By Salmon Macher Tel Jhal (Bengali Salmon Fish Curry) is a spicy Bengali delicacy. This Bengali fish curry is a tomato based curry flavoured with nigella seeds (kalojeera), garlic and lots of green chillies. Tangy, spicy and so flavourful, this salmon fish curry is easy to make and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. Serve it with rice to make a perfect weeknight meal!
I know it’s surprising, being a Bengali and being an avid fish eater I don’t have many fish recipes on my blog. Such a shame!
But it is not really my fault though. I have grown up eating variety of fishes back in India. Delicious fish and fish curries. Ahh don’t remind me!! But after marriage and moving to the UK, getting variety of Indian fishes here is very difficult. We do get Indian fish here but all frozen and to tell you the truth I lacks taste. And always tastes kinda weird.
SALMON saved me and my fish cravings. This is a kind of fish which fits all the bills. Fry it, steam it, poach it, grill it as well as in curries it is just perfect however you make it. And the most important things is not all fish that we get here tastes good in Bengali curries but salmon ticks all the box.
Bengali Fish Curry with Nigella seeds (kalo jeera diye macher jhol)
This kind of fish curry is basically made with fishes like Rui or katla or bhetki fish. Since it is not available here I make it with salmon and it tastes just amazing. This bengali style salmon curry is a regular in my house. It is so quick to make and is so full of flavour. Lets check out how it is made.
Salmon macher tel-jhal (Spicy salmon curry)
Mach stands for fish, tel stands for oil and jhal stands for spicy in Bengali. So here is my oily, spicy Salmon fish curry. Kalo jeera diye macher jhal. Fish curry cooked with nigella seeds. You can also make this fish curry with Rui maach or Bhetki maach. Typically this macher jhal is cooked in mustard oil. If you ask me it is a must in this curry as it adds to its flavour. But if its not available you can cook it in vegetable oil too.
How to make this Bengali style salmon curry with nigella seeds?
This Indian fish curry has no onions in it. That means no slicing, no chopping, no frying.. Yayy!! this makes our work so much easier and quicker.
To make this fish curry I lightly fry the marinated fish steaks in mustard oil until golden brown and keep it aside. Then temper the oil with nigella seeds and toss in the garlic, tomatoes, green chillies and coriander leaves. (Yes add lots of coriander leaves while cooking this curry). Add few masalas, salt and sugar in this curry and cook until the oil separates from the masala. Now add a cup of water and slowly add the fish steaks and cook for few more mins.
Garnish with some more coriander leaves and enjoy with hot rice.
Check out other delicious Bengali style Fish Curry that I have shared earlier.
Salmon Macher Tel Jhal | Spicy Salmon Curry with nigella seeds | Kalo Jeera diye Macher Jhol
Equipment
- Thick bottomed pan
Ingredients
- 500 grams Salmon/ Rui/ Bhetki
- 3 medium Tomatoes chopped
- 2 large Garlic cloves chopped
- 2-3 Green Chillies
- 1/2 tsp Nigella seeds
- 1 dried Red Chilli broken
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder plus 1/2 tsp extra to for marination the fish
- 1 tsp Chilli powder (or as per taste)
- 1/2 cup Coriander leaves chopped
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- Salt as per taste
- 3 tbsp Mustard oil / Veg oil
Instructions
- Marinate the fish steaks with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and keep aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp of mustard oil in a large pan and fry the fish lightly until golden brown. Drain and keep it aside.
- Add the rest of the oil to the same pan and heat. Once hot add dried red chilli and nigella seeds.
- When the nigella seeds splatters add the chopped garlic and fry for 4-5 seconds.
- Then add in the chopped tomatoes and sauté until the tomatoes are soft and mushy.
- Now add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt, sugar, green chillies and coriander leaves. Mix everything well.
- Simmer for 7-8 minutes or until you see the oil seeping through the masala.
- Now add a cup of water and bring it to a boil. Then slowly slip in the fried fish and simmer for another 4-5 mins.
- Sprinkle with some fresh coriander leaves and enjoy it with hot rice.
I hope you enjoy this Salmon Macher Tel Jhal (Bengali Salmon Fish Curry) as much as we do.
You know what guys I would love to see your wonderful creations. If you have tried this recipe, simply click a picture and tag me @gastronomicbong or #gastronomicbong on Instagram or on Facebook.
Bon Appetit!!!
Ethan Leach
May 5, 2021We’ve been eating this every week since I found it. Mwah! Reminds me of childhood!
I grew up in the east end of London, my mum raised us on her own, and shared recipes with all the neighborhood mum’s – our next door neighbor (my best friend’s family) were originally Bangladeshi and this reminds me of meals at their house.
It’s a very delicious recipe, thank you 🙂
Arpita@Gastronomic Bong
May 6, 2021Glad you like it ❤️