Shorshe Bata Diye Macher Jhol or Bengali Style Fish Curry with Mustard Paste is a dish that is known almost among all the Bengali households. Macher jhol is basically a traditional spicy stew that is prepared with fish and is common in Bengali and Odia cuisines. It is a form of very spicy stew and is mostly eaten with hot steam rice.
Bongs are known for the love of fish and can't compromise on their piece of fish! Now for this recipe, any variety of fish can be used but most preferably rohu (Rui mach) or Katla is used. Ilish is another variety that can be used but then that will be taken as another recipe which I'll be posting shortly.
I highly recommend eating this recipe with a plate full of hot rice as the recipe tastes even better with this combination. Using mustard is pretty common in North Indian households, I remember my father telling my younger sister and me to oil our hair with mustard oil as it has properties to keep your hair strong and even protect it from early signs of aging. Mustard oil is also used for cooking, in my house all the non-vegetarian item is prepared in mustard oil and sometimes even the vegetarian items are made with mustard oil just to enhance the taste more. The use of mustard oil is quite common in Bengali cuisine. One more thing that I would like to mention is that while preparing fish with the mustard paste using mustard oil works as the best cooking medium.
SHORSHE BATA DIYE MACHER JHOL OR BENGALI MUSTARD FISH CURRY
Recipe type- fish
Prep time- 10 mins
Cook time- 20 mins
Total time- 30 mins
Serves- 4
Cuisine- Bengali
INGREDIENTS:
Bongs are known for the love of fish and can't compromise on their piece of fish! Now for this recipe, any variety of fish can be used but most preferably rohu (Rui mach) or Katla is used. Ilish is another variety that can be used but then that will be taken as another recipe which I'll be posting shortly.
I highly recommend eating this recipe with a plate full of hot rice as the recipe tastes even better with this combination. Using mustard is pretty common in North Indian households, I remember my father telling my younger sister and me to oil our hair with mustard oil as it has properties to keep your hair strong and even protect it from early signs of aging. Mustard oil is also used for cooking, in my house all the non-vegetarian item is prepared in mustard oil and sometimes even the vegetarian items are made with mustard oil just to enhance the taste more. The use of mustard oil is quite common in Bengali cuisine. One more thing that I would like to mention is that while preparing fish with the mustard paste using mustard oil works as the best cooking medium.
SHORSHE BATA DIYE MACHER JHOL OR BENGALI MUSTARD FISH CURRY
Recipe type- fish
Prep time- 10 mins
Cook time- 20 mins
Total time- 30 mins
Serves- 4
Cuisine- Bengali
INGREDIENTS:
- Fish 500gm
- Mustard powder 3tbsp
- Onion 1
- Tomato 2
- Green Chilli 5
- Bay leaf 2
- Mustard oil 4tbsp or as required
- Turmeric powder 1/2 tbsp
- Red chili powder 1 tbsp
- Ginger Garlic paste 1tbsp
- Jeera powder 1 tbsp
- Coriander powder 1 tbsp
- Kala jeera/ Nigella seeds 1/2 tbsp
- Garam masala 1 tbsp
- Salt to taste
- Turmeric powder 1/2 tbsp
- Red chili powder 1 tbsp
- Coriander powder 1 tbsp
- Jeera powder 1 tbsp
- Salt
- Lemon juice 2-3 tbsp
- Take the fish in a bowl and then add some salt to it for cleaning the fish, you can also use some wheat flour to do this step but washing it with salt will give the same result.
- After cleaning the fish take it on a fresh bowl and then add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, jeera powder and then the lemon juice. Keep it aside for marination until then we will do the preparations for the rest of the recipe.
- Here I am using the store-bought mustard powder you can also make a paste from using an equal amount of yellow and black mustard seeds with some water. Since I'm using the powder here I'll take 3 tbsp of powder in a separate bowl and add some water to it make the consistency of a paste, not too watery neither too thick and keep aside.
- Chop the onion, tomatoes and green chili and keep aside.
- Now in a pan take some mustard oil, let it heat and then fry the marinated fish from both the sides. Make sure to be safe with the hot oil.
- Take out the fried fish and in the same pan add some oil if needed and then put the bay leaves and the kala jeera in the oil and saute.
- Then add the chopped onions in the pan and fry till the onions are golden brown.
- To the fried onions now add the chopped tomatoes, green chili, coriander powder, red chili powder, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, jeera powder and then saute for about a minute or two. As the masala gets fried and the rawness of the ginger garlic paste and the tomatoes start to turn in an aroma add 1 and 1/2 cup water to the masala and let it come to boil in simmer.
- Add salt according to taste to the curry and let it boil for about 3-4 mins.
- Then add the fish pieces,garam masala, and 2tbsp of mustard oil in the curry and let it cook for 10 mins more, constantly keeping a check on the curry.
- Garnish the curry with some fresh coriander leaves, this step is totally optional you now just need a plate full of hot steam rice to enjoy this curry with!
