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Doi maach
Fish in spiced yogurt gravy
দই মাছ: Bengali rohu or katla steaks fried in mustard oil and simmered in a silky, lightly sweet spiced yogurt gravy
At a Bengali wedding feast or on Jamai Shashthi, when sons-in-law are fed like kings, doi maach is the fish course everyone waits for. Thick steaks of rohu or katla, the big freshwater carp of Bengal's ponds, are rubbed with turmeric and salt, fried in sharp mustard oil and then simmered in a pale, creamy gravy of whisked yogurt, ginger and onion paste and whole garam masala, sweetened just enough to balance the tang. It is mild and fragrant rather than hot. Carp has fine bones, so eat it slowly. Cook the fish until it is opaque and flakes easily from the bone. Serve with steamed gobindobhog or plain white rice, and a squeeze of gondhoraj lime if you can find it. Common mistake: tipping cold yogurt straight into hot oil, which splits it into grainy curds. Chef's tip: whisk the yogurt with the spice powders and a spoonful of the hot gravy first, then add it over the lowest heat.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the fish
- 1 ⅓ lb rohu or katla fish steaks6 steaks, about 2 cm thick
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¾ tsp salt
- 5 tbsp mustard oildivided
For the gravy
- 1 ⅛ in cinnamon stick
- 3 green cardamom podslightly crushed
- 3 cloves
- 1 onionlarge, ground to a paste
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 7 oz full-fat plain yogurtat room temperature
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 ½ tsp sugar
- ¾ tsp salt
- 3 green chilliesslit
- ½ cup warm water
- 1 tsp ghee
- ¼ tsp garam masala
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What you'll need
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Rinse 1 ⅓ lb rohu or katla fish steaks and pat dry. Rub with ½ tsp ground turmeric and ¾ tsp salt and leave for 15 minutes in the fridge.
Step 2: Heat 4 tablespoons of the 4 tbsp mustard oil in a karahi over a high heat until it just starts to smoke, then lower to medium. This takes the raw pungency out of the oil.
3 minStep 3: Slide in the fish steaks in one layer and fry for 3 minutes per side until golden with a light crust. Don't move them until they release easily, or they break. Lift onto a plate.
7 minStep 4: Add the remaining 1 tbsp mustard oil to the pan with 2 bay leaves, 1 ⅛ in cinnamon stick, 3 green cardamom pods and 3 cloves and let them crackle for 30 seconds over a medium heat.
Step 5: Add 1 onion and fry for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until pale golden and no longer smelling raw. Add 1 tbsp ginger paste and cook for 1 minute.
9 minStep 6: Meanwhile whisk 7 oz full-fat plain yogurt with ¼ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 1 ½ tsp sugar and ¾ tsp salt until smooth. Turn the heat to its lowest, stir a spoonful of the hot onion masala into the yogurt, then pour the yogurt into the pan, stirring constantly for 2–3 minutes until it is hot and glossy and has not split.
3 minStep 7: Add 3 green chillies and ½ cup warm water and bring to a very gentle simmer. Slip in the fried fish, spoon the gravy over and cook covered on a low heat for 6–8 minutes until the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes easily at the bone.
8 minStep 8: Drizzle over 1 tsp ghee and sprinkle on ¼ tsp garam masala, cover for 2 minutes off the heat and serve with steamed rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 31 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does doi maach take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
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