Assamese masor tenga

Name: Assamese masor tenga
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 portions

A light, sour Assamese fish curry made with rohu, flavoured with tomato and lemon rather than heavy spices — a gentle, easy-to-digest everyday dish.

Make this recipe

Portions

Ingredient quantities update automatically. Cooking times may need a little adjustment when you change the batch size.

Only swaps that keep this recipe pregnancy-safe are offered. Allergen information below updates when you choose one.

Ingredient unavailable: use mrigal or any locally available freshwater fish instead of rohu fish steaks (or katla)

For 4 portions. Tick items as you go — nothing is changed for anyone else.

This recipe contains foods that can contribute to a varied and balanced diet during pregnancy.

Step 1. Rub the fish with a little turmeric and salt and set aside for 10 minutes.
Step 2. Heat the mustard oil in a pan and lightly fry the fish for 1–2 minutes per side, then remove and set aside.
Step 3. In the same pan, temper the fenugreek seeds briefly, then add the tomato and green chilli and cook until soft.
Step 4. Add about 1.5 cups (360 ml) of water, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes until the tomato breaks down.
Step 5. Slide the fish back in and simmer gently for 6–8 minutes until it flakes easily and is cooked through.
Step 6. Stir in the lemon juice off the heat and scatter with coriander leaves before serving with steamed rice.

Ingredient brands and substitutions can change allergen content. Always check the labels on the products you buy.

Wash vegetables and fruit thoroughly in clean running water before cooking, and use safe drinking water (boiled, filtered or otherwise treated) for cooking and drinking.
Cook eggs, chicken, mutton and fish right through — no pink meat and no runny yolks.
Refrigerate cooked food within two hours (within one hour in hot weather) and keep the fridge at 5°C or below.
Keep cooked rice out of the danger zone: cool it quickly, refrigerate promptly and reheat only once until piping hot.
No alcohol is used in this recipe.

Ingredient brands and substitutions can change allergen content. Always check the labels on the products you buy.

A daily folic acid supplement is widely recommended before conception and through early pregnancy to help prevent neural tube defects. Folate-rich foods do not replace the supplement. Ask your doctor which dose applies to you and follow your national health authority's guidance.
Vitamin D and iron requirements vary with diet, sunlight exposure and health conditions. Ask your doctor whether you need a supplement and follow your national health authority's guidance.
There is no known safe level of alcohol in pregnancy, and most guidance suggests keeping caffeine to around 200 mg a day. Recipes here contain no alcohol.

Dietary Guidelines for Indians — ICMR — National Institute of Nutrition, reviewed 10 September 2026
Fish and fishery products — standards and safe handling — Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), reviewed 10 September 2026