12 July, 2019

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How to make Spicy Pomfret Machher Jhal (Bengali Fish Curry)

Posted in : Recipe on July 12, 2019 by : indrani

This is a spicy pomfret curry in Bengali style with the combination of onion ,ginger garlic and mustard paste. In Bengali traditional Bengali cuisine generally the use of tomato and garlic is not popular but I have used in this recipe to add a modern twist to the flavors.

Ingredients

1.  5 to 6 whole pomfret fishes
2. 1 tsp onion seeds or kalonji
3. 1 tsp cumin powder
4. 1 tsp coriander powder

Onion masala paste

1. 1 Onion
2. 2 to 3 Red chilies
3. 1/2 ginger( 3 to 4 inch)  peeled
4. 8 to 10 cloves garlic
5. 1 Tomato

Deep frying

• 1/2 cup mustard oil

Mustard paste

1. 2 Green chilies
2. 2 to 4 tbsp. Mustard seeds

Preparation

•  Heat oil till smoking point
• Deep fry the fishes one by one and take them off the heat and discard the oil
• Grind the onion, ginger, garlic, tomato paste
• add 1 tbsp. of fresh mustard oil in the pan.
• Fry nigella seeds
• Fry chopped onions till golden brown
• Add the ground paste.
• Sprinkle cumin and coriander powder.
• Sauté the spices till they leave the sides of the pan and look fried.
• Add 1/2 cup of warm water and cover the gravy for 10 to 15 mins
• Add the fish pieces one by one.
• Dissolve the mustard paste in water and strain
• Add this liquid paste in the gravy and allow to cook for another 5 minutes.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
• Serve with steamed rice.

Pro Cooking Tips for Perfect Seafood

The Smoking Point: Always heat your high-quality mustard oil until it reaches its absolute smoking point before adding the fish. This crucial step removes the harsh, bitter raw edge of the oil and ensures the pomfret develops a crisp skin without sticking to the bottom of the wok.

1. Straining the Mustard:When working with mustard paste, always dissolve it in warm water and pass it through a fine-mesh strainer before pouring it into the gravy. This removes the gritty black skins of the mustard seeds, preventing your curry from turning bitter and ensuring a silky texture.
2. Simmer, Don’t Boil: Once you slip the fried whole pomfret into the pan, lower the flame and let it simmer gently so the delicate fish flesh absorbs the spices without breaking apart.

You can learn more about this specific fish here.

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