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Bengali Fish Curry (Macher Jhol)

This unique Bengali fish curry recipe, features a light and fragrant coconut sauce with mustard and poppy seeds. It’s a quick and easy curry to make at home and one of the tastiest ever!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 538 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

For the Bengal Curry Paste
  • 4 dried chillies
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 2 tsp poppy seeds (white) (often called khus khus)
  • ¼ tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ cup coconut milk
For the curry
  • 4 tbsp mustard oil
  • 4 green chillies (thinly sliced) (about 2 tbsp)
  • 1 tomato (chopped)
  • 1 potato (cubed, about 1 cup)
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • t tbsp tamarind concentrate (diluted with a little water)
  • 1.5 lb white fish (700g) (cut into large chunks) (fish suggestions below)
Garnishes
  • ¼ cup cilantro (chopped)
  • ¼ cup radishes (finely diced)
  • ¼ cup celery (finely diced)

Instructions

For the Bengal curry paste
    Cup of Yum
  1. Add the dried chillies, cumin seeds, poppy seeds and coriander seeds to a dry frying pan and toast for 1 minute until the cumin seeds start to jump around. Remove from the heat and add to a spice grinder and grind into a fine powder. Stir in the turmeric, salt and sugar and 1/2 cup of the coconut milk and set aside.
For the curry
  1. In a wok or deep sauce pan, heat the oil over a moderate temperature until just hot. Add the curry paste along and fry for 1 minute, until the oil separates.
  2. Pour in the remaining coconut milk, 1/4 cup water, chopped chillies, potatoes and tomato and stir well. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered for 12 minutes until creamy. The potatoes should be cooked too.
  3. Stir in the tamarind liquid and then carefully add the fish chunks and simmer for 5-10 minutes (depending how large your fish pieces are), covered, without stirring until the fish is cooked through.
  4. Remove from the heat and serve scattered with cilantro, celery and radish with plenty of fluffy basmati rice or Indian breads.

Notes

  • Ingredient Substitutions & Tips
  • Garnishes – In addition to the garnishes in my recipe, you could also fry a few fresh curry leaves in mustard oil and scatter them over, or use fresh cilantro or mint. You can also scatter a little dried fenugreek leaves (methi Kasoori).
  • In addition to the garnishes in my recipe, you could also fry a few fresh curry leaves in mustard oil and scatter them over, or use fresh cilantro or mint. You can also scatter a little dried fenugreek leaves (methi Kasoori).

  • Fish – where you are in the world dictates the fish you can use. Here’s a rough guide to the types of fish you might want to consider.

    North America - Pollock, Cod, Firm Tilapia, Bass, Grouper, Haddock and Halibut, Mackerel and Mahi Mahi UK - Cod, Haddock, Whiting, Bream, Monkfish, Grey Mullet and Mackerel Australia - Flathead, Barramundi, Blue Warehou, Whiting, Snapper, Mackerel and Basa India - Rohu or Rui Maach, Hilsa/Ilish or Pomfret, Mackerel

  • North America - Pollock, Cod, Firm Tilapia, Bass, Grouper, Haddock and Halibut, Mackerel and Mahi Mahi
  • UK - Cod, Haddock, Whiting, Bream, Monkfish, Grey Mullet and Mackerel
  • Australia - Flathead, Barramundi, Blue Warehou, Whiting, Snapper, Mackerel and Basa
  • India - Rohu or Rui Maach, Hilsa/Ilish or Pomfret, Mackerel
  • Alternative vegetables - Instead of adding potatoes, you may want to add some other vegetables. Try green beans, cauliflower, pumpkin or squash, cooked and drained spinach or fresh English peas.
  • Tempering the sauce – To add pungency to the sauce, add a mustard paste. Simply grind 1tsp of mustard seeds in a pestle & mortar and then mix in 1tsp mustard oil and 2 tbsp water. Drizzle this into the finished curry sauce just before serving.
  • Pre-frying the fish – In Bengal, fish is often fried before cooking in the sauce. Simply scatter over a little turmeric to coat (about ½ tsp) and marinate for 30 mins. Then fry in about 1-inch of vegetable oil for 2-3 minutes each side. Alternatively, you can brush with oil and air-fry in a single layer for 4-5 minutes.
  • Instead of Tamarind, you can squeeze over a little fresh lime or lemon juice.

Nutrition Information

Calories 538kcal (27%) Carbohydrates 19g (6%) Protein 38g (76%) Fat 36g (55%) Saturated Fat 19g (95%) Polyunsaturated Fat 4g Monounsaturated Fat 10g Cholesterol 85mg (28%) Sodium 848mg (35%) Potassium 1099mg (31%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 505IU (10%) Vitamin C 23mg (26%) Calcium 90mg (9%) Iron 6mg (33%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 538

% Daily Value*

Calories 538kcal 27%
Carbohydrates 19g 6%
Protein 38g 76%
Fat 36g 55%
Saturated Fat 19g 95%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g 24%
Monounsaturated Fat 10g 50%
Cholesterol 85mg 28%
Sodium 848mg 35%
Potassium 1099mg 23%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 505IU 10%
Vitamin C 23mg 26%
Calcium 90mg 9%
Iron 6mg 33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.