Pabda Macher Tel Jhal

Pabda Macher Tel Jhal is a quintessential bengali delicacy. There is a good reason why Pabda is included in daily bengali meal. It’s not only because of the taste and flavours but also Pabda has a good nutritional value.  I am elated to recreate my Ma’s “Pabda Macher Dhone Pata diye Patla Jhol” or Pabda Macher Tel Jhal. Bengali daler bori enhances the taste of this “patla kalo jeera diye Jhol” meaning light fish curry with nigella seeds even though I could not use bori . Bori is something quite hard to get here. My bori from India has finished long back which left me with no other choice.

This Patla Jhol is my all time favourite as I have grown up eating this and my Thakurma (Grandma) and Ma cooked it so well , even though this jhol is missing that special touch of Ma and Thakurma.

Here goes the step by step recipe of this delicacy.

Ingredients needed:

• Pabda Fish: large

• Nigella Seeds

• Green Chili: 

• Bori or Wadi (dried lentil dumpling)

• Coriander leaves: handful

• Mustard Oil

• Warm Water: 

• Ground Spices:

• Cumin Powder

• Ginger paste

• Turmeric powder

• Kashmiri Red Chili Powder

• Chilli powder 

• Salt and sugar to taste.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash and clean fish. Marinate whole fish with 1 tsp turmeric powder, 

2. ½ tsp salt and few drops of oil. Coat fish well with the spices on both sides. Set aside for 10-15 mins.

3. Take cumin powder, 1 chopped green chili and ginger paste in a small bowl. Add little water and set aside for 10 mins. You can also blend cumin seeds, chopped ginger and green chillis for to form a smooth mixture and to have a better taste.

4. Heat mustard oil in a large frying pan. 

5. Pabda is a very soft fleshed fish so it requires very little time to get cooked thoroughly. So you need to be very careful on the timing while frying the fish otherwise fish will fall apart .

6. Remove fish from oil and keep aside.

7. Now fry Bori (wadi) on medium flame until nicely brown and keep aside. Be careful not to burn.

8. Add green chili and nigella seed and stir lightly.

9. Add the cumin-ginger mixture into the hot oil and stir well to fry masala on medium flame.

10. Add all ground spices and fry till oil separates from masala, about 3-4 mins.

11. Add half of water and bring it boil. Adjust seasoning and add rest of water. Boil in high flame.

12. Add fish one at a time and previously fried bori (wadi) to the boiling curry. Cook for a few mins uncovered on high flame.

13. Switch off the flame and keep the fish curry on stand by for 10-15 mins, covered. This will increase the flavour of the fish curry or Macher Jhol.

14. Add chopped coriander leaves for nice flavour.

15. Serve with warm rice for a delicious treat.