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Macher jhol
Light fish curry
Macher jhol (মাছের ঝোল): thin, light Bengali fish curry with potatoes, cumin and turmeric
Macher jhol is the dish Bengalis miss most when they leave Kolkata: a thin, turmeric-yellow broth with pieces of rohu or catla, a few potato wedges and sometimes cauliflower or aubergine, eaten every day with plain rice at lunch. It is light, gently spicy with ginger and cumin, and finished with green chillies and coriander; it is the dish mothers make for children and anyone recovering from illness. A portion is about 260 kcal. The most common mistake is skipping the light frying of the fish, or frying it too long; a minute or two each side seals it and keeps it from breaking in the broth. Chef's tip: rub the fish with turmeric and salt for 10 minutes before frying; it firms the flesh and takes away any muddy taste of river fish.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the fish
- 1 ⅛ lb rohu, catla or other firm white fish steaks2.5 cm thick, bone-in or fillets
- 1 tsp ground turmericsplit between fish and curry
- 1 ¼ tsp saltsplit between fish and curry
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
For the jhol
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 potatocut into thin wedges
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tomato (optional)small, chopped
- 2 cups hot water
- 3 green chilliesslit
- ⅓ oz fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rub 1 ⅛ lb rohu, catla or other firm white fish steaks with half the ½ tsp ground turmeric and half the ⅝ tsp salt and leave for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil in a wide pan over a high heat until it smokes, then lower to medium. Slide in the fish and fry for 1–2 minutes each side, until lightly golden. Lift out onto a plate; it will not be cooked through yet.
4 minStep 3: In the same oil, add ½ tsp cumin seeds and 1 bay leaf; when they sizzle, add 1 potato and fry for 3 minutes until the edges turn golden.
3 minStep 4: Mix 1 tbsp ginger paste, 1 ½ tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder and the rest of the ½ tsp ground turmeric with 3 tablespoons of water. Add to the pan with 1 tomato and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, until the oil separates.
2 minStep 5: Pour in 2 cups hot water with the rest of the ⅝ tsp salt, bring to the boil and simmer for 8 minutes, until the potatoes are nearly tender.
8 minStep 6: Slip the fish back in with 3 green chillies and simmer gently for 5 minutes, spooning the broth over, until the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes easily at the bone. Do not stir, or it will break.
5 minStep 7: Scatter with ⅓ oz fresh coriander and serve with plenty of plain rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does macher jhol take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 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 cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
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