Batashi Fish Curry with Brinjal and Potato

September 24, 2019

Lora Iannotti 
Photo by M. Gulam Hussain
Recipe by M. Gulam Hussain, Habiba Hussain, and Hemendra Saha

This recipe from Bangladesh contains a variety of foods and spices, illustrating one of the most important health behaviors—dietary diversity! Fish and other foods in the recipe—potatoes (tubers) and brinjal (eggplant in the berry family)—were important parts of our evolutionary diet. In addition to being tasty, this dish offers many nutritional benefits. Small fish, such as batashi, contain concentrated amounts of critical nutrients, including DHA, zinc, iodine, and vitamins A and B12, that promote brain development and growth. Olive oil enables absorption of some nutrients and is better for health than other more processed oils. Spices help with palatability and food safety and offer many micronutrients. This dish was selected for its nutritional qualities but also because batashi fish are environmentally sustainable and accessible to low-resource, undernourished communities in Bangladesh.

Recipe card

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