Recheado Masala Fish

Soak all the spices, ginger, garlic, tamarind pulp and kashmiri chilies (except the oil) in vinegar. Add sugar, salt and turmeric powder.

Combine all nicely and marinate for 35-40 mins.

Grind the mixture until soft and smooth. Add more vinegar if required, but ensure the paste stays thick – if the masala paste is thin it won't stick to the fish.

Rinse the fish, slit it from the centre and make some incisions from the top.

Stuff the paste into the centre and into the incisions, and coat the entire fish with the paste. Marinate the fish for 30 mins.

Place oil in a shallow pan. Once the oil is quite hot, shallow fry the stuffed mackerels until golden brown on both sides.

Serve the recheado mackerels hot with salad, lime wedges, rice and curry.

Notes: ensure the masala paste is thick, or the result won't be good. If you can't find kashmiri chilies, use bedgi chilies or kashmiri red chili powder. You can use white vinegar or coconut vinegar. Any leftover paste can be stored in the fridge for future use. Cinnamon can be avoided, as it's a strong spice generally used for meat or chicken.