Bori Begun Aloo diye Ilish Macher Tel Jhol is a beloved Bengali fish curry, featuring Hilsa fish, potatoes, aubergine, and bori – those delightful sun-dried lentil dumplings.
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- A light Hilsa Fish Curry - Bori Begun Aloo diye Ilish Mach-er Tel Jhol
- Other Curries using Ilish Mach
- Recipe Variation
- Recipe Card
- Hilsa Fish Recipes - common and uncommon
- Related Macher Jhol Recipes
- Have you tried the Bori Begun Aloo diye Ilish Macher Tel Jhol recipe from debjanir rannaghar?
- Here's the Bori Begun Alu diye Ilish Mach-er Tel Jhol Recipe Pin for your Pinterest board
A light Hilsa Fish Curry - Bori Begun Aloo diye Ilish Mach-er Tel Jhol
Growing up as someone from West Bengal (a Ghoti), I've always favored Ilish over Chingri (prawn). While it can be pricey, I indulge in Ilish at least once a month – good quality ones around 1-1.5 kg can cost between 1200-1500 rupees in Kolkata these days! But honestly, I'm a typical Bengali, and like my whole family, I get emotional about Maacher Jhol. We can debate anything from politics to cricket, Bollywood to physics, all while enjoying a plate of Bhat and Macher Jhol. This post celebrates Bori Begun Aloo diye Ilish Macher Tel Jhol, a true Bengali delight.
As the name suggests, this comforting and light curry is made with Ilish Mach (Hilsa), Aloo (potato), Begun (aubergine), and Bori (sun-dried lentil dumplings). And trust me, splurging on good quality Ilish is absolutely worth it!
Other Curries using Ilish Mach
This Ilish Maach dish, whether you call it Ilish Macher Tel Jhol or Bori Begun Aloo diye Ilish Mach-er Tel Jhol, is truly a comforting meal. It’s quite different from the richer Ilish curries most people make. I’ve enjoyed it many times, though not where I grew up. Being a Ghoti, I’m used to Ilish cooked with mustard paste. Doi Ilish is another delicious dish my mother often makes, but not this Tel Jhol.
Recipe Variation
I always had Bori Begun Aloo diye Ilish Maacher Tel Jhol at my cousin's house regularly. Interestingly, they never called this light curry Ilish Macher Tel Jhol. They always called it Ilisher Begun Borir Jhol. They actually made it without onion or garlic, even though their family is from Bangladesh. However, I had a similar version at a friend’s house, made with onion and garlic. Later, I discovered that this is how Ilish Macher Tel Jhol is typically prepared in Bangladesh, with both onion and garlic.
Recipe Card
Bori Begun Aloo diye Ilish Macher Tel Jhol
Ingredients
- 10 pieces Ilish Mach/ Hilsa Fish around 75-100g each
- 2 Potato
- 1 Aubergine
- 1 Onion
- 1 Tomato
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Paste
- 2 teaspoon Garlic Paste
- 5 Green Chili
- 15 Bori / Vadi
Spices:
- 1 Dry Red Chili
- ½ teaspoon Onion Seed/ Kalojire / Kalonjee
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 2 teaspoon Salt
- 4 tablespoon Mustard Oil
Instructions
- Wash Ilish fish chunks, and sprinkle some Turmeric Powder and salt and rub.
- Keep the fish marinated for 10 minutes.
- Now cut the Potatoes after peeling the skin into Edges.
- Cut the Aubergine / Begun into long strips as well.
- Cut the Onion and Tomatoes into long strips too.
- Heat 3 Tbsp. of the Mustard Oil in a wok.
- Lightly fry Ilish Mach and strain from the oil.
- Now fry Potato chunks till those turn golden yellow in color.
- Rub some salt and turmeric powder to the Aubergine and fry those in the remaining oil.
- Now fry "Bori" until those turn light brown in color in the remaining oil.
- Once done, pour 1 Tbsp. Oil and temper the Oil with Red Chili and slit green chili along with Kalojire / Onion Seed.
- Now add chopped onion and fry the same till onion turn translucent in color.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes and cook till tomatoes soften and oil separates from the mixture.
- Add a little water and followed by Salt and turmeric powder and cook till water evaporates.
- Now add fried veggies and 2 cups full of water and bring it to boil.
- Now add Fried fish chunks and cook for 5 minutes after covering the pan with a lid.
- Add Fried Bori and cook for a minute.
- Sprinkle ½ Tsp. of Mustard oil over the Begun, Aloo Bori diye Ilish Macher Jhol and switch the flame off.
- Serve Bori Begun Aloo diye Ilish Macher Tel Jhol (Ilish Macher Tel Jhol) hot with steamed rice.
Notes
- You can skip Onion, ginger, and garlic.
- You can add little cumin and coriander powder, however, I don't add any spice apart from Turmeric Powder and Salt.
- Little Chili Powder can also be added.
Nutrition
Hilsa Fish Recipes - common and uncommon
- Doodh Ilish
- Ilish Mach er Dim Bhuna (also known as Ilish Mach er Dim er Jhuri)
- Lau Patay Ilish Paturi (also known as Lau Patay Ilish Bhapa)
- Madhabi Mukherjee's Ilish Macher Matha diye Badhakopi from Gateway Hotel's Ilish Festival!
- Nona Ilish Bhorta (also known as Nona Ilish Bhuna Recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar)!
- Bori Begun Aloo diye Ilish Macher Tel Jhol
- Ilish Pulao (also known as Bengali Hilsa Pulao Recipe)
Related Macher Jhol Recipes
Have you tried the Bori Begun Aloo diye Ilish Macher Tel Jhol 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 Bori Begun Alu diye Ilish Mach-er Tel Jhol 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.
Anindya Sundar Basu says
Feel like eating. Nicely done