Bengali Macher Jhol Piyaj, Aloo, Tomato, Dhonepata diye, made with onions, potatoes, and fresh coriander, is a classic, light fish curry. For those who love the flavors of Bengal, here's a simple macher jhol recipe. The best part? It's perfect for beginners! Even better, it uses common, everyday vegetables.
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- Debjani's Note
- Cooking with all-season vegetables
- Watch how to make Bengali Macher Jhol Piyaj, Aloo, Tomato, Dhonepata diye
- Instructions - step-by-step recipe
- Recipe Card
- Related recipes with Fish
- Pairing
- My favorite comfort food recipes
- Have you tried the Macher Jhol Piyaj, Aloo, Tomato, Dhonepata diye recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Here's the Macher Jhol Piyaj, Aloo, Tomato, Dhonepata diye recipe Pin for your Pinterest Board
Debjani's Note
This Macher Jhol Piyaj, Aloo, Tomato, Dhonepata diye, or Bengali Fish Curry, is just one way to enjoy this classic dish. What makes this version special is its simplicity. You can make it any time of year because it uses easy-to-find vegetables and common spices. It's a great recipe for anyone new to Bengali cooking!
I really enjoy experimenting with different Bengali fish curry recipes. You'll find that every Bengali family has their own versions-some are simple and comforting, others are rich and complex, but they're all packed with flavor.
This particular recipe of Bengali Macher Jhol Piyaj, Aloo, Dhonepata diye is one I make often. It's quick, comforting, and relies on basic spices and vegetables to complement the fish.
Cooking with all-season vegetables
This recipe is for macher jhol, or fish curry, but I want to highlight the use of vegetables that are available year-round. You'll notice that all the vegetables I've used are common and easy to find in any season. I remember my mother sharing this recipe with me when I was living in Bihar, around the same time I started writing recipes for this blog. This was my go-to recipe whenever I wanted a simple Bengali macher jhol that was quick and easy to make. It's definitely a great recipe for beginners, whether you're trying macher jhol for the first time or just starting to learn how to cook.
Watch how to make Bengali Macher Jhol Piyaj, Aloo, Tomato, Dhonepata diye
Instructions - step-by-step recipe
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Cut potatoes into wedge shapes; you can keep the skin on.
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Mix the wedges with a little salt, red chili powder, and 1 tablespoon mustard oil.
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Peel and slice the onion.
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Also, chop the tomatoes.
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Slice three green chilies.
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Chop the cilantro or coriander leaves coarsely.
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For the fish, pick any big fish with bones that you like. I used Katla fish. Cover the fish pieces with ½ teaspoon each of salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and 1 tablespoon mustard oil. Let the fish sit in the mixture for 10 minutes.
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Heat 5 tablespoons of mustard oil in a pan. Add ¼ teaspoon of both salt and turmeric powder and mix it.
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Fry the fish pieces one at a time, ensuring the skin becomes crispy. Each piece should take about a minute. You can fry two or three pieces at a time if you prefer.
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Temper the remaining oil with dry red chili and panch phoron.
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Add the potato pieces and fry them for around a minute.
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Put in the onion and gently fry over medium heat for about three minutes.
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Add the chopped tomatoes, sliced green chilies, and cook for one minute.
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Mix in the chopped coriander leaves.
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Add ¼ teaspoon of salt, turmeric, and chili powder, then mix it well. Turn the heat down to low and cook for three more minutes.
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Now, pour in two cups of water, using the bowl that had the fish in it, so you get all the remaining spices.
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Put a lid on the pan and let it cook on low heat for five minutes.
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Carefully add the fried fish and stir gently.
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Lastly, cook over high heat for three minutes, letting the curry bubble.
Recipe Card
Macher Jhol Piyaj, Aloo, Tomato, Dhonepata | Bengali Katla Fish Curry with Onion, Potatoes, Tomatoes and Coriander Leaves
Ingredients
- 6 pieces Katla Mach / Katla Fish
- 2 Onions
- 4 Potatoes
- 3 Tomatoes
- 1 bunch of Coriander Leaves
- 3 Green Chilies
- 6 tablespoon Mustard Oil
Spices
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
Whole Spices
- 3 dry red chili
- 1 teaspoon panch phoron / Bengali five spices
Instructions
Prep Work
- First, cut potatoes into wedges, leaving the peels on if you like.
- Give the potato wedges a good wash, then drain the water. Now, toss the wedges with all the spices listed.
- Next, peel and slice the onion. If needed, wash it beforehand.
- Chop the tomatoes as well. I used three small ones, but if yours are large, use fewer.
- Slice three green chilies
- Roughly chop the cilantro or coriander leaves.
- For the fish, use any large, bony fish you enjoy. I chose Katla fish.
- Coat the fish pieces with ½ teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder, ½ teaspoon Red Chili Powder and 1 tablespoon Mustard Oil.
- Let the fish marinate for 10 minutes. This helps prevent sticking during cooking.
Cooking the fish curry
- Heat 5 tablespoons of mustard oil in a heavy pan until it changes color.
- Add ¼ teaspoon each of salt and turmeric powder to the oil and stir.
- Fry the fish pieces one at a time, making sure the skin gets nice and crispy. Each piece should take about a minute. You can fry two or three pieces together if you prefer.
- Finally, in the remaining oil, add three dried red chilies, along with 1 teaspoon of Panch Phoron (Bengali Five Spices). Cook this for about a minute.
- First, add the potato wedges and fry for about a minute.
- Next, toss in the chopped onion and lightly fry over medium heat for roughly three minutes.
- Now, add the chopped tomatoes, stir everything well, and cook for another minute.
- Throw in the green chili slices, using more or less depending on your spice preference, and cook for one minute.
- Stir in the chopped coriander leaves.
- Add ¼ teaspoon each of salt, turmeric powder, and red chili powder, then mix well. Reduce the heat to low and cook for three more minutes.
- Now, pour in two cups of water, using the bowl that held the fish to capture any leftover spices.
- Taste and add more salt if needed; I added about ½ teaspoon salt.
- Cover the pan and let it cook on low heat for five minutes, or until the potatoes are soft and cooked through.
- Gently add the fried fish and stir carefully.
- Finally, cook over high heat for three minutes, allowing the curry to bubble and the oil to rise to the top.
Serving suggestion
- This easy Bengali fish curry, made with potatoes, onion, tomatoes, and coriander leaves, is done. This fish curry usually has a thin sauce. But you can make the gravy thicker if you want.
- Serve this Bengali fish curry with onion, potatoes, and coriander leaves with hot rice and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- For this recipe, I've used Katla fish, but feel free to substitute with any large carp you prefer, like Rui, Rohu, Mirgel, or Kalbose. Even salmon works beautifully.
- While traditional macher jhol uses bone-in fish pieces, you can easily use boneless if you prefer.
- Most Bengali fish curry recipes call for mustard oil, but if you don't have any or don't care for the flavor, any other oil will do.
- Traditionally, the fish pieces are deep-fried before being added to the curry. However, for a lighter version, you can air-fry them instead.
Nutrition
Related recipes with Fish
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this simple macher jhol to make a perfect Bengali meal:
My favorite comfort food recipes
- Gota Posto Diye Aloo Bhaja
- Morshumi Sobji diye Murgir Jhol
- Bhetki Mach Bhapa | Bengali Bhapa Bhetki Recipe with Video
- Jhinge Aloo Chingrir Tel Jhol
- Kalojire Bhorta, aka Kalijira Bata
- Pepe Chingri Ghonto
Have you tried the Macher Jhol Piyaj, Aloo, Tomato, Dhonepata diye 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 Macher Jhol Piyaj, Aloo, Tomato, Dhonepata diye 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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