Macher Jhol (Bengali Fish Curry)

As we cooked Chicken Chaap for our first cookbook club installment with Asma’s Indian Kitchen, we explored Asma Khan’s desire to find and share the comforts of home and nourish the souls of her eaters. Another major component of her cooking is lifting up the women who came before her and those who surrounded her.

In the book, she elaborates, “I was once asked to name a female icon who I looked up to. In that moment, the first person to come to mind was not a woman working in food but the first and only female ruler of Delhi. Razia Sultan ruled Delhi from November 1236 to October 1240. …When I was shown a rough draft of the cover for this book, I was totally stunned. It reminded me so much of the portraits I have seen of Razia Sultan. My next thought was although it represents my face, the portrait represents all the generations of nameless, faceless, silent South Asian women who cooked and fed their families. They were never immortalized in portraits. Their contribution was taken for granted. To the women of my kitchen and to the women of kitchens everywhere… We are the Sultans of the kitchen.”

The recipes in Asma’s Indian Kitchen are built upon centuries of wisdom, oral histories, and shared traditions. It’s a beautiful sentiment and a practice in mindfulness to honor the many unthanked women who had a hand in developing a nation’s classic dishes. As you cook this Bengali fish curry, try thinking of the women in your life who shaped your heritage, your cooking and you.

This recipe calls for bright golden and pungent mustard oil which is probably a new addition to your pantry. Support local, and pick up a bottle of mustard oil and other recipe ingredients at Kohli's Indian Imports, on Craig Street in Oakland. If you haven’t already picked up a copy of the cookbook, swing by one of my favorite book sellers today: Riverstone Books or White Whale Bookstore.

Macher Jhol (Bengali Fish Curry) Recipe

Serves 6 as a main course or 12 as part of a multi-course meal

Ingredients

3 lb 5 oz (1.5 kg) skinless, boneless fish filets, such as cod or halibut
1 Tablespoons salt, divided
1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric, divided
6 Tablespoons mustard oil or a high-heat, neutral oil
1 large white onion, finely grated
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 piece ginger, 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, crushed to a paste
1 Tablespoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
7 oz (200 g) tomatoes, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
½ teaspoon sugar

To Garnish:

Green chilis
A sprigs of fresh cilantro

Directions:

Cut the fish filets into 12 equal portions. Mix 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the ground turmeric, then rub on all sides of the fish and set aside for 30 minutes.
In a shallow saucepan, heat 5 Tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. If you are using mustard oil, heat the oil until it is smoking hot - this removes the bitter pungency of the oil - then bring it down to medium-high heat. Add the fish to the pan and fry to sear each piece, but do not let the filets cook through. Transfer the fish to a plate and set aside.
Add the onion, garlic, and ginger to the pan and cook, stirring for 2 minutes over medium-high heat. If the paste is burning or sticking to the base of the pan, add a splash of water. Add the remaining salt and ground turmeric, followed by the ground coriander, ground cumin, cayenne, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes. Pour into 2 ½ cups (600 ml) warm water and cook for 5 minutes. Keeping the pan on medium-high heat, let the liquid reduce for 15 minutes or until the oil comes to the surface and seeps to the sides of the pan.
Gently return the fish filets to the pan and cover with the gravy, ensuring all sides of each filet are cooking evenly. If possible, cook the fish filets in a single layer in the pan; this will prevent them from breaking into flakes. Lower the heat, add the sugar, and cook covered, until the filets are cooked through - this should take no longer than 5 minutes.
To serve, garnish the fish with whole green chilis and sprigs of fresh cilantro.

Story, Photography, Styling by Quelcy Kogel

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