Pomfret (called Vavval Meen in Tamil) was something I had never tried before in my life. This recipe is inspired by an old cookbook from Morphy Richards that my mother owned. The original version used baked fish with vegetables and mild spices, but I decided to enhance it with a flavorful Indian spice blend and serve it with a spicy, tangy mint chutney.
The result? Absolutely amazing! My husband said it tasted just like a restaurant-style dish — and that made me sooo happy 😊
This grilled pomfret is first coated in a rich curd-based masala, lightly pan-cooked to lock in flavors, and then oven-grilled to perfection. The final dish is crisp on the outside, juicy inside, and packed with flavor.
🐟 Ingredients
- 3 medium pomfrets (approx. 300g), cleaned
- ½ cup hung curd
Spice Mix:
- ¼ tsp turmeric (haldi)
- 1 tsp chicken tandoori powder
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp coriander (dhaniya) powder
- ¼ tsp amchoor powder
- 1½ tsp salt
- Pinch of food color (optional)
- 2 tsp oil
- Vegetables (optional): cabbage, capsicum, carrot
👩🍳 Method
- Make 3 deep cuts on each pomfret for better masala absorption.
- In a bowl, mix hung curd with all spices. Whisk well.
- Add 1 tsp oil and mix again.
- Coat the fish well in the marinade.
- Add vegetables if using and refrigerate for 3–4 hours.
👉 Pre-cooking step:
6. Heat a pan and lightly cook the marinated fish for 5–10 minutes.
7. Flip once and add 1 tsp oil. Cook until excess moisture dries.
👉 Grilling:
8. Preheat oven to 150°C.
9. Place fish on grill tray and veggies on skewers.
10. Grill for 30–45 minutes (depending on thickness of the fish).
And your delicious grilled pomfret is ready! 😍
This grilled pomfret recipe is perfect if you want to recreate a restaurant-style seafood dish at home with simple ingredients. The combination of smoky grilled fish and fresh mint chutney makes it incredibly satisfying.
If you’re trying pomfret for the first time like I did, this recipe is a must-try — simple, flavorful, and absolutely worth it!
