A fish finger recipe featured on Nigella Lawson’s new show Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat has really divided the nation.
In the first episode of the series, which aired on BBC Two on Monday evening, Nigella showed her viewers how she cooks a fish finger bhorta, a traditional Indian cuisine consisting of lightly fried mashed up vegetables.
The TV cook explained that she was inspired to make the recipe after seeing a tweet shared by journalist Ash Sarkar, who described it as ‘nostalgia in a dish’.
After frying some onions, Nigella made the dish by adding ingredients including chilli, ginger and mustard, before adding oven-cooked fish fingers, which she broke up with a spatula.
Some people watching the show thought the recipe looked absolutely delicious, with one person stating: ‘Nigella’s Fish Finger Bhorta looks like my next hangover meal!’
‘My God @Nigella_Lawson your fish-finger bhorta looks like an absolute game changer,’ another viewer said, while another remarked that the recipe provided ‘just the inspiration I needed to get me through #Lockdown2’.
Others cast their doubts on the recipe, with one Twitter user saying it looked as though Nigella ‘just mashed up a fish finger’.
Another said that they wondered ‘what the Gogglebox verdict will be’ on the recipe.
‘I say this with fondness and respect: Nigella is ludicrous but 10/10 would eat that fish finger mush,’ one viewer stated.
Nonetheless, while opinion was divided, the majority appeared to be in favour of what Nigella describes on her website as her ‘absolute go-to’ when in need of ‘vibrant sustenance and delicious comfort hits’.
Fish Finger Bhorta Recipe
Ingredients:
For the pink-pickled onions
- ½ red onion
- red wine vinegar or lime juice to cover
For the bhorta:
- 2 (total weight approx. 300g) regular onions
- 2 red chillies
- 2 fat cloves of garlic
- 1 x 15ml tablespoon finely grated fresh root ginger (approx. 50g / 3-inch chunk)
- 12 frozen fish fingers
- 3 x 15ml tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil or vegetable oil
- 2 x 15ml tablespoons english mustard (from a jar)
- 2 teaspoons sea salt flakes (or 1 teaspoon fine sea salt)
- 125 grams young spinach
- 1 lime
- 3 x 15ml tablespoons roughly chopped fresh coriander (plus more to serve)
Method:
- Make your pink-pickled onions as far in advance as you can: at least 2 hours, and up to 24. Half the red onion and cut into half-moons. Put into a jar with a lid, or a bowl that you can cover. Pour red wine vinegar (or lime juice), pressing down on the onions until they are all just immersed. Leave to steep
- When you’re ready to make and eat the bhorta, heat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan. Peel and slice two regular onions into fine half-moons, deseed chillies and slice them finely, and peel the garlic. If skin is tough, peel the ginger (using the tip of a teaspoon) then grate it finely to give 1 tablespoonful.
- Put the fish fingers on a baking sheet and cook for approx. 20–25 minutes, slightly longer than the packet directs to ensure the breadcrumb coating is really crisp.
- Meanwhile, warm the oil in a large frying pan/wok-shaped stir-fry pan and cook the onions over medium-low for 20 minutes, stirring regularly, by which time they will be pale gold and soft.
- Add sliced chillies, stirring all the while, for 3 minutes, then stir in the grated ginger, mince or grate in the garlic, and cook, still stirring, for another 2 minutes. Spoon in the mustard and salt, stirring to combine, then add the spinach leaves and let them wilt in the pan for 2–3 minutes, stirring regularly, then squeeze in the juice of the lime.
- Take pan off the heat while you get the fish fingers. Break them up a bit with a spatula then add them to the wok or frying pan. Toss everything together, breaking them up further and mashing them into the pan, then sprinkle over the coriander.
- Serve topped with the pink-pickled onions, adding extra chopped coriander if wished.
Nigella recently issued an apology to writer and presenter Victoria Coren Mitchell, after her new show Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat resulted in quiz show Only Connect being moved half an hour earlier than usual to 7.30pm.
Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat airs Mondays at 8pm on BBC Two.
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