Bengali Fish Curry / Maacher Jhol

Bengali Fish Curry (Maacher Jhol)

A delicious fish curry in Bengali cuisine. It goes well with rice / jeera rice / ghee rice….

Serves: 2

Ingredients

4 Rohu fish slices

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon salt

50 ml oil (mustard oil / sun flower oil / olive oil )

Method

Wash and clean fish slices. Wash until the water is clear and no dirt. Drain out water thoroughly. Wipe each fish slices with a soft cotton cloth / towel.

In a serving plate or bowl, mix salt and turmeric powder.

Marinate fish slices with salt and turmeric powder mix . Marinate well on both the sides. Cover and keep aside for half an hour.

Heat oil in a kadai or frying pan on high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and fry marinated fish  slices  (2 fish slices at a time) golden color on both the sides. Drain out from the oil and keep aside.

Curry ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon jeera seeds (cumin seeds)

½ teaspoon kalonji seeds (nigella seeds)

2 bay leaves

1 onion, finely slices

1 tablespoon ginger – garlic paste

1 green chilli,  thinly sliced

½ teaspoon red chilli powder

1 ½ teaspoon coriander powder

1 ½ cup water (300 ml)

¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Fried fish slices

½ teaspoon cumin powder

½  teaspoon fennel powder (saunf powder)

1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

In a small bowl / katori, dilute red chilli powder and coriander powder in 3 tablespoons water and keep aside.

Heat oil in a  pan /  kadai  on medium heat. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle completely, add cumin seeds, kalonji and bay leaves. Fry on a low heat for 2 – 3 minutes until fragrant and crisp.

Add thinly sliced onions and fry until golden color.

Add ginger – garlic paste and fry for 3 – 5 minutes until the raw smell goes.

Add thinly sliced green chilli and fry for 2- 3 minutes.

Add diluted red chilli powder – coriander powder mix and stir well on a low heat for 2 – 3 minutes until the raw smell goes,

Add 1 ½ cup water and salt to taste. Cover with a tight lid and boil on a medium heat for 10 minutes (till it boils vigorously).

Now add fried fish slices, fennel powder and jeera powder . Cover again and cook for 10 – 12 minutes. Switch off the heat. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves.

 Consume this curry / jhol after 2 hours. Then the gravy  and fish will absorb all the flavours.  Serve with rice.

Rohu fish easily available Miri, Sarawak, East Malaysia. We bought it from fish market near Chinese Temple (Miri city area). Also available in Giant, Lutong fish market, E mart fish market Tudan.