Indian Cooking Tips: How To Make The Classic Bengali Machcher Jhol At Home

With countless rivers surrounding West Bengal, fish is a major attraction, with rohu, pabda and koi being the popular ones. Known to be the land of Machch (fish), preparing a variety of fish delicacies and eating it on normal as well as on important occasions is a part of Bengali culture. From a simple everyday meal to traditional rituals, festivals like Durga Puja or Bengali weddings, fish is an integral part of the cuisine. One of the most popular rituals is gifting a fish to the bride's family during a wedding as it is considered to be a symbol of good luck and well-being.

And when fish is such a huge part of the Bengali culture, it is bound to be cooked in many varieties in Bengali households. A glimpse of which we can seen during the Durga Puja, and oh what a delicious fare that is! From Doi Machch to Fish Kabiraji, one can find stellar fish dishes all around. However, one of the fish curries that we cannot get over is the classic Machcher Jhol.

(Also Read: 8 Best Bengali Fish Recipes)

Bengali cuisine sets itself apart with a distinct flavour of mustard oil and turmeric with a little bit of cinnamon. Machcher jhol is no different, besides the fact that it is simple, easy and quick!

Here we have an easy machcher jhol recipe that you can make within 30 minutes using simple ingredients. All you have to do is take a fish of your choice, cut thick diagonal slices and apply salt and turmeric over it. Fry the pieces until golden brown and keep it aside. The curry is made by sautéing onion seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaf together along with a freshly ground paste.

The ground paste has onion, ginger, garlic, chillies, salt and turmeric that lend an aromatic, spicy flavour to the masala. The masala is sautéed well, combined with water and simmered. The fried fish is added to this curry right before serving it hot.

Find the full recipe of Machcher Jhol here.

It can be served with another Bengali staple Bhaat (rice) or chapati. Try it at home and let us know your experience in the comments section below.