Tilapia Macher Jhal | How to make Tilapia Macher Jhal - by foodogger

Tilapia Macher Jhal

Mach is 'fish' in Bengali and 'Jhal' is a type of preparation with a thick dryish gravy, mostly made with fish, shrimp, or egg and cooked in a light sauce of ground chili or mustard seasoned with mostly Panch Phoron(five-spice mix) or Black cumin seed/nigella/Kala jeera. This fish curry is made regularly at Bengali households as well as on special occasions as it is very beloved by Bengalis. I have made this time with Tilapia, but you can use Bhetki(Sea bass), Rohu, or any type of sweet water fish. It's very easy to make but tastes divine with hot rice.

INGREDIENTS

1. Fish: cut into pieces or whole
2. Mustard oil/vegetable oil: 2 tbsp. (for cooking) + frying fish
3. Black cumin seed/nigella: 1 tsp.
4. Onion: 1, thinly sliced
5. Ginger paste: 1 tsp.
6. Tomato: 1, small, chopped
7. Green chili: 1(optional)
8. Black/yellow mustard seed: 2 tsp.
9. Poppyseed: 1 tsp.
10. Salt to taste
11. Turmeric powder : 3 tsp.
12. Red chili powder: 1 tsp.
13. Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

INSTRUCTIONS

• Take fish pieces in a bowl, smear 1 tsp. turmeric powder and 1 tsp. salt on fish pieces. Keep aside for 15 minutes. Then take enough oil in a pan and fry the fish pieces well from both sides.
• Do not over fry them on high heat, the fish will be hard and won't taste good. In medium flame, fry them until well browned on both sides. Remove and keep aside.
• Prepare a wet paste of mustard and poppy seed and green chili with a pinch of salt. Always add a pinch of salt while grinding mustard seeds, as they tend to taste bitter after grinding.
• Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan, temper with black cumin seed. When seeds start to crackle, add onion slices, saute till onions are lightly fried, add ginger paste and chopped tomatoes. Saute for 1-2 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and mushy.

• Then add mustard-poppy seed paste into the pan, saute till oil separates in medium-low flame. Add a pinch of sugar at this moment. Now add 1 cup of water, when water starts to boil, add fried fish pieces and salt to taste.
• Add a very little salt at this moment, because this will be a dry gravy, so no need to add much salt. When sauce thickens and it coats the fish pieces nicely, add fresh coriander leaves lastly. Remove from heat and serve with hot rice.