Topic: A fish curry

[Ader1]

I've mentioned before that I've been helping out a little in a local Indian restaurant.  They eat what is known as the 'Staff Curry' at the end of the night but also, in the afternoon they eat another 'Staff Curry' which is fish based while the one at the end of the night is either chicken or lamb.  They use this fish which doesn't have an over-powering taste but it's riddled with small bones.  I've never come across such a fish with so many bones.  They claim it's comes from Bangladesh.  I've been told the name but I've forgotten.  Anyway, I asked the owner's wife if the same curry could be made using a fish from the UK's shores or at least more locak than Asia.  She said that mackrel works.  I bought a couple of mackrel and took them in and the chef cooked them.  Personally, I don't think the mackrel worked as well and were a little overpowering.  The chef also said that unlike their fish, he didn't fry the mackrel because they were too brittle to be fried and then added to the curry.  He did say though that they would work fine in a kind of spicy fish chutney which I've seen him make before.

My question here is, since I'm not very well up on my fish, what kind of fish do you people think might work?  Hopefully somthing which maybe cut into stakes and fried before adding to a curry and which wouldn't be brittle and break up and also not too over-powering in taste.  It would be an added bonus if the fish wasn't too expensive.  Thank you.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Pomfret ?
** Phil.

[Garabi Army]

Monkfish works really well. Also Hallibut, although it can be a bit pricey.

[Mattie]

Ive used Trout a few times for curries - more Sri Lankan style though but really tasty.  Its about ?3ish a kilo

[natterjak]

It'll be tilapia fish. Very firm texture and good for curries as it doesn't break up easily like some other fish.

[fried]

Is shark any good? my local indian supermarket has some good deals on frozen shark. I've been meaning to do a fish masala for ages.

[DalPuri]

I'd say its most likely Hilsa fish.

[Les]

Depends on the chef, If he prefers fresh water fish, or sea water fish.

tilapia fish = fresh water

 Hilsa fish = sea water

[Ader1]

I asked the chef again what it's called and he said that in Bangladesh they call it 'rooi'.  That's the best I can do phonetically with the 'i' at the end sounding like 'e' in 'email'.  I cleaned one of it's scales and boy were they tough.  There's also another fish which they sometimes buy but it's twice the price and nicer so he says.  Thanks for your replies.  I'll make a not of your suggestions and see what's available at the local shops.  Has anybody here made a 'Staff fish curry'?

[Ader1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohu

Rohu or Rui in Bengali.

According to that link it's a member of the Carp family.  What's Carp like?  Expensive?