Tag: Chital Maach

Chital Maacher Muitha (Bengali Fish Dumplings)

Chital Maacher Muitha is a special Bengali dish that has always held a place in traditional Bengali cooking. I love the combination of soft, delicate fish dumplings with the rich, aromatic gravy they are cooked in. It does take a little time and care to prepare, especially when removing the meat from the chital fish, but the effort is well worth it. This is a dish I would happily make for a special family meal or when I want to serve something truly Bengali.

Making muitha requires a little patience, especially when preparing the fish. The meat is carefully scraped from the fish, mixed with spices and other ingredients, shaped into dumplings, and then cooked before being added to the gravy. The result is tender, delicate fish dumplings that soak up the delicious flavours of the curry.

Chital Maach is also known as Knife fish and they can weigh up to about 10 kilograms. It is found in India, Bangladesh, and some other southeast Asian countries. It has too many bones so it is better to buy a piece from a big Chitol , the smaller ones will have so many bones that it will be difficult to eat.

This fish is usually cut along the spine and then separated into the stomach side and the back. The stomach side has big bones and also fewer bones than the back. The stomach part is cut into pieces like steaks. It is called the Chital Maacher Peti. I have the recipe for the peti in this blog. https://dollylahiricooks.com/2020/06/26/chital-macher-peti/

The back portion of the fish is meaty but full of small bones, so usually the meat is scraped out leaving the bones. There is a simple way of taking out the meat . All we do is take a teaspoon and scrape out the meat. You have to scrape in the direction in which the bones are growing, NOT the opposite, the fish is soft and it comes out easily. Once all the meat from the fish is taken out, we throw away the skin and bones. This fish meat or fish mince ( as some like to call it ) is what we use to make Muitha ( Dumplings )

Making the Muitha is simple, just add some boiled and mashed potato, and few spices to the fish mince . Mix all of it well and it will be like a sticky dough. Divide this mixture into equal portions, then roll it into sausage like long rolls. Boil these in water till the fish is cooked, then remove it from the water and cool . Once it is cold enough to touch, cut these into thick slices and deep fry them. Now we make a gravy with Onion ground and some spices. Once the gravy is ready and boiling we add the fried muithas to the gravy and boil it for a bit . Muitha is done.

This a piece of the back portion of the Chital Maach.

We have to scrape out the meat without taking out the bones. Take a teaspoon and scrape it in the direction in which the bones are growing. Like in the video below.

Mashed potato is added to bind the fish a little better.

The spices that are added to the mince are

salt, jeera/cumin powder, haldi/turmeric powder,

mirchi/chili powder and ground ginger.

How to make the Muitha

Fish mince and mashed potatoes and the spices are mixed together.

then rolled into sausage shape and boiled till they turn opaque and float to the top

The sausages are removed from the boiling water then cooled.

then they are cut into thick slices.

Next these slices are deep fried.

I usually add potatoes to the curry with the Muithas. ( Dumplings). I used 2 medium size potatoes in this recipe, but you can add less. I peeled and diced the potatoes then fried them lightly before making the Gravy.

The Spices used for Phoron/tarka that is seasoning the oil are Bay leaves, Dry red chili, Cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds.

Ingredients for the gravy are, onion ground, tomato puree or fresh tomatoes grated, ginger paste, green chilies, gram masala and mustard oil

Dry spices used in the gravy are, Dhania/coriander powder, Jeera/cumin powder, mirchi/red chili powder, haldi/turmeric powder and salt and sugar ( optional)

Chital Maacher Muitha (Bengali Fish Dumplings)

Chital Maacher Muitha is a traditional Bengali delicacy made with chital fish, shaped into soft fish dumplings and simmered in a flavourful, aromatic gravy. A special-occasion dish that pairs beautifully with steamed rice.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Bengali , Indian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

FOR THE MUITHA ( DUMPLINGS )
  • 2 cups Chital fish mince
  • 1/2 cup mashed potatoes
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp Jeera / Cumin powder
  • 1/4 tsp Mirchi / Chilli powder
  • 1/4 tsp Haldi/ turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp Adrak paste / Grated or ground ginger
  • 1/2 cup Mustard oil
FOR THE GRAVY
1. For the tadka/ phoron / seasoning
  • 2 pieces Tej patta / bay leaves
  • 2 Dry red chillies
  • 1/4 tsp. Jeera seeds / cumin seeds
  • 1 inch piece Dal chini / Cinnamon broken into smaller pieces
  • 2 whole Elaichi / cardamoms
  • 4 whole Cloves
2. For the gravy
  • 2 medium size Aloo / potatoes
  • 3/4 cup Grated or ground onion
  • 1/2 tsp. Grated ginger 1/2 teaspoon
  • 1 Tbsp. Tomato puree or 1/2 cup of fresh tomatoes grated.
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 1/2 tsp. Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Mirchi /chili powder
  • 1 tsp. Jeera/ Cumin powder
  • 1&1/2 tsp. Dhania / coriander powder
  • 2 & 1/2 cups Water approximately
  • 1/4 tsp. Haldi / Turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Garam masala ( grind together, 1/2 inch piece of Dalchini? cumin, 3 or 4 cloves and 3 or 4 cardamoms). Use 1/2 tsp from this masala and store the rest in an airtight container for later.

Equipment

  • 1 teaspoon
  • 1 Wok or a large pan for boiling water
  • 1 smaller wok or saucepan to fry, and make the gravy
  • 1 slotted spoon
  • 1 spatula

Method
 

Preparation
    FOR THE MUTHIA
    1. Boil and mash the potato
    2. Scrape out the fish as shown in the photos, and keep aside.
    3. Grate the ginger
    4. FOR THE GRAVY
    5. Peel and dice 2 medium size potatoes
    6. Grate the onion
    How to make the MUITHA
    1. First mix the spices and the mashed potato and the fish mince well.
    2. Divide into 4 or 5 portions
    3. Apply a little oil in you palms and then shape each portion into a sausage.
    4. Once you have shaped all the sausages, put A BIG pan half filled with water on the stove and bring it to a boil.
    5. Once it starts boiling vigorously slide the sausages into the boiling water gently one at a time.
    6. The sausages will sink to the bottom of the pan first and then after a few minutes they will start floating up. Let them cook for a couple of minutes.
    7. Use a slotted spoon to take out the sausages from the water and keep it on a plate. Do not boil the fish too long or they will become rubbery.
    8. Let the sausages cool down , then slice them into thick pieces.
    9. Heat the mustard oil in a kadai or wok and fry the slices till they are golden brown. Remove from the kadai and keep it on a dish.
    10. The Muithas are now ready to be added to the gravy.
    How to make the GRAVY
    1. Keep about 4 tablespoons of oil in the kadai, this is all you need for the gravy, and pour out the rest in a bowl .eat the Mustard oil and fry the peeled and diced potatoes and keep it aside .
    2. Now add the spices for Tarka or Seasoning, tej patta,whole cinnamon, cardamom and cloves, red chilies, and Jeera seeds to the oil in the kadai
    3. Once the Jeera seeds are a little brown and you can get the aroma of the spices, add the onion.
    4. Stir fry the onion till it becomes brownish and the raw smell of onion is gone
    5. Add the Tomato, Jeera, dhania, mirchi, haldi, salt and sugar, ginger and 2 tablespoon of water to the onion
    6. Stir fry the masala till it is properly mixed with the onion. Keep stir frying till the oil separates around the sides of the mixture.
    7. Add the water and mix the masala well with it , then bring it to a boil.
    8. Add the potatoes and cover with a lid to let the potatoes cook.
    9. After a few minutes open the lid and cut a potato with a spoon to see if it is soft enough.
    10. Add the Fried Muithas once the potatoes are cooked and let it boil for a couple of minutes.
    11. Sprinkle some garam masala on the gravy before taking it off the heat .
    12. The Chital Maacher Muitha is ready. Serve with steamed rice.

    Notes

    • Use fresh chital fish if available. The meat needs to be carefully scraped from the bony portion of the fish.
    • Make sure the fish mixture is well blended before shaping the muithas. This helps them hold their shape while cooking.
    • Allow the cooked muithas to cool before slicing them, otherwise they may break apart.
    • Fry the sliced muithas gently until lightly golden. They should remain soft inside.
    • The muithas can be prepared ahead of time and added to the gravy just before serving.

    Rita's Recipes3 Comments

    Chital Macher Peti – Traditional Bengali Fish Curry Recipe

    Chital Macher Peti is a classic Bengali fish curry traditionally served with steamed rice. Chital ( Chitala Fish) is a big bony fish which is found in the rivers of Bangladesh,Nepal and India. It is also called Knife Fish. I had never seen or heard of before I got married so when I saw the size of the Chital Fish steaks I was really surprised.

    The back of the fish (Gada) has too many bones, the fish is scraped out and made into Muitha . This is a delicacy, and cooked in a different way.

    The tummy part is called the PETI in Bangla. The bigger the Chital fish the bigger and tastier the Peti.  When you go to buy the fish they usually sell it already cut into half along the spine lengthwise. The stomach part has less bones and is eaten by making curries. the other half is called Gada in Bengali and that has too many bones, so there is a special way to extract the meat and cook it . you can find the recipe for that in this blog. https://dollylahiricooks.com/2021/06/09/chital-maacher-muitha/

    The following recipe is my mother in law’s, and she used to call it Macher Roast.

    Chital Macher Peti Bengali fish curry made with chital fish stomach served with gravy
    Chital Fish
    img_5698

    Fried Chital Maacher Peti.

    I made the Gravy and then cooked the fried fish in the gravy for a bout 5 minutes and then transferred it to a serving dish.

    img_5700

     

    Ingredients

    • 2 Chital macher peti
    • 2 medium onion, preferably ground
    • 1 tomato grated or pureed,(you can use 1 teaspoon canned puree if you wish)
    • 1/2 cup of mustard oil
    • 4 or 5 green chilies slit a little
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
    • 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
    • a small piece of cinnamon stick
    • 2 cloves
    • 2 green cardamoms
    • 1/4 teaspoon Garam masala 
    • a pinch of sugar.

    How to make the gravy

    • In a big pan or kadai( wok), heat the oil very well, then fry the fish petis lightly.  Remove from the pan and keep aside.
    • Now make the Gravy.
    • Remove some of the oil carefully into a small bowl and keep aside
    • To the remaining oil in the pan, add the green chilies first, after a few seconds add the whole Cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.
    • Add the ground onions, and keep frying till the onions are brown and the oil separates on the sides.
    • Add the tomato puree and fry a bit
    • Add the Turmeric, salt, sugar, chili powder. Keep frying till the raw smell of tomato, and the other spices are gone, and little oil separates on the sides.
    • Add a cup of water, and the graram masala powder, bring it to boil.
    • Once it starts boiling, gently add the fish, cover and reduce the heat. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes, if you can the flip the fish pieces then do so and simmer for a couple of minutes more before switching off the flame
    • Garnish with a few slit green chilies.
    • Serve with cooked white rice

    Note.

    You can use the same proportions of onions, etc. to make this onion gravy for 4 medium sized pieces of Rui Or Katla maach too.

    Chital Macher Peti (Bengali Chital Fish Curry)

    • Servings: 4
    • Difficulty: Medium
    • Print

    [recipe_description]
    Chital Macher Peti is a traditional Bengali delicacy made from the stomach portion of the Chital or Knife Fish. The rich fish is cooked slowly with aromatic spices to create a flavorful gravy. This classic Bengali fish dish is best enjoyed with hot steamed rice.
    [/recipe_description]

    [recipe_ingredients]

    • 500 g Chital macher peti (stomach portion of chital fish)
    • 1 onion, finely sliced
    • 1 onion paste
    • 1 tsp ginger paste
    • 1 tsp garlic paste
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp red chili powder
    • 1 tsp cumin powder
    • 1/2 tsp sugar
    • Salt to taste
    • 2 bay leaves (tej patta)
    • 1 small cinnamon stick
    • 3–4 green cardamom
    • 3–4 cloves
    • 2 dry red chilies
    • 3–4 green chilies slit
    • 3 tbsp mustard oil
    • 1/2 cup warm water
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala

    [/recipe_ingredients]

    [recipe_instructions]

    1. Wash the chital macher peti pieces carefully and pat them dry.
    2. Rub the fish lightly with salt and turmeric and keep aside for 10–15 minutes.
    3. Heat mustard oil in a kadai until hot. Lightly fry the fish pieces and keep aside.
    4. In the same oil add bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and dry red chilies.
    5. Add sliced onions and fry until golden brown.
    6. Add onion paste, ginger paste, and garlic paste. Cook for a few minutes until the raw smell disappears.
    7. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, salt, and sugar. Stir well.
    8. Add a little warm water and cook the masala until oil starts separating.
    9. Add the fried fish pieces and gently mix with the gravy.
    10. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes on low heat.
    11. Add slit green chilies and sprinkle garam masala.
    12. Cook until the gravy thickens and oil floats on top.

    [recipe_notes]
    Serve hot with plain steamed rice for an authentic Bengali meal.

    Rita's Recipes1 Comment