Fish preparations

Mach/Fish Curries

Rui Mach or Rohu fish is more or less Bengal's evryday fish. People who do not reside in West Bengal can substitute Rui Mach with Carp. If you cant even find Carp use any firm, white fleshed fish such as Red Snapper, Halibut, Haddock, Cod or even Swordfish. American Shad can also be a good substitute for Hilsa.

Mashladar Koi/Spicy Koi Fish
- Koi Fish- 500 gms
- Cumin powder- 1 teaspoon
- Turmeric Powder- 1 teaspoon
- Ginger - 1 inch, grated
- Chilli dried- 4
- Tomato- 1 big, diced
- Garam Masala powder- 1 teaspoon(Cinnamon and cardamom powder)
- Bay leaves- 4
- Kalo Jirey/ Kalunji/ Onion seeds- ½ teaspoon
- Sugar- 1 teaspoon
- Salt to taste
- Mustard oil- 1 cup
- Water- 1 cup

Wash the fish properly. Take a clean bowl and put the Cumin paste, Turmeric powder, Ginger paste, Dried chilly paste, Garam Masala powder, sugar and salt in it and mix them altogether. Add the fish in the spice mixture and make sure they are all coated. Leave them aside for an hour. After an hour heat the oil in a pan. Add the Kalo Jirey in the hot oil and wait until it sizzle. Once it starts sizzling add the spice coated fish in it. Wait until one side of the fish is crispy and golden brown and then turn the fish over very carefully making sure it doesnt break.
Add the tomato pieces and a cup of water. Wait until the water dries and the oil seperates from the fish. Once that happens you can remove the pan from the heat.

Serve Mashladar Koi with white, hot rice.

Bagda Chingri Macher Kalaia/King Prawn Curry

- King Prawn- 400gm
- Natural Yogurt- 100 gm
- Onion- 1 big, grated
- Cumin paste- 1 teaspoon
- Chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
- Cashew nut grinded- 10 to 12
- Sugar- 1 teaspoon
- Peas- ½ cup
- Sultanas- 1 handful
- Ghee- 1 tablespoon
- Bay leaves- 2
- Salt to taste

Peel and wash the prawns and rinse them gently under cold water. Put the Natural yogurt, grated onion, Cumin paste, Chilli powder, sugar and salt into a bowl. Mix them altogether. Add the prawns to the spice mixture, making sure they are all coated. Leave to marinade for an hour.
Heat the Ghee in a round bottomed pan and add the Bay leaves. Wait until it sizzles. Once it starts sizzling reduce the heat and add the spice coated Prawns. Cover the lid of the pan and wait until the prawns are cooked. Sprinle the sultanas and pour in the peas and the Cashew nut powder and give it a good stir. the Prawns are cooked and the oil starts seperating

Joan Mach/Fish cooked with Ajwain seeds (Carom Seeds)

- Pona Mach(Carp can be used)- 500 gms
- Onion- 2, medium sized, grated
- Ajwain paste- ½ teaspoon,
- Ginger paste- 20 gms
- Chilli powder- ½ teaspoon
- Sugar- 1 teaspoon
- Ghee- 2 tablespoon
- Garam Masala- 1 teaspoon, crushed
- Natural Yogurt- 100 gm
- Lemon
- Salt to taste

Cut the fish according to your own desirable pieces. Rub lemon juice on them and keep them aside. Heat the Ghee in a deep round bottomed pan. Once the Ghee is hot reduce the heat and add the sugar. Add the crushed Garam Msala, Ajawain paste, Ginger paste, grated onion and chilly powder when the sugar has caramelised. Stir all the spices for about 5 minutes add the yougurt diluted with a little bit of water. Add the fish. Allow them to boil for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Serve it with white,hot rice.

Rui Macher Posto/Rohu fish cooked in Poppy seed paste

- Rui Mach(Carp can be used)- 1 kg
- Kalo Jirey/Kalunji/Onion seeds- 1½ teaspoon
- Sugar- 1 teaspoon
- Green Chillies- 5 to 6, slitted
- Turmeric powder- ½ teaspoon
- Mustard oil- 1½ cup
- Salt to taste

Cut the fish according to your own desirable pieces. Rub turmeric powder on the fish pieces. Heat the oil in a deep round bottomed pan. Once the oil is hot reduce the heat and add the fish. Fry the fish until both the sides are brown and keep them aside. Grind the Posto in a coffee grinder. Add 2 tablespoons of water with the grinded posto to make a paste. Now add the Kalo Jirey in the rest of the oil left in the pan and wait until it sizzles. Once it starts sizzling add the Posto paste, salt and the slitted green chillies. Stir the Posto in the pan until it is a bit brownish. Add ¼ cup of water and the fried fish pieces. Reduce the heat and allow it to boil for 5 minutes. Remove the pan.

Serve Rui Macher Posto with white and hot rice.

Potol ar Aloo diye Katla Macher Jhol/ Katla fish stew with Parwal and potatoes

- Katla Mach(Carp can be used)- 500 gms
- Potaoes- medium sized, 4
- Potol/Parwal- 6
- Coriander powder- ½ tablespoon
- Ginger paste- ½ spoon
- Cumin paste- 1 table spoon
- Chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
- Tomato- big, cut into pieces
- Green Chillies, slitted- 4
- Panch Foran- ¼ teaspoon
- Sugar- 2 teaspoon
- Bay leaves- 2
- Coriander leaves- ½ bunch, chopped finely
- Mustard oil- 1 cup
- Water- 1½ cup

Cut the fish according to your own desirable pieces. Rub turmeric powder on the fish pieces. Heat the oil in a deep round bottomed pan. Once the oil is hot reduce the heat and add the fish. Fry the fish until both the sides are brown and keep them aside. Peel the potoes and cut them into long piecs. Cut the Parwals into halves. Wash the vegetables and keep them aside.
Heat the oil in a deep round bottomed pan. Add the Panch Foran and Bay leaves to the oil and wait until they sizzle. Once they start sizzling add the ginger paste, cumin paste, coriander paste,turmeric powder, tomatoes, salt and sugar. Stir the spices in the pan thoroughly for about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables and give a good stir until the oil starts seperating. Pour in the water and cover the pan. Add the fish once the vegetables are nearly cooked. Allow the vegetables and the fish cook properly. Remove the pan from the heat once everything are cooked. Add the slitted green chillies and chopped coriander leaves and remove the pan from the heat.

Serve Katla macher jhol with hot rice. My favourite yummmmyyyyyy......

Ilish Macher Paturi(Kumro ba Lau pata diye)/Hilsa fish folded in Marrow or Pumpkin leaf and cooked.

- Ilish/Hilsa fish- 1, 1500 gms
- Turmeric Powder- 2 tablespoon
- Mustard paste- 25 gms
- Mustard oil- 500 gms
- Pumpkin or Marrow leaves- 12
- Green chilli paste- 2 tablespoon
- Natural Yogurt- 200 gms
- Salt to taste

Cut the fish according to your own desirable pieces. Rub turmeric powder on the fish pieces. Heat the Sort the big leaves of Pumpkin or Marrow and then wash them and keep aside.

In a bowl add mustard paste, chilli paste, natural yogurt, salt and 100 gms of mustard oil and mix all the spices altogether. Now add the Hilsa pieces and cover them with the spice mixture. Fold each spiced piece of fish in Marrow or pumpkin leaf. Heat the rest of the oil in a round bottomed pan and fry each piece of fish in the oil.

Serve it with hot rice.

Ilish Macher Paturi kola pata diye/Hilsa fish folded in banana leaf and cooked. Ilish or Hilsa Fish is

- Ilish/Hilsa fish- 1, 1500 gms
- Turmeric Powder- 2 tablespoon
- Mustard paste- 25 gms
- Mustard oil- 200 gms
- Banana leaf- 1
- Green chilli paste- 2 tablespoon
- Salt to taste

Cut the fish according to your own desirable pieces. Rub turmeric powder on the fish pieces. Heat the

In a bowl add mustard paste, chilli paste, salt and 100 gms of mustard oil and mix all the spices altogether. Now add the Hilsa pieces and cover them with the spice mixture. Fold all the spiced pieces of fish in the banana leaf. Heat a flat bottomed griddle or Tawa pour rest of the oil on the pan and wait until the oil gets hot. Place the fish pieces folded in the Bana leaf on the Tawa. Wait until it starts sizzling and the banana leaf turns into brown colour. Turn it to the other side and wait until this side gets brown too. Remove it from the heat once the fish is done.

Unwrap the fish pieces and serve with hot rice. Serve it with hot rice.

Ilish Macher Jhol/Hilsa fish Curry

- Ilish/Hilsa fish- 400 gms, 5 to 6 pieces
- Onions- small, 10 to 12
- Bay leaves- 2
- Garam Masala- Cardamom Pods 4, Cinnamon stick 1 and Clove 4
- Chilli Powder- ½ tespoon
- Turmeric Powder- 2 tablespoon
- Green chilli paste- 2
- Ginger paste- 1 teaspoon
- Garlic paste- 1 teaspoon
- Coconut Milk- 1½ cup
- Tomato puree- 2 teaspoon
- Lemon juice- 2 teaspoon
- Ghee- 2 tablespoon
- Sugar- ½ teaspoon
- Salt to taste

Cut the fish according to your own desirable pieces. Rub turmeric powder on the fish pieces. Heat the

Add the ginger paste, garlic paste and the tomato puree in a bowl and mix them altogether. Add the fish pieces and mix them thoroughly with the spice and keep them aside.
Heat the ghee in a round bottomed pan and add the Garam Masala and Bay leaves in it. Add the onions after the Garam Masala starts sizzling. Stir fry the onion until it is tender and then add the fish pieces, salt and sugar. Give it a good stir and then pour the Coconut milk. Cover the lid of the pan and reduce the heat. Wait until the fish are cooked. Once the fish is cooked add the lemon juice and the Ilisher Jhol is done.

Serve Ilisher Jhol with white rice.

Rui Macher Bhaja Roast/ Fry and Roast of Rohu fish

- Big Rui fish ( Carp can be used)- 5 to 6 pieces
- Onions- small, 1, thinly sliced
- Turmeric Powder- 2 tablespoon
- Green chilli- Thinly sliced, 1
- Ginger paste- 1 teaspoon
- Garlic paste- 1 teaspoon-
- Mustard paste- 1 tablespoon
- Tomato sauce- 1 teaspoon
- Lemon juice- 2 teaspoon
- Coriander or Mint leaves- chopped, 2 teaspoons
- Sugar- ½ teaspoon
- Salt to taste
- Cooking oil- 4 tablespoons
- Standard Flour- 2 teaspoons

Wash the fish pieces and dry them. Rub the lemon juice on the fish pieces and keep them aside for ½ hour. Add the sliced onions, sliced green chillies, ginger paste, garlic paste, mustard paste, tomato sauce, sugar, salt, ½ tablespoon of oil and the flour all together in a bowl. Coat all the fish pieces with this spice mixture.
Heat the oil in a nonstick frying pan and reduce the heat once the oil is hot. Add the fish pieces to the oil and fry them thoroughly until both the sides are brown and crispy.
If there are any excess spice mixture left fry them in the oil and pour it over the fish in a serving plate. Sprinkle chopped coriander or mint leaves over the fried fish.

serve it with hot rice.

We, the bengalis love to use Mustard oil but you can actually use any cooking oil of your own choice.