Chitol Macher Muitha
Chitol Macher Muitha is a traditional and signature Bengali fishball curry cooked with chitol mach and selected spices. Potato in the gravy is optional.
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Servings: 6 People
Calories: 694kcal
Cost: Rs 1000
Ingredients
To make Muitha
- 1 kg Chitol Macher Gada entire big chunk with bone; not small pieces
- 2 Boiled Potato small or 1 (big)
- 1 Onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Paste
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Paste
- 3 Green Chilies chopped
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 2 teaspoon Salt half will be used while boiling the fish
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Bengali Garam Masala
- Mustard Oil for deep frying
To make the Chitol Macher Muitha Gravy
- 2 Onion
- 4 Potatoes
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Paste
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Paste
- 3 Green Chilies
- 2 Tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Bengali Garam Masala
- ½ teaspoon Hing Asafoetida
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 3 Dry Red Chillies
- ½ teaspoon whole Cumin
- 2 Green Cardamom
- ½ Cinnamon Stick
- 3 cups fish stock to be reserved after boiling muitha
- 2 tablespoon Mustard Oil
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
Instructions
To separate fish mince from Chitol Macher Gada
- Take the big chunk of Macher Gada and remove the scale and skin.
- Now take a spoon and scoop out fish mince. Start this from the center to the outer side of the bone.
- Once completely removed from one side, remove the fish from the other side as well.
- You will get around 750g of Fish mince from a piece of around 1kg.
To make Muitha aka Chitol Fishball
- Take 2 liters of water in a vessel and bring it to a boil after adding ½ tsp. Each of turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt.
- Take the fish mince on a plate.
- Lightly mash it using your finger.
- Now add boiled potatoes, chopped onion and also green chili, and half of the turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt.
- Also, add juice extracted from ginger and garlic paste.
- Add Sugar, Cumin Powder, and Garam Masala Powder as well.
- Now mash and make the dough.
- While mashing try to incorporate the onion at the end to avoid moisture.
- Once done, using your palm make Muitha.
- Each muitha should be the size of your fist; you should hold it within.
- Add half of the muithas to the boiling water in one go.
- Keep the flame high and boil the fishballs for 2-3 minutes.
- You will see the muitha floating on the top of the water after 2-3 minutes.
- Immediately, strain those from the water.
- Following the same method, boil the remaining muithas.
- Do not over-boil the Muithas; that will result in rubbery and chewy Chitoler Muitha.
- Once done, receive the stock for cooking the curry.
- Heat Mustard Oil in a pan and fry the muithas till they turn golden brown.
- Strain from the oil.
- I use 2 Tbsp. Mustard oil is used for frying to make the curry for added flavor.
- Check below for frying the potatoes.*
To make Chitol Macher Muitha Curry
- In a bowl take Garlic Paste, Ginger Paste, Turmeric Powder, Red Chili Powder, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, and also sugar.
- Add half of the salt and Garam Masala as well.
- Mix those to make a thick paste.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into 8 pieces (or 4 pieces) each.
- *I use the oil (mentioned in the previous step) for frying the fry the potatoes as well.
- Fry the potatoes for 2 minutes.
- After frying the potatoes, the pan should have 2 Tbsp. Oil.
- You do not need to remove the potatoes.
- Temper the Oil with Hing, Bay Leaves, Dry Red Chillies, whole Cumin, Green Cardamom, and also Cinnamon Stick.
- Now add chopped onion and start frying the onion along with the potatoes.
- Once done (potato golden brown and onion pink); add chopped tomatoes and the already prepared thick curry paste.
- Mix properly and cook on low flame for 5 minutes or till the tomatoes soften completely.
- You need to stir continuously.
- Once done, add the fish stock and mix well.
- Now bring it to a boil and check the spices and adjust if needed.
- Once the potatoes are well cooked and soft and the gravy thickens a bit add fried fishballs.
- On a low flame cook for 2 minutes and add Ghee and Garam Masala before switching off the flame.
- Serve Chitol Macher Muitha hot with steamed rice.
Nutrition
Serving: 150g | Calories: 694kcal | Carbohydrates: 41.3g | Protein: 73.1g | Fat: 25.7g | Saturated Fat: 5.4g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 2043mg | Fiber: 6.5g | Sugar: 5.5g
