or till the fish has been cooked properly. Once done you will see that the flesh has turned white inside.
Serve hot with steamed rice.

Keyword Fish Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Non vegetarian Recipe