Machha ko Jhol

Name: Machha ko Jhol
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Nepali
Ingredients: 750 g rohu fish steaks, bone-in (cut into 8 pieces about 3 cm thick, scaled and cleaned); 1 tsp ground turmeric (divided, half for the fish and half for the gravy); 1 tsp red chilli powder (divided, half for the fish and half for the gravy); 6 tbsp mustard oil; 0.5 tsp fenugreek seeds; 2 whole dried red chillies; 250 g onions (about 2 medium, finely sliced); 6 cloves garlic (pounded to a paste); 20 g fresh ginger (pounded to a paste); 3 whole green chillies (slit lengthwise); 1 tsp ground cumin; 2 tsp ground coriander; 300 g ripe tomatoes (about 3 medium, finely chopped); 500 ml hot water; 0.5 bunch fresh coriander leaves (chopped); salt (to taste, about 1 and a half teaspoons in total)

Serves 4 · 75 min · Nepali

Ingredients

750 g rohu fish steaks, bone-in
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder
6 tbsp mustard oil
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
2 dried red chillies
250 g onions
6 cloves garlic
20 g fresh ginger
3 green chillies
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
300 g ripe tomatoes
500 ml hot water
1 small bunch fresh coriander leaves
to taste salt

Method

01
Clean the fish Rinse the fish pieces well under cold water and pat them dry with a clean cloth.
02
Marinate the fish Rub the fish with half the turmeric, half the chilli powder and about half a teaspoon of salt, then leave it to rest for fifteen minutes.
03
Heat the mustard oil Heat the mustard oil in a wide karahi over high heat until it just begins to smoke, then lower the heat to medium.
04
Fry the fish Fry the fish in two batches, about six minutes per batch, turning each piece once halfway, so about twelve minutes in all, then lift the pieces out onto a plate.
05
Temper the fenugreek In the oil left in the pan, fry the fenugreek seeds and dried red chillies for about thirty seconds, until the seeds turn dark brown.
06
Fry the onions Add the sliced onions and fry them, stirring often, until they are soft and golden brown.
07
Add garlic and ginger Stir in the garlic paste, ginger paste and green chillies and fry until the raw smell goes.
08
Add the spices Add the rest of the turmeric and chilli powder, the cumin and the coriander powder with a splash of water, and stir for about one minute.
09
Cook the tomatoes Add the chopped tomatoes and the remaining salt, and cook until the tomatoes break down into a thick paste and oil shows at the edges.
10
Boil the gravy Pour in the hot water, stir well and bring the gravy to a boil.
11
Simmer the fish Slide the fried fish back into the gravy and simmer gently on low heat, without stirring, until the gravy thickens slightly.
12
Garnish and serve Taste for salt, scatter the chopped coriander over the top and serve hot with plain rice.

Method

Clean the fish

Rinse the fish pieces well under cold water and pat them dry with a clean cloth.

Rohu is the usual choice, but catla, buhari or any firm river fish cut into steaks works the same way.

Marinate the fish

Rub the fish with half the turmeric, half the chilli powder and about half a teaspoon of salt, then leave it to rest for fifteen minutes.

Marinate the fish · 15 min

Heat the mustard oil

Heat the mustard oil in a wide karahi over high heat until it just begins to smoke, then lower the heat to medium.

Bringing mustard oil to smoking point takes away its raw, sharp taste. Do not let it keep smoking or it turns bitter.

Heat the mustard oil · 2 min

Fry the fish

Fry the fish in two batches, about six minutes per batch, turning each piece once halfway, so about twelve minutes in all, then lift the pieces out onto a plate.

Do not move the fish for the first three minutes on each side. If you turn it too soon the skin sticks and the pieces break.

Fry the fish · 12 min

Temper the fenugreek

In the oil left in the pan, fry the fenugreek seeds and dried red chillies for about thirty seconds, until the seeds turn dark brown.

Stop as soon as the seeds are dark brown. Black fenugreek makes the whole curry bitter.

Temper the fenugreek · 00:30

Fry the onions

Add the sliced onions and fry them, stirring often, until they are soft and golden brown.

Fry the onions · 8 min

Add garlic and ginger

Stir in the garlic paste, ginger paste and green chillies and fry until the raw smell goes.

Add garlic and ginger · 2 min

Add the spices

Add the rest of the turmeric and chilli powder, the cumin and the coriander powder with a splash of water, and stir for about one minute.

The splash of water stops the ground spices from scorching.

Add the spices · 1 min

Cook the tomatoes

Add the chopped tomatoes and the remaining salt, and cook until the tomatoes break down into a thick paste and oil shows at the edges.

Cook the tomatoes · 8 min

Boil the gravy

Pour in the hot water, stir well and bring the gravy to a boil.

Boil the gravy · 3 min

Simmer the fish

Slide the fried fish back into the gravy and simmer gently on low heat, without stirring, until the gravy thickens slightly.

Shake the pan or spoon gravy over the fish instead of stirring, so the pieces stay whole.

Simmer the fish · 8 min

Garnish and serve

Taste for salt, scatter the chopped coriander over the top and serve hot with plain rice.

Machha ko Jhol

Ingredients

Method

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