Bangda Masala Fry

1. Make a small cut at the stomach of the mackerel and wash thoroughly.
2. Make a few quarter inch deep cuts on both sides of the mackerel, season with salt and lemon juice.
3. Keep it aside for 15 minutes.
4. Soak the kokum in warm water for fifteen minutes. Crush it slightly, strain and keep aside.
5. Mix the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garlic paste, ginger paste, salt and kokum pulp together.
6. Marinate the mackerels in this paste and refrigerate it for at least one hour.
7. Heat some oil in a frying pan and set aside.
8. Dredge the fish in rice powder and fry in small batches.
9. Turn the fish on its side to ensure all sides are heated. Cook until the mackerels turn light brown and crisp. Drain onto an absorbent paper.
10. Garnish with lemon wedges.

Trivia

• The fish industry contributes a staggering $90 billion to the US economy and is said to have created around 1.5 million jobs for Americans. While it is powering their monthly paycheck, the overfishing is destroying our ecosystems which are unable to cope with the sudden loss of aquatic life.
• The largest producer of fish isn’t the United States, India or even Indonesia, that title goes to China which employs 3.5 million full time workers in this industry.