#1000Kitchens Recipe Drop: Masor Tenga

“My childhood memories are woven with masor tenga,” says Monalisa Baruah. Masor tenga, a tangy Assamese fish curry, is more than a recipe to her. It is memories of childhood, family, home. In summers, her mother would prepare the curry with fresh rohu fish, tomatoes, ginger and Assamese lemon called kazi nemu. It was always paired with joha rice. Joha rice is a famous aromatic rice variety from Assam, known for its natural fragrance, delicate texture, and slightly sweet taste. It is considered one of the finest indigenous rice types of the region. “When we come home for vacations from our hostels, we’d be playing outside, and when the fragrance of joha rice filled the neighbourhood, that’s how our lunch was ready.”

Her grandmother was meticulous about the recipes - the fish must not be over-fried; once placed in the curry, it must not be stirred; the tomatoes must soften slowly; the ginger must release its flavours adequately; and the lemon must have time to blend its sourness into the curry. “Every household’s masor tenga tastes different.”

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RECIPE FOR MASOR TENGA

Ingredients

For frying the fish:
4-6 pieces of fish (Rohu/CatIa/any freshwater fish)
1 - 2 tsp turmeric powder
2-3 tbsp mustard oil
A pinch of red chilli powder
Salt

For the curry:
2 chopped tomatoes
1 lemon (or 6-7 pieces of ou tenga or 2-3 pieces of thekera according to availability)
2-3 green chillies
1 tsp turmeric powder
1-2 tsp mustard seeds fenugreek seeds
1-1.5 cups water
Handful of chopped coriander leaves
Ginger, a few pieces julienne
Salt

Method

Wash the fish and marinate with a pinch of chilli powder, salt and turmeric.
Heat mustard oil until it smokes slightly. Fry the fish lightly until golden on both sides. Keep aside.
In the same oil, add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Add chopped tomatoes, and cook until tomatoes become soft.
Add turmeric and salt. Pour water and bring it to a boil.
Add the souring agent: choose between lemon juice (add at the end), ou tenga (add while boiling) or thekera tenga (to be soaked in warm water and added while boiling).
Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Gently place fried fish pieces into the curry. Cook on low flame for 5-7 minutes so the fish absorbs the tangy flavor.
Add the chopped coriander and ginger julienne.
If adding lemon juice, add it just before turning off the heat.
Garnish with coriander leaves (optional). 
Serve hot with steamed Joha rice.

Words by Shruti Tharayil. Images by Daniel D’souza. Art by Hayaan Naim.
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