Bengali Fish Curry

I do not have an idea about what connects me to Bengal, but I am one big fan of their cuisine. It all started from the Kolkata Chicken Roll, went on to Biryanis, from their to their mind blowing Bengali sweets and now to the awesome fish curries that they make.

Honestly, I am a no fish curry person. I have no idea why, but I could just never bring myself down to liking fish curries. God bless my Late Father, he was a big fan and always looked forward to the fish curries my mom made. Jodhpur, the city I belong to does not get fresh fishes very often. The chicken market also sold fish when the season would be on and my father happened to be one of their regular customers. My father would always get enough to be made into curry and to be fried as well. I would never try the fish curry and would love the fried fish and that’s how it continued.

When I got married, Mr. Parveez loved the fish fried on the side with Daal-Chawal, but he also loves his Fish curry, so he would make his favorite fish curry just few times a year. I tried my level best to like it but its just something that puts me off. Then, one fine day comes in the phase of me finding my new love in Bengali cuisine and you know how Bengali food and fish go hand in hand. So, I came across this wonderful recipe of Bengali fish curry. now, honestly my search was for an authentic “Machhar Jhol” recipe and my search is still on. But this fish curry is the closest I could get to an authentic Machhar jhol.

This fish curry is also made in Bengali style and the taste is amazingly delicious. The flavor is mild and different from the regular fish curries. The recipe is pretty simple and easy to make, and the the recipe does not require any fancy ingredients either. I made this curry using Tilapia fillet, but you can use Halibut, Sea Bass or any other fish of your choice. The fish should be slightly mild for this recipe, so whichever fish you pick, it should not be extremely fishy in taste. Enjoy!!!

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Bengali Fish Curry

Fish Curry made with mild Bengali flavor

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Cuisine

Indian

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

30 Minutes

Servings

people MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 4 No. Tilapia Fish Fillets
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 3 tbsp Mustard oil Or any other oil of your choice
• 2 No. Onions Sliced
• 1 No. Bay leaf
• 3 No. Green Cardamoms
• 1 No. Cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
• 1/4 tsp Red chili powder
• 1/2 cup Tomato puree Grind 2 medium size tomatoes
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 500 ml Water
• 4-5 No. Green chilies sliced
• 2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped. To garnish

Cuisine Indian Prep Time 5 minutes Cook Time 30 Minutes Servings people MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 4 No. Tilapia Fish Fillets 1 tsp Turmeric Powder 1 tsp Salt 3 tbsp Mustard oil Or any other oil of your choice 2 No. Onions Sliced 1 No. Bay leaf 3 No. Green Cardamoms 1 No. Cinnamon stick 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste 1/4 tsp Red chili powder 1/2 cup Tomato puree Grind 2 medium size tomatoes 1/4 cup coconut milk 500 ml Water 4-5 No. Green chilies sliced 2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped. To garnish

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Instructions

1. Place the fish fillets on a plate, sprinkle over half the ground turmeric and half the salt and rub into the fillets. Leave for a minimum of 10 minutes but no longer than 30 minutes.

   
2. Add the sliced onions to the pan and fry gently, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized.

   
3. Using a slotted spoon, remove the onions from the pan, leaving as much of the oil in the pan as possible to cook the other ingredients. Place on a plate to drain. Spread the onions across the plate so they crisp as they cool.

   
4. You should have enough oil left in the pan to fry the fish; if not, add another 1 tbsp of the oil you are using. In the same pan, flash-fry the fish fillets for 20–30 seconds on both sides to seal. Do not allow the fish to cook.

   
5. Remove the fish from the pan and set aside on a plate.

   
6. Keeping the heat at medium–high, add Green cardamoms, Bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Also add green chilies and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

   
7. Keeping the heat at medium–high, add the garlic and ginger pastes to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

   
8. Add the remaining ground turmeric and the chilli powder. If the pastes stick to the base of the pan, sprinkle over some water.

   
9. Add the tomato puree, and mix well.

   
10. Add the fried onions, then cook for few minutes until the oil has seeped to the edges of the pan.

    
11. Add the water to loosen it all.

    
12. Return the fish fillets to the pan and cook for a further 2 minutes.

    
13. Add the coconut milk, then immediately remove the pan from the heat and carefully turn each fillet over.

    
14. Return the fish fillets to the pan and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk, then immediately remove the pan from the heat and carefully turn each fillet over. Taste the coconut milk and adjust the seasoning with sugar or salt as necessary.

    
15. Before serving, garnish with fried onions, sliced green chilies and chopped coriander.