Xor Maas Dried Fish Curry

Ingredients

• - 150g sun-dried fish
• - 2 tomatoes
• - 1 onion
• - 3 garlic cloves
• - 1 tsp turmeric
• - 1 tsp chilli powder
• - 2 tbsp mustard oil
• - Salt
• - Fresh coriander

Method

1. About Xor Maas Dried Fish Curry: Xor Maas is the year-round fish curry of Assam — preserved sun-dried fish cooked into a flavourful curry. Made by every Assamese household for centuries, the dish solves a basic problem: fresh fish is not always available, but dried fish lasts for months. Sun-dried fish has a deeply concentrated umami character that fresh fish cannot match — making this curry uniquely intense.
2. Understand dried fish: Use 150g of sun-dried fish. The pieces should be dry, firm, and smell saltily fishy but not rotten or ammoniacal. Sniff before buying — old dried fish develops an unpleasant rancid smell. Common varieties include puthi, mola, or other small dried freshwater fish, sold at Northeast Indian groceries or specialist fish shops.
3. If dried fish is unavailable: There is no perfect substitute. Bonito flakes (Japanese katsuobushi) provide similar concentrated umami in soup form. Anchovies in oil (drained and rinsed) work as a partial substitute. Without these, this dish is difficult to recreate authentically.
4. The critical rinsing step: Place the dried fish in a colander. Rinse under cold running water for 30-45 seconds — this removes any surface dust and reduces the fish's saltiness. Be gentle — dried fish is delicate and can crumble.
5. The soak: Place the rinsed fish in a bowl with 1 cup of cold water. Soak for 20 minutes. The soaking softens the fish and makes it easier to handle in cooking, while reducing salt and any harsh fishy edges.
6. Drain after soaking: Place the soaked fish back in a colander. Drain for 5 minutes. Pat very gently with kitchen paper to remove excess moisture — wet fish dilutes the curry.
7. Check for bones (optional but recommended): Run your fingertips through the soaked fish, feeling for any large bones. Some dried fish varieties have bones that should be removed for safe eating; others (like very small fish) have soft bones that can be eaten through.
8. Prepare the onion: Take 1 medium onion. Peel and chop into fine 5mm dice.
9. Prepare the garlic: Take 3 garlic cloves. Crush, peel and mince finely.
10. Prepare the tomatoes: Take 2 medium tomatoes. Chop into fine 1cm dice. Slightly over-ripe tomatoes work even better — they break down faster into the gravy.
11. Use a wide pan: Use a wide kadhai or heavy frying pan. The dried fish needs space to cook in a single layer.
12. Heat the mustard oil correctly: Pour 2 tbsp mustard oil into the pan over medium-high heat. Heat for 1-2 minutes until smoking heavily — this is essential for any fish dish, especially with the strong character of dried fish.
13. Fry the onion: Reduce heat to medium. Add the chopped onion. Stir-fry for 6-7 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden brown.
14. Add the garlic: Add the minced garlic. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let it go dark.
15. Add the tomatoes: Tip in the chopped tomatoes. Cook for 6-8 minutes on medium heat, stirring every 2 minutes, until the tomatoes have completely broken down into a thick paste and oil starts to separate at the edges. This deep cooking is essential — undercooked tomato produces a watery curry.
16. Add the dry spices: Sprinkle in 1 tsp turmeric powder and 1 tsp red chilli powder. Stir for 30 seconds — the masala will turn a beautiful rust-red colour.
17. Add the dried fish: Tip in the soaked drained dried fish. Stir gently to coat with the masala — the fish is delicate, do not stir aggressively.
18. The critical sear: Cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring gently every minute. The fish will release some oil and the masala will deepen in colour and flavour. The kitchen will fill with the deeply savoury aroma of the dried fish reawakening.
19. Add water: Pour in 1 cup of hot water. Stir gently to lift any masala stuck to the bottom. The water should just submerge the fish to create a thin curry.
20. The critical taste check before salt: This is essential — taste the curry before adding any salt. Dried fish carries significant salt from the curing process, and adding salt blindly will produce an inedibly salty curry. Take a clean spoon, taste the gravy, and only add salt if needed (often 1/4 tsp or none at all).
21. Simmer to develop: Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring gently every 5 minutes. The fish will soften and absorb the masala flavours, and the gravy will reduce slightly to coat the fish.
22. Watch the gravy thickness: The dish is meant to be moderately thick — like a thick stew, not a thin soup, not dry. If too thin after 20 minutes, simmer 3-5 more minutes uncovered. If too thick, add 1/4 cup hot water.
23. Final flavour adjustment: Taste again. The dish should hit you with multiple flavours — deeply savoury dried fish, sweet caramelised onion, tangy tomato, warming chilli, pungent mustard oil. Adjust as needed — usually only chilli or a tiny pinch of sugar (to balance the salt).
24. Garnish and serve: Switch off the heat. Sprinkle 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander over the top. The fresh coriander provides a vital bright contrast to the rich, intense curry.
25. Serve with rice: Serve hot over plain steamed rice — the most traditional Assamese pairing. The strong umami of the dried fish demands the neutral foundation of plain rice. The curry is intense enough that a small portion goes a long way — about 2-3 tbsp of curry per cup of rice.
26. Serving suggestions: Pair with a simple vegetable dish (like aloo curry, recipe id 1296) and a piece of pickle. The combination of intense fish curry, mild vegetable, and bright pickle is the classic Assamese rural meal.
27. A cultural and historical note: Dried fish is one of humanity's oldest preserved foods. In Assam, where summer monsoons make refrigeration challenging in rural areas, sun-drying fish has been a survival technology for thousands of years. Eating xor maas connects you to a cooking tradition that long predates the modern era — when food preservation was a matter of survival, not preference.
28. Leftover storage: Stored in the fridge in an airtight container, this curry keeps for 3-4 days and tastes even better the next day. The flavours deepen beautifully overnight. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water if too thick.