Macher Jhol (Bengali Fish Curry)মাছের ঝোল

Name: Macher Jhol (Bengali Fish Curry)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Bengali
Ingredients: 500 g Rohu or katla fish, cut into steaks (মাছ); 1 large Potato, cut into wedges; 1 Tomato, chopped; 1 tsp Turmeric powder (হলুদ); 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder; 1 tsp Cumin powder (জিরে); 1 tbsp Ginger paste; 1 tsp Panch phoron; 2 Green chillies, slit; 4 tbsp Mustard oil (সরষের তেল); to taste Salt

⏱ Prep 15m🍳 Cook 25m🍽 Serves 4🌿 Non-veg

Video: Get Curried (YouTube)

Macher jhol is the everyday fish curry that anchors a Bengali lunch — a light, turmeric-golden gravy of rohu or catla simmered with potato and a whisper of panch phoron. It is comfort in a bowl, meant to be mixed into a mound of steamed rice with a squeeze of lime.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

Finding Desi spots near Plano…

Ingredients

▪Rohu or katla fish, cut into steaks (মাছ)500 g
▪Potato, cut into wedges1 large
▪Tomato, chopped1
▪Turmeric powder (হলুদ)1 tsp
▪Kashmiri red chilli powder1 tsp
▪Cumin powder (জিরে)1 tsp
▪Ginger paste1 tbsp
▪Panch phoron1 tsp
▪Green chillies, slit2
▪Mustard oil (সরষের তেল)4 tbsp
▪Saltto taste

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

Rohu/katla are sold frozen at Bengali and South-Asian grocers abroad; tilapia, carp or any firm freshwater fish works as a substitute.
Mustard oil is essential to the flavour — most Indian stores carry it; if using another oil, add 1/4 tsp mustard powder for that pungent note.
No panch phoron? Mix equal parts cumin, fennel, fenugreek, nigella and mustard seeds.

Method

1Rub the fish steaks with a little salt and turmeric and rest 10 minutes. Heat mustard oil until it just smokes, then fry the fish on both sides until lightly golden. Remove and set aside.
2In the same oil, fry the potato wedges until their edges brown; remove. Add panch phoron and let it splutter, then the tomato, ginger paste, turmeric, chilli and cumin powders with a splash of water; fry until the oil separates.
3Return the potatoes with 2 cups of hot water and salt, cover and simmer until the potato is nearly tender.
4Slip in the fried fish and the slit green chillies, simmer gently 5 minutes so the fish soaks up the gravy — do not stir hard or it will break.
5Rest 5 minutes and serve with hot steamed rice.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.