Aloo phulkopi bori diye macher jhol recipe – Bengali fish curry recipe with vegetables

Aloo phulkopi bori diye macher jhol recipe – Bengali fish curry recipe with vegetables step by step – Aloo phulkopi bori diye macher jhol is a simple wintertime bengali fish curry cooked with freshwater Katla/Rohu fish and cauliflower. In this bengali fish curry, freshwater fish(Rui/Katla/Tilapia/Koi/Tangra fish) is simply cooked with veggies like potato(aloo), cauliflower(phulkopi) and dried lentil dumplings(bori). For making this bengali macher jhol, I used plain katla mach, however, you can use any fresh-water fish described above. Macher jhol is one of the most popular dishes in West Bengal to Bangladesh as a regular Bengali fish meal, best to relish with piping hot steamed white rice.

What is macher jhol?

Macher jhol is completely a bengali term that means a non-spicy healthy soupy bengali fish curry prepared with fish and different vegetables. This is the most simple fish curry in our entire Bengali fish curry recipes. Even this dish is so light and good for our stomach that considered as a regular bengali fish meal. That is why Macher jhol and rice is the staple food for all bengali from West Bengal to Bangladesh. 

About several bengali macher jhol recipes-

We(bengali) have several macher jhol recipes for different seasons. Aloo Jhinge Diye Katla Macher Jhol, alu potol diye macher jhol for common summertime bengali fish curry. Whereas Fulkopi-koraishuti diye or Olkopi(shalgom or turnip) diye macher jhol is wintertime bengali fish curry. Though Aloo Diye or Begun Diye Macher Jhol is a common bengali fish curry dish for the rest of the year. However, in every macher jhol, alu is a common ingredient with other wintertime or summertime vegetables. In wintertime, newly harvested potatoes are used in making fish curry. Whereas Chandramukhi alu is the saviour for the rest of the year for the West Bengal to Bangladeshi residents.

How to cut vegetables for making macher jhol recipes?

Vegetables(sobji or anaj) are differently cut for our bengali Macher er jhol that is different from other bengali curries. Lengthwise cut vegetables are perfect for making macher jhol. Except for fulkopi/cauliflower, vegetables like alu, jhinge, dhanta, begun(brinjal), olkopi or shalgom(turnip), raddish, pepe(raw papaya), kanchakola(raw banana or green banana) cut into lengthwise for making this jhol. Only cauliflower is cut into big chunks in this dish. Though must make a slit on the cauliflower stem for easy cooking.

Macher jhol and macher tarkari are same?

Yes, both bengali dishes are almost the same. Just because vegetables (sobji) are called tarkari in bengali and macher jhol can not be made without vegetables. So people from some places of West Bengal and Bangladesh called it macher tarkari instead macher jhol.

Quick summery of this recipe

Start cooking this dish by frying jhol er fish(rui/katla/tilapia/koi/tangra mach), potatoes, big chunks of cauliflower and bori(dried lentil dumplings) in mustard oil. By tempering the whole cumin and bay leaves in the same oil, make a gravy with tomato-ginger-green chilli paste. And spiced up with cumin-coriander-turmeric and red chilli powder(optional). Cook the fried fish, potato, cauliflower and bori in that gravy until soft. Lastly, sprinkle the fresh coriander from the top of the gravy, making it flavourful. 

Make this light bengali fish curry at home, enjoy this fish curry with gorom bhat(piping hot rice) and a wedge of lemon. 

Check my other bengali macher jhol recipes aka healthy Bengali fish curry recipes–

Aloo Jhinge Dhanta Diye Katla Macher Jhol

Aloo Diye Shol Macher Jhal Jhol

Kalojeere Bugun Diye Ilish Macher Jhol.

Recipe card for this recipe

Aloo phulkopi bori diye macher jhol recipe – Bengali fish curry recipe with vegetables

Recipe by Moumita PaulCourse: Main course, LunchCuisine: Bengali IndianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Calories

312

kcal

Total time

45

minutes

Aloo phulkopi bori diye Macher jhol recipe step by step – It is a simple wintertime bengali fish curry cooked with freshwater fish and wintertime vegetables. In this bengali fish curry, freshwater fish like rui/katla/tilapia/koi/tangra fish is cooked with potato(aloo), cauliflower(phulkopi) and dried lentil dumplings(bori). One of the best to serve this dishes with piping hot steamed white rice.

Ingredients

• 6 pieces fresh Katla/Rui(Rohu) Fish

• 8 big Cauliflower florets

• 2 medium Potatoes

• 15-16 Daler Bori(lentil dumplings)

• 1 medium Tomato

• 3/4 inch Ginger

• 2 Green Chillies

• A handful of Coriander leaves

• 1/4 tsp Whole Cumin seeds

• 1 Bay leaf

• 1 tsp Cumin powder

• 1 tsp Coriander powder

• 3/4 tsp Turmeric powder

• 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder(optional)

• Salt(as required)

• 3 to 4 cups of Water

• 1/2 cup Mustard oil(8 tbsp)

Instructions

• Clean and wash the fish(I used fresh katla mach), pat it dry, smear with turmeric and salt.
• Heat the pan or korai, then heat the oil(mustard oil or vegetable oil), fry the fish until golden from both sides.
• Fry the cauliflower and potatoes in the same oil until gets golden from all sides. 
• While frying fish, make the macher jhol er masala by grinding ginger+ green chilli+tomato to make a smooth paste, add it with cumin-coriander powder with red chilli powder(optional), salt and turmeric.
• After frying the fish, cauliflower and potatoes, add whole cumin seeds and bay leaves for tempering into the same oil.
• Then add the macher jhol er masala into the pan, sauce the masala paste till the raw smell goes off. Add water to make its light gravy.
• Once the gravy starts boiling, add the fried potatoes and cauliflower to the gravy and cook it until soft. 
• Then add the fried fish(bhaja mach) to the gravy, cook it till the fish absorbed the gravy and gets soft and juicy from both sides.
• Sprinkle the freshly chopped coriander leaves from the top of the gravy, boil the gravy for 1-2 mins more.
• Aloo phulkopi bori diye bengali macher jhol is ready, serve with piping hot rice(gorom bhat) and a wedge of lemon.

Notes

• Instead of rui(rohu fish) or katla mach, you can use tilapia, tangra, koi even bhetki for making this macher jhol.
• Even here, instead of cauliflower or fulkopi, you can use olkopi or shalgom(turnip), koraishuti/green peas too.
• Bori or dry lentil dumplings are not mandatory for making other bengali fish curries, but best for making this wintertime bengali fish curry. Actually, it enhances the taste of this fish curry.
• For the detailed recipe, you can check the step by step pictures described below.

Instructionswith step by step pictures

How to make aloo phulkopi bori diye macher jhol recipe

How to fry the fish & vegetables

• Clean and wash the fish(I used fresh katla fish), pat it dry, smear with 1 tsp turmeric and 1 tsp salt.

• Heat the pan or korai, heat the mustard oil in it, fry the fish until golden from both sides.

• Then fry the cauliflower, potatoes and bori(dry lentil dumplings) in the same oil until gets golden from all sides. 

Making of this macher jhol er masala

While frying fish, make the macher jhol er masala by grinding ginger, green chilli, tomato with turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder(optional), and little water. Grind the masala together to make a smooth paste of it

Making of this macher jhol

After frying the fish, cauliflower, potatoes and bori, add whole cumin seeds and bay leaves for tempering into the same oil. Then add the macher jhol er masala into the pan, saute the masala paste till the raw smell goes off.

• Add fried aloo and bori with the jhol er masala, mix it well and fry aloo and bori with the masala. Add water to make its light gravy. Once the gravy starts boiling, add cauliflower to the gravy and cook it until soft. 

• Then add the fried fish(bhaja mach) to the gravy, cook it till the fish absorbed the gravy and gets soft and juicy from both sides.

• Sprinkle the freshly chopped coriander leaves from the top of the gravy, boil the gravy for 1-2 mins more. Aloo phulkopi bori diye bengali macher jhol is ready, serve with piping hot rice(gorom bhat) and a wedge of lemon.