Doi Maach Bengali Curd Fish

Method

1. 1

   Marinate and fry the fish: Season fish steaks with turmeric and salt. Heat mustard oil in a pan until smoking. Reduce to medium. Fry the marinated fish 2 minutes each side until golden. Remove and keep aside. (Same process as macher jhol — see that recipe for detailed fish frying steps.)

2. 2

   Prepare the yogurt mixture: In a bowl, beat 1 cup yogurt with a fork or whisk until completely smooth — there should be no lumps. Add 1 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder and 1 tsp sugar. Mix well. The sugar balances the sourness of the yogurt and is characteristic of Bengali cooking.

3. 3

   Temper the spices: In the oil remaining from frying the fish, add nigella seeds, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Stir for 20 seconds until fragrant.

4. 4

   Add ginger paste: Add 1 tsp ginger paste. Stir for 1 minute on medium heat.

5. 5

   Add the yogurt on low heat: This is an important technique — reduce the heat to the lowest setting before adding the yogurt. Add the spiced yogurt mixture to the pan. Stir immediately and continuously. If the heat is too high the yogurt will split (curdle) and the gravy will look broken and grainy instead of smooth. Keep the heat very low and stir for 2 to 3 minutes until the yogurt is fully incorporated.

6. 6

   Build the gravy: Add 1/2 cup warm water. Add salt. Stir gently. The gravy will be pale yellow — the colour of turmeric and yogurt combined.

7. 7

   Add the fish: Gently place the fried fish steaks into the gravy. Add the slit green chillies. Spoon some gravy over the fish.

8. 8

   Cook covered on low heat: Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 10 minutes. This gentle cooking allows the fish to absorb the yogurt gravy without the gravy splitting.

9. 9

   Check and adjust: Open the lid. The gravy should be pale golden, slightly thickened and coating the fish. Taste and adjust salt. If the gravy tastes too sour, add 1/2 tsp more sugar.

10. 10

    Garnish and serve: Scatter fresh coriander leaves on top. Serve hot with steamed white rice.

11. 11

    Note: Doi Maach (doi means yogurt, maach means fish) is a gentle, fragrant curry in contrast to the sharper mustard-based shorshe ilish. It is served at Bengali weddings and important functions where a milder, more elegant dish is preferred. The sugar in Bengali cooking is not sweetness for its own sake — it brings balance. Almost every Bengali savoury dish has a small amount of sugar, which is what gives Bengali cuisine its characteristic sweet-savoury balance.