Tag: Fish

Authentic Doi Maach Recipe: Bengali Fish in Yogurt Gravy.

I have eaten Doi Maach in many places but this recipe which I got from the lady who cooked for my Mother-in-law is the one I prefer, and now I make Doi Maach with this recipe. Usually very fresh  Rui or Katla (Carp) pieces cut from a big fish are used for this preparation but some other fresh water fish like Tilapia can also be used. I have often added a couple of Kafir lime leaves to the gravy to give it a lovely flavor, but traditionally lime leaves are not added. In most Bengali Fish recipes the fish is fried a little to seal in the flavor and juices before cooking it in the gravy, but in this recipe the fish is not fried.

I have used only 4 pieces of Rui ( Raho, Carp) fish, for today.

Washed Rui ( carp) pieces.

For the Marinade

Onion ground, ginger garlic ground, salt and turmeric. Also need mustard paste ( sorry forgot the photo)

For the Gravy

sliced onion, yogurt (Dahi), Ghee (clarified butter), green chilies and raisins ( kismis)

For the Phoron (Tarka or seasoning)

Tejpatta ( bayleaf) ,Mirch (red dry chilies), piece of dalchini( cinnamon) few lobongo ( laung, or cloves), and Elach ( elaichi or green cardamom)

How to make Doi Maach.

First the fish has to be marinated with Yogurt, ginger garlic paste, mustard paste, salt, sugar and haldi, for an hour minimum or to up to 4 hours in the fridge.

Then heat the Ghee ( clarified butter ) in a wok or a pan . Add the Phoron ( seasoning) tej patta ( bay leaf), the dry red chilies, and cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves.

Add the sliced onions and fry till they are soft and slightly brownish.

Stir fry for a couple of minutes then add the fish with the marinade and 1/4 cup water.

Cover and cook on low flame for 5 minutes.

Open the lid flip the fish pieces carefully, then add slit green chilies and the raisins and let it simmer on medium heat till the gravy thickens and oil is seen on top and the sides. Transfer to a serving dish.

The fish marinated with Yogurt (dahi), salt, turmeric ( haldi), onion paste, ginger garlic paste, mustard paste and sugar.

This is what it will look like when the fish is ready. The oil will float on the top and the gravy will thicken

INGREDIENTS

For the Marinade

Rui or Rohu ( Carp) 4 pieces Approximately 400 grams

  • 1 cup Yogurt ( Doi)
  • 1/4 cup Ground onion ( piaj)
  • 1teaspoon Salt ( namak)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sugar ( chini)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Yellow Mustard seeds paste ( sada sorshe)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric ( Holud)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Garlic paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ginger paste

For the Gravy

  • 1 cup Sliced onion ( piaj)
  • 1 Bay leaf ( tej patta)
  • 1 inch piece Cinnamon broken into bits ( dalchini)
  • 4 or 5 Cardamom ( elaich)
  • 4 or 5 Cloves ( lobongo)
  • 1/4 teaspoon Garam masala ( grind together 2cloves, 3 green cardamom and 1/2 inch piece of cinnamon.)
  • 2 Dry red chilies ( sukno lanka)
  • 4 Green chilies slit ( kancha lonka)
  • 10 or 12 Raisins ( kismis)
  • 1/4 cup Water
  • 2 Kafir lime leaves ( optional)

*To make Yellow Mustard seed paste, soak about 2 tablespoons of yellow Mustard seeds in a bowl with about 1/4 cup of water for 1/2 hour. Grind it in a mixer which grinds chutney etc. In case you dont have a strong grinder, you can use a coffee grinder. For the coffee grinder DO NOT soak the Mustard seeds, grind it dry into a powder then soak for half hour . Now use the amount required in the recipe.

Method

1 Wash and clean the fish.

2 Add the Yogurt, ground onion, salt, turmeric, ginger garlic paste and mustard paste and keep it covered to marinate for at least 1hour, or up to 4 hours in the fridge.

3 Heat the ghee in a pan or kadai and add the Tejpata ( bay leaf), whole elach,( green cardamom), Lavang (cloves), and Dalchini ( cinnamon) stick broken into pieces, and the dry red chilies.

4 Add the sliced onions and fry till they are golden brown.

5 Now add the fish with the marinade , and the water, cover with a lid and let it simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes. Take the lid off and flip the fish pieces carefully.

6 Add the slit green chilies and the raisins and let it cook couple of minutes till the gravy thickens and the oil floats up. I often add a couple of lime leaves at this point, since I love the flavor it gives. But this is optional.

7 Sprinkle a little ground garam masala. The Doi Maach is ready to be transferred to a serving dish once you see the ghee float on top like in the photo. Be careful when transferring or the fish may break.

Tastes best served with plain boiled rice (steamed rice).

Doi Maach ( Fish in yogurt gravy)

Doi Maach (Bengali Fish in Yogurt Gravy)

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy
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[recipe_description]
Doi Maach is a traditional Bengali fish curry cooked in a creamy yogurt gravy. Fresh Rohu (Rui) or Katla fish works best for this recipe. Unlike many Bengali fish curries, the fish is not fried before cooking. The fish is marinated in yogurt, mustard paste, and spices, then gently simmered with onions, whole spices, green chilies, and raisins until the gravy thickens and aromatic ghee floats on top.
[/recipe_description]

[recipe_ingredients]

For the Marinade

  • 4 pieces Rui or Rohu fish (about 400 g)
  • 1 cup yogurt (doi)
  • 1/4 cup onion paste
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric (haldi)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp yellow mustard paste
  • 1/2 tsp garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp ginger paste

For the Gravy

  • 1 cup sliced onions
  • 1 bay leaf (tej patta)
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick (dalchini)
  • 4–5 green cardamom (elaichi)
  • 4–5 cloves (lobongo)
  • 2 dry red chilies
  • 4 green chilies, slit
  • 10–12 raisins (kismis)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 kafir lime leaves (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tbsp ghee

[/recipe_ingredients]

[recipe_instructions]

  1. Wash and clean the fish pieces.
  2. In a bowl mix yogurt, onion paste, turmeric, salt, sugar, mustard paste, ginger paste, and garlic paste.
  3. Add the fish and coat well with the marinade. Cover and marinate for 1–4 hours in the refrigerator.
  4. Heat ghee in a kadai or pan. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and dry red chilies.
  5. Add sliced onions and fry until soft and lightly golden.
  6. Add the marinated fish along with the marinade and 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
  7. Carefully flip the fish pieces. Add slit green chilies and raisins.
  8. Simmer until the gravy thickens and the ghee begins to float on top.
  9. Add kafir lime leaves if using and sprinkle garam masala.
  10. Transfer carefully to a serving dish.

Serve hot with plain steamed rice. Fresh Rohu or Katla fish gives the best traditional flavor.

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Chital maacher Muitha

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 Muita.

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.

Ingredients

  • Fish meat/mince 2 cups
  • Mashed potatoes 1/2 cup
  • Salt 1 teaspoon
  • Jeera/ cumin powder 1teaspoon
  • Mirchi / chili powder 1/4 teaspoon
  • Haldi / Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon
  • Grated or ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon
  • Mustard oil 1/2 cup

You also need a big pan which is quarter to half full with water

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

  • First mix the spices and the mashed potato and the fish mince well.
  • Divide into 4 or 5 portions
  • Apply a little oil in you palms and then shape each portion into a sausage.
  • Once you have shaped all the sausages, put the pan half filled with water on the stove and bring it to a boil.
  • Once it starts boiling vigorously slide the sausages into the boiling water gently one at a time.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Let the sausages cool down , then slice them into thick pieces.
  • 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.
  • The Muithas are now ready to be added to the gravy.

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.

To Make The GRAVY

I usually add potatoes to the curry with the Muithas. 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.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE GRAVY

  • Grated or ground onion 3/4 cups
  • Grated ginger 1/2 teaspoon
  • Tomato puree 1 Tablespoon or 1/2 cup of fresh tomatoes grated.
  • Salt 1 teaspoon
  • Sugar 1/2 teaspoon
  • Mirchi /chili powder 1/4 teaspoon
  • Jeera/ Cumin powder 1 teaspoon
  • Dhania / coriander powder 1&1/2 teaspoon
  • Water approximately 2&1/2 cups
  • Haldi / Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon
  • Garam masala ( click on the link for recipe) 1/2 teaspoon (https://dollylahiricooks.com/category/masalas/)
  • FOR THE TARKA (Seasoning the oil )
  • Tejpatta/ bay leaves
  • Red dry chilies 2
  • Whole Jeera / cumin seeds 1/4 teaspoon
  • Whole cinnamon 1/2 inch piece broken into small pieces
  • Cardamom 2
  • Cloves 4

Also need 2 potatoes peeled and diced

  • METHOD of making the gravy
  • Heat the Mustard oil and fry the potatoes and the Muithas, and keep it aside .
  • 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 .
  • 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
  • Once the Jeera seeds are a little brown and you can get the aroma of the spices, add the onion.
  • Stir fry the onion till it becomes brownish and the raw smell of onion is gone.
  • Add the Tomato, Jeera, dhania, mirchi, haldi, salt and sugar, ginger and 2 tablespoon of water to the onion
  • 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.
  • Add the water and mix the masala well with it , then bring it to a boil.
  • Add the potatoes and cover with a lid to let the potatoes cook.
  • After a few minutes open the lid and cut a potato with a spoon to see if it is soft enough.
  • Add the Fried Muithas once the potatoes are cooked and let it boil for a couple of minutes.
  • Sprinkle some garam masala on the gravy before taking it off the heat and transferring it to a serving dish.

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)

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Pabda macher jhal

Pabda Maach is a variety of Catfish. They are usually found in fresh water, in ponds and lakes and rivers in India, Bangladesh and Nepal. They are not very big, about 6 to 12 inches in length. They do not have scales, so they are easy to clean. Pabda is very popular among Bengalis, and there are many ways of cooking it. I love it mainly for two reasons. One is for its taste, of course. The second reason is it does not have small bones. It is easy to eat even for my grandchildren.

This recipe is very simple and I think it is perfect for Pabda.

When I buy Pabda, it is usually gutted and cleaned already. All I have to do is wash it well. Then, I sprinkle some salt and turmeric powder on it. I let it marinate for a while, about half an hour. We put salt and turmeric powder on most fish just after washing it so that it does not spoil easily.

First thing we do is fry the fish a little not crisp though. When we make the fish curry with fried fish the fish do not break in the gravy . When frying Pabda please be very careful and stand a little away from the pan as it splatters a lot. Coating the Pabda with a little bit of flour before adding it to the hot oil reduces the splattering. I usually use a plate as as shield and partially cover the pan when frying.

Pabda is a soft fish and cooks very quickly. You have to heat the oil very well before you add the fish. After about 30 seconds, flip it to fry the other side. Then take it out and keep it on a plate. Pour out most of the oil and use only a little to make the gravy. Boil the gravy. Then slide the fried fish in. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Take it off the heat and put it into a serving dish.

INGREDIENTS

  • Pabda 2 pieces ( they weighed 175 g. together.)
  • Mustard oil 1/2 cup
  • For the Tarka ( seasoning) :
  • Mouri ( saunf, aniseed ) 1/4 tsp.
  • Kalojire ( kalonji, onion seeds)
  • Green chilies slit 2 or 3

For the Gravy

  • Mirchi (chilli) powder 1/4 teaspoon
  • Salt 1/4 teaspoon
  • Haldi (turmeric ) powder 1/4 teaspoon
  • Tomato puree ( canned) 1 tablespoon or 2 tablespoon of grated fresh tomato
  • Water 3/4 cup

Two pieces of Pabda maach which has been fried slightly

These are the ingredients for the Tarka or Seasoning. There is Lanka or green chillies, Mouri ( aniseed), and Kalojire, (Nigella seeds)

Ingredients for the gravy.

1 Tablespoon ofTomato puree,

1/4 teaspoon of each of these, salt, lanka (chili powder), and holud (turmeric powder).

I did not take a photo of the oil. Mustard oil

METHOD

  • First clean and wash the fish. Then, put some salt and turmeric powder on it. Rub the fish with the mixture. Keep it aside.
  • Take a small bowl and put the tomato paste/ tomato puree, salt, turmeric powder, chili powder and 2 tablespoons of water and mix it well and keep aside
  • In a kadai or pan or wok heat the mustard oil till smoking
  • Before adding the fish to the hot oil, sprinkle some maida (flour) on it. This step will stop it from splattering too much.
  • Fry the fish one at a time. Slide it into the hot oil. Flip it over after a minute or so to fry the other side. Take it out and keep it on a dish then fry the other fish.
  • If it splatters too much, reduce the heat a little. Use a lid as a shield to protect your face when flipping.
  • Once the fish is fried its time to make the gravy.
  • Drain out most of the oil into a bowl and keep about 2 tablespoons in the kadai for the gravy. This oil in the bowl can be used to fry fish later.
  • Add the Tarka (seasoning) ingredients to this oil in the Kadai. Then, include 1 green chili slit. Next, add kalojire (Nigella seeds) and Mouri (aniseed).
  • Let the chili and the mouri brown a little.
  • Add the solution of tomato puree which includes the gravy ingredients that you had made and kept aside in the bowl (Salt, Turmeric powder, chilli powder, and 2 or 3 tablespoons of water)
  • Stir fry till the raw small of tomato goes and the oil separates around the sides.
  • Add the rest of the water and bring it to boil.
  • Add the fried fish and and the slit green chili. Let the fish simmer in the gravy on low heat for about 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Your fish is ready to be served. Pour it into a serving dish and serve it hot, with plain steamed rice.
  • This dish can be reheated in the microwave oven easily.

Bengali Pabda Maach Jhal

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Rating: ★★★★★
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A light and flavorful Bengali fish curry made with pabda maach (catfish), loved for its delicate taste and bone-free texture.

Pabda Maach is a variety of freshwater catfish found in ponds, lakes, and rivers across India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. The fish is small (about 6–12 inches long), skinless, and very easy to clean.

It is especially popular in Bengali cuisine and is loved for its soft flesh and the absence of small bones, making it easy to eat for children and elders alike. This simple jhol highlights the natural taste of the fish.

Ingredients

  • 500 g pabda maach (cleaned and cut into pieces)
  • 2 tbsp mustard oil
  • 1 medium potato (cut into wedges)
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • ½ tsp red chili powder
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 green chilies (slit)
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 cups water
  • Fresh coriander leaves (optional)

Directions

  1. Rub the pabda fish with turmeric and salt and set aside for 5 minutes.
  2. Heat mustard oil in a pan until smoking lightly, then reduce heat.
  3. Fry the fish pieces gently until lightly golden. Remove and set aside.
  4. In the same oil, add cumin seeds and bay leaf; let them splutter.
  5. Add potato wedges and fry for 2–3 minutes.
  6. Add turmeric, cumin powder, chili powder, and salt. Mix well.
  7. Pour in water and let the potatoes cook until tender.
  8. Gently add the fried fish and green chilies.
  9. Simmer for 5–7 minutes until the fish is cooked and the gravy is light.
  10. Turn off heat and garnish with coriander if desired. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Nutrition


Per serving (approx.): 220 calories, 12g fat, 8g carbs, 20g protein

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