Pomfret Macher Tel Jhal | Bengali Pomfret Curry
Pomfret Macher Jhal (Bengali Pomfret Curry) is a spicy and lip-smacking onion-tomato based Bengali fish curry flavoured with nigella seeds (kalo jeera), garlic and green chillies. It is easy to make and takes less than 30 minutes. Serve this pomfret curry with rice to make a perfect weeknight meal.
Servings: 4 people
Equipment
- large thick bottomed pan/ large Kadhai
Ingredients
- 4 Pomfret/Paplet *** washed and cleaned,I have cleaned the gut and kept the fish whole
- 1 medium Onion roughly chopped
- 1 medium Tomato roughly chopped
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 3-4 Green Chillies
- 1/2 tsp Nigella seeds/ kalo jeera/ Kalonji
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder plus half tsp for marinating the fish
- 1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder
- 1/2 Cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp Sugar/sweetener
- Salt (as per taste)
- 3-4 tbsp Veg Oil/ Mustard oil
- 2 tbsp Coriander leaves for garnishing chopped
Instructions
- Marinate the fish with salt and 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and keep it aside for some time.
- Next make a coarse paste of onion, tomato and garlic and keep it aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large pan on medium heat, when hot add the fish and fry for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. strain and take it off the heat.
- Add the rest of the oil in the same pan and temper with nigella seeds/ kalo jeera/ Kalonji and slit green chillies.
- When they start to splatter add the onion-tomato paste and saute on medium high heat stirring for 4-5 minutes until the water is evaporated and you you see oil seeping through the masala.
- Add turmeric powder, cmin powder, chilli powder and salt along with 2 tbsp of water and mix it well. Continue cooking on medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until you see the oil seeping through the masala.
- Now add 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Slowly slip in the fried fish along with some coriander leaves and simmer for another 3-4 mins.
- Sprinkle with some fresh coriander leaves and enjoy it with hot rice.
Notes
***I have used medium to small sized pomfret so have just cleaned the guts and kept it whole and made some slits. If you find large fish you can slice it into pieces.
If you can not find pomfret you can make it with salmon, rohu, sea bass, basa fish.