Discover the secrets to creating a delectable Bengali delicacy known as Doi Maach. You can cook this traditional fish curry, infused with the tangy goodness of curd/yogurt, in a mere half hour using the steps outlined in this recipe!
Jump to:
- Why I love Doi Maach
- Recipe Variations - Doi Maach
- Ingredients
- Here's how I cook Doi Maach at Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Recipe Card
- Watch how to make Doi Maach
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Fish Recipes from Debjanir Rannaghar
- Yogurt or Curd based recipes
- Have you tried the Doi Maach Recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- here's the bengali Doi Pona recipe pin for your pinterest board!
Why I love Doi Maach
Doi Maach, a fish curry recipe that I find to be the simplest. I first tried my hand at it while living in a hostel, relying on my mother's guidance and a spirit lamp. Later on, when I found myself alone and working in Bihar, I began cooking it regularly. And even after getting married and moving to Delhi, where I endured a daily commute of nearly 50 kilometers, I continued to make it. Nowadays, I turn to this recipe whenever I'm short on time or exhausted after a long day at the office, or when I need to prepare a large quantity of food. What makes it even better is that it doesn't require frying the fish, making it perfect for someone like me who lacks energy. Most importantly, both Mehebub and Pasta never complain when I serve them Doi Maach!
Recipe Variations - Doi Maach
I've had the pleasure of tasting various versions of Doi Maach. My grandmother used to make it by frying the fish first. Her Doi Maach was quite similar to Bengali Fish Curry, with a gravy made from onions, ginger, garlic, and of course, yogurt.
Then there's Chordibhai's Doi Maach. Unlike Dida, she never fries the fish chunks. Her recipe is actually quite simple. Chordibhai marinates the fish in yogurt and a mixture of sugar, salt, chili powder, and mustard oil, then slow cooks it.
However, when I'm short on time but craving a delicious fish curry, I prefer Chordibhai's recipe over Dida's. I find it to be more authentic in this regard. Doi Maach, also known as Doi Rui/Katla or Doi Pona, is a modified version of Doi Ilish, which is made with Hilsa fish. Just like with Doi Ilish, we don't fry the fish for Doi Maach. Instead, we steam it.
I've made a slight modification to Chordibhai's recipe to suit my taste. I like to add a bit of onion paste along with the ginger-garlic paste in my Doi Maach. It gives it a slightly different flavor.
Ingredients
Lastly, let me emphasize that Doi Maach is perfect for simple cooking, as I may have previously mentioned 🙂 ! With just a handful of essential ingredients and a quick boil, you're good to go! Personally, I prefer using the microwave for a hassle-free cooking experience. However, if a microwave is not accessible, you can simply boil it in a pan and you're all set!
Here's how I cook Doi Maach at Debjanir Rannaghar!
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Doi Maach (Bengali Fish Curry cooked with plain curd)
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 mins
- Yield: 5-6 People 1x
- Diet: Low Calorie
Description
Discover a simple yet delectable recipe for Doi Maach, a traditional Bengali fish curry. This signature dish, which boasts a base of curd or yogurt, can be prepared effortlessly in just half an hour by following the steps outlined below.
Ingredients
- 6 pieces Fish Chunk (around 500g)
- 200g Plain Curd
- 3 Tbsp. Onion Paste (Optional)
- 1Tbsp. Ginger Paste (Optional)
- 1 Tbsp. Garlic Paste (Optional)
- 3-4 Green Chilli
- ½ Tsp. Bengali Garam Masala Powder
- ½ Tsp. Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- 1 Tsp. Turmeric Powder
- 1 Tbsp. Sugar
- 2 Tbsp. Mustard Oil
- 1 Tsp. Salt or to taste
Instructions
- Ensure that the Fish chunks are thoroughly washed before applying a small amount of Salt and Turmeric Powder to them.
- In a large bowl (preferably a Glass Bowl with a lid), whisk the plain curd or plain yogurt using a spoon.
- Next, incorporate the Onion Paste, Ginger Paste, Garlic Paste, Bengali Garam Masala Powder, Kashmiri Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, Sugar, Salt, and Mustard Oil into the yogurt, ensuring they are well combined.
- To dilute the mixture, add a minimum of two cups of water.
- Place the Fish pieces onto the yogurt mixture, ensuring that each piece is evenly coated, and allow them to marinate for approximately 45 minutes to 1 Hour.
To Make Doi Maach in Microwave:
- Place the fish, along with the marinade, into a microwave-safe bowl that has a lid.
- Microwave the bowl on medium heat, or 40%, for 20 minutes.
- Following this, uncover the bowl and insert sliced green chilies.
- Proceed to microwave the bowl on high heat, or 100%, for an additional 10 minutes. This will infuse the Doi Maach with a delightful scent of green chilies while preserving their vibrant color.
Making Doi Maach in normal Stove:
- If a microwave oven is not accessible, simply place the fish in a pan with the curd mixture and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
- Then, increase the flame to high and cook for an additional 5 minutes after adding green chilies.
- Allow the dish to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Instead of plain curd, you can use Yogurt with no added flavor.
- You can skip Onion, garlic, and ginger.
- You may skip Turmeric powder if you want your curry a bit whitish.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Fish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: Bengali
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 150g
- Calories: 215
- Sugar: 6.1g
- Sodium: 674mg
- Fat: 11.4g
- Saturated Fat: 2.6g
- Carbohydrates: 18.5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 9.4g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Watch how to make Doi Maach
Frequently Asked Questions
Including wheat flour in the curd mixture is a widely used method, but it negatively impacts the taste of doi maach and interferes with the delicate yogurt curry. My suggestion is to prioritize thorough mixing of curd or yogurt with spices and, of course, mustard oil. Cooking this mixture on low heat and stirring intermittently will prevent curdling without the need for wheat flour to thicken the curry.
Plain curd or unflavored Greek yogurt are both suitable for cooking doi mach, a traditional Bengali dish. In India, we typically use tawk doi, which is readily available as dahi. If you are not in India, finding yogurt should be a simple task!
In India, especially in West Bengal Rohu or Katla fish are commonly preferred, but if you are outside of India, Salmon is also a suitable alternative.
Fish Recipes from Debjanir Rannaghar
Yogurt or Curd based recipes
- Bhetki Maach Bhapa (also known as Bhapa Maach with Barramundi)
- Bhapa doi (also known as bengali steamed yogurt)
- Bengali paneer kosha recipe
- Baked soan papdi and mishti doi cheesecake topped with mini gulab jamun
- Doi murgi (also known as Kolkata style doi chicken | Bengali curd based chicken curry recipe)
Have you tried the Doi Maach Recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
Please inform me of your experience and feel free to send a photo to dolonchttrj@gmail.com. Additionally, you can find me on various social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, Google News, X, and Thread. Don't forget to use the hashtag #debjanirrannaghar when sharing your attempts at my recipes or if you have any questions or recipe requests.
here's the bengali Doi Pona recipe pin for your pinterest board!
About Debjani Chatterjee Alam
I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.
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