Macher jhol with rice
The everyday Bengali fish curry: rohu steaks and potatoes fried in mustard oil and simmered in a thin ginger-cumin jhol with no onion or garlic, eaten with plenty of rice. In winter many homes add cauliflower, and maacher kalia is the richer version with onion and garam masala.
- 50 minTime
- 25 minHands-on
- 4Portions
- 35 gprotein per portion
- 640kcal per portion
Ingredients for 4 portions
- 8 steaksRohu
- 1 tspTurmeric
- to tasteSalt
- 4 tbspMustard oil
- 300 gPotato, peeled, cut into long pieces
- 3 mlKalonji (nigella seeds)
- 3Green chillies, slit
- 1 tbspGinger, grated to a paste
- 1 tspCumin, powder
- 1 tspCoriander powder
- 3 mlRed chilli powder
- 1Tomato, chopped (optional)
- ≈ 500 mlWater, hot
- 2 tbspCoriander leaves, chopped
On the side
- 350 gRice
Method
- Wash the fish and rub it with half the turmeric and a little salt.
- Wash the rice and put a large pan of water on to boil for it.
- Boil the rice uncovered in the bubbling water until the grains are soft, 12–15 minutes. Drain off the starchy water and keep the rice covered.
- Meanwhile, heat the mustard oil in a kadai until it smokes, then lower the heat a little. Fry the fish a few pieces at a time, 2–3 minutes a side, until golden, and lift out.
- Fry the potatoes in the same oil until golden at the edges, about 5 minutes, and lift out.
- Add the kalonji and green chillies to the oil and let them sizzle. Add the ginger, cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, the rest of the turmeric and a splash of water, and fry for 2 minutes until the oil separates.
- Add the tomato and cook for 2 minutes. Return the potatoes, pour in the hot water and add salt. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are almost tender, about 10 minutes.
- Slide in the fried fish and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, spooning the jhol over, until the fish is cooked through. Sprinkle with coriander leaves.
- Serve the rice with the jhol poured over, a piece of fish and some potatoes for each.
