Bengali Macher Jhol is the perfect way to make cooking fish at home easy and delicious. Most firm white flesh fish will work a treat for this.
If there’s another regional Indian cuisine that reveres seafood like us Goans, its the Bengalis! Having grown up eating the incredible cuisine of the state of West Bengal back home in Goa, thanks to my lovely neighbour aunty, its an integral part of my cooking repertoire for years. The pungent fragrance of smoking mustard oil, the fried potatoes in meat curries and the combination of the five spice/ Panch Phoron ( equal proportion of nigella, fenugreek, fennel, cumin and black mustard seeds) – I love it all! This Bengali Macher Jhol (fish curry) is no exception.
Tips and Tricks
The curry requires few ingredients but the technique and process yield a truly typically Bengali result. I much prefer using bone-in white fish steaks (like the Hapuka I have used here) instead of using fillets. The bone helps retain shape as well avoids over-cooking so you don’t end up with disintegrated fish in the curry. Always toast the spices for the Bengali garam masala fresh. Regular store bought generic garam masala is not a substitute in this case as the combination of spices is different and affects the taste. When searing the cauliflower and potato for the Bengali macher Jhol, get a nice golden crust and finish cooking it in the curry. That Maillard reaction adds tons of flavour to the final dish.
As is true for most Indian curry bases, it is crucial to take the time to see the oil split on the sides of the pot before adding hot water so that the rich flavours develop. I love finishing my curry with a extra dash of raw cold pressed mustard oil. The fragrance of nigella seeds bloomed in mustard oil and perfectly seared and then braised flaky fish makes my heart so happy. A side of steamed rice and you can’t ask for more! A side of greens (like this one) just adds extra virtue if you are so inclined.
Bengali Macher Jhol Fish Curry
Ingredients
- 4 White Fish Steaks (Hapuka)
- 6-8 Cauliflower Florets
- 1 Potato (sliced into wedges)
- 1 cup Brown Onion (finely chopped)
- ¾ cup Fresh Tomato Puree
- 1 tsp Ginger (crushed/paste)
- 1 tsp Garlic (crushed/paste)
- 1 Green Chilli (slit)
- 3-4 tbsp Cold Pressed Mustard Oil (see notes)
- 1 tsp Nigella Seeds (Kalonji)
- ¾ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1½ tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- ½ tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 1 cup Hot Water (use as required)
- 1 tsp Sugar (to balance)
- Salt (to taste)
Bengali Garam Masala
- 10 Cardamom
- 10 Cloves
- 2 sticks Cinnamon
Instructions
- Marinate your fish steaks with salt and turmeric and set aside for 15 minutes.
- In a pan, lightly toast your whole spices for the Bengali Garam Masala ( cardamom, cloves and cinnamon) until fragrant. Let them cool and then grind them to a powder.
- In a heavy bottom pot, add the mustard oil and bring it up to temperature until hot and mildly smoky. This is an important step – making sure the oil is hot enough.
- Add the potato wedges and season with salt. Turn them every minute or so until you get an even golden crust over it. Cover it to let some of the steam form and help cook the potato while also getting colour. You are not trying to cook the potato fully. Set aside. Repeat the process for the cauliflower florets. Set aside.
- Add a bit more oil at this point and sear the fish steaks on both side until lightly golden (in a medium-hot pan this should take just about a minute on each side depending on the size of the fish. Set aside.
- In the same oil, add your nigella seeds and green chilli, let them sizzle lightly. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened and starting to turn golden around the edges. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook until the raw smell goes away.
- Add all the dry spices (turmeric, chilli, cumin and coriander powders) and let them nicely coat in the oil before adding the fresh tomato puree. It is important to cook the tomatoes until all their water has evaporated and you start to see that slick of oil on the sides. Taste the sauce at this stage and balance with sugar.
- Add a bit of hot water to give you a saucy consistency. Bring back the potatoes, cauliflower and fish steaks into the sauce, and cook gently for about a couple of minutes so everything finishes cooking together. When almost ready, taste add salt if necessary. Sprinkle a generous pinch of the Bengali garam masala and turn off the heat. Let it rest for at least 20 minutes before serving. Steamed rice is the only real way to enjoy this curry.
For other delicious recipes from the blog, click here. If you make this recipe and love it, let me know in the comments below. When sharing on Instagram, tag me @rupalbhatikar.
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