Fish Tikka — Delicate Protein Tandoor Technique (मछली टिक्का)

Ingredients

• For the first marinade
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp red chilli paste
• For the second marinade
• 150 g hung yoghurt, full-fat yoghurt drained of whey through muslin until thick and paste-like
• 1 tbsp mustard paste, ground yellow mustard seeds worked to a paste with a little water
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds), lightly crushed
• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• 700 g firm white fish fillet, surmai (kingfish) or rohu, cut into large even portions
• To serve
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1 white onion, sliced into rings
• 60 ml mint chutney

Method

1. 1
   Combine the lemon juice, salt, and red chilli paste, then coat the fish portions evenly and leave for exactly 20 minutes, so the salt and acid draw moisture from the surface of the flesh and begin to firm it without tightening it all the way through. You will see a small amount of liquid collect around the fish and the surface will visibly change colour and texture — that is the sign the first marinade has done its work. Do not extend the time, as the acid will continue to work inward and the flesh will become chalky and tight before it ever reaches the tandoor.
2. 2
   Pat the fish dry with a clean cloth, removing every trace of pooled liquid so the second marinade grips bare flesh rather than a wet, slippery surface. Mix the hung yoghurt, mustard paste, turmeric, lightly crushed ajwain, and mustard oil into a thick, uniform paste, then apply it to the fish in an even, substantial coating. This is where the dish lives or dies: if the yoghurt is not fully drained of whey, the coating will slip from the skewer and drip into steam rather than charring, the flesh beneath will stew in trapped moisture instead of cooking in dry heat, and no recovery is possible.
3. 3
   For flat fillets, lay the coated fish on a greased metal plate so the delicate flesh is supported and cannot split or fall away in the fierce heat. For thicker cuts, pass the skewer through the thickest part of the fillet only, keeping the thin edges clear so they do not overcook before the centre is done. Rest the skewered or plated fish for 5 minutes before cooking so the coating firms slightly and bonds to the surface rather than sliding off the moment it meets the heat.
4. 4
   Place the fish 10–15 cm from the tandoor wall — not touching the clay — so it cooks in radiant heat rather than scorching directly on the surface, which would burn the coating and leave the centre raw. Cook for no more than 4–5 minutes at 400–450°C; the coating will blister and take on dark, dry char marks as it sets. The fish is ready when the coating is dry to the eye and the thickest part yields to gentle pressure with no liquid resistance — internal temperature 60°C — at which point remove it immediately, as the residual heat will carry it further.
5. 5
   Transfer to a warmed plate and serve at once with mint chutney, sliced onion rings, and lemon wedges. Squeeze the lemon at the table so its acidity cuts through the charred richness of the coating while both are still at their peak.