Macher Jhol is a staple food that gets cooked in any Bengali household everyday. The recipe varies a little bit from home to home, I’m sharing my version here the way I love to cook Macher Jhol for my family. Use any fresh fish to make this Bengali Fish Curry, and you’ll love the clean flavours it offers. 🙂
Bengali Fish Curry / Macher Jhol Recipe
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- Fresh fish- 6 pieces (I used Rui/Rohu)
- Potato- 1 large
- Green chilies- 5-6 (halved)
- Cumin powder- 1 tbsp
- Coriander powder- 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder
- Onion- 1 medium-sized (thinly sliced)
- Ginger paste- 1 tbsp
- Nigella seeds/Kalojire/Kalonji- ¼ tsp
- Salt to taste
- Kashmiri mirch powder or Red chilli powder- 1 tsp (optional)
- Mustard oil
- Freshly chopped coriander leaves- 1 tsp
Method
Peel and cut the potato into wedges, wash them and keep aside.
Rub salt and ½ tsp of turmeric powder on the freshly washed pieces of Rui/Rohu.
Heat ½ cup oil in a kadai/deep frying pan and shallow fry the fish pieces over medium heat. Transfer them to a bowl and keep aside.
In the remaining oil, shallow fry the potatoes until golden, remove and keep aside.
At this stage 3-4 tbsp oil should be there in kadai, if not, add some more oil to make the fish curry.
Temper with kalojire/nigella seeds.
Next to add ginger paste, salt, cumin powder, coriander powder, kashmiri mirch powder, green chilies and ½ tsp of turmeric powder. Add a splash of water, mix quickly and sauté the masala over medium heat for two minutes.
Add 1¼ cups of water, mix well and give this a quick boil over high heat. Once it boils, reduce the heat, add the fish pieces and potatoes. Cover and cook over low heat until the potatoes are done.
The consistency of this fish curry will be medium thick. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves, remove from the heat, and transfer to a bowl.
Serve hot with steamed rice, enjoy!
