Doi maach recipe – Doi katla recipe (Bengali biyebari style)

Bengali biyebari style delicious Doi maach recipe aka Doi katla recipe with step-by-step detail. Doi Maach is a signature Bengali fish curried dish of cooking fish (rui or katla fish) in a yogurt-based creamy gravy. Popular as Bengali biye bari (Marriage feast) style traditional dish for ages. This fish curry is commonly prepared at every Bengali home (from West Bengal to Bangladesh) too. Also known as Doi diye Maach, mainly accompanied by piping hot rice. However once taste it with Bengali fried rice or Basanti pulao. Just Awesome!

In our Bengali dialect, Doi maach means doi diye ranna maach, or fish cooked with yogurt. Mainly a doi (bengali tok doi or sour yogurt) dominating, garam masala flavored gravy, where fried rui / katla maach is cooked.

In this recipe, turmeric & salt-coated Rohu or Catla fish pieces are fried well in mustard oil. Then gently simmering in a creamy flavorsome sauce containing a smooth blend of onion, ginger, garlic, tomato, garam masala & yogurt purée. However, yogurt (Indian curd) dominates as per its quantity but does not overpower the gravy moreover balances the taste & brings the creamy saucy consistency.

From novice to bachelor anyone can make my doi maach recipe with ease. All ingredients are in your food pantry no need for any fancy items. Even to make this dish easier I prepare this fish curry masala at one time blending even with yogurt. So no need for extra whisking for yogurt. Only need to know the masala roasting procedure which brings the exact taste & texture of this fish curry (yogurt based fish curry).

Let’s see how easy to make this recipe at home, hope my step-by-step detailed instruction must help you at its best. 

Have look at other Common & exotic Bengali-style katla recipes

Biyebari Style Macher Kalia

Jeere Bata Diye Patla Katla Maacher jhol

Alu Phulkopi Diye Katla Macher jhol

Check my other popular bengali fish curry recipes

Shorshe Pabda recipe

Pomfret Maacher jhal

Bhetki Macher Paturi

Doi maach recipe – Doi katla recipe (Bengali biyebari style)

Recipe by Moumita PaulCourse: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: Bengali, IndianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

7

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

35

minutes

Doi Maach is a Rui or Katla and Yogurt-based signature fish curried dish of Bengali biye bari (Marriage feast) for ages. Made by turmeric & salt coated Rui (Rohu) or Katla (catla) fish pieces fried in mustard oil, gently simmering in a creamy flavorsome sauce containing a smooth blend of onion, ginger, garlic, tomato, garam masala & yogurt purée. Serve it best with piping hot white rice, Bengali fried rice, or Basanti Pulao.

Ingredients

• 7 pcs Katla Maach (500 g Katla Fish Steaks)

• 6 tablespoon (90 g) Curd/Yogurt/Tok DOI

• 2 Medium Big Onions (150 g- 175g )

• 1 Medium Tomato (35 g)

• 8 Small to Medium Garlic Cloves (10 g)

• 1/2 inch Ginger (5 g)

• 3 Green Chillies

• 3/4 teaspoon Cumin Powder

• 1/4 teaspoon Coriander Powder

• 1+1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder

• 1/2 teaspoon Spicy Chilli Powder

• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder

• 1/2 inch Cinnamon Stick

• 3 Cardamom Pods

• 4 Cloves

• 2 teaspoon Sugar

• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder (Homemade / Store bought)

• 8-10 tablespoon Mustard Oil

• 1 tsp Salt (As per taste)

Instruction

• Preparation
• For making doi maach, first, clean and thoroughly wash the fish steaks (Rui / Katla). Pat them dry, and rub 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp salt all over the fish steaks.
• Prepare this fish curry masala by first blending 2 skin-out onions (cut into cubes).
  
• Then blend 1/2 inch ginger, 7-8 garlic cloves, 3 green chillies, 1 tomato, and 1/2 inch cinnamon stick, 3 cardamom pods & 4 cloves) with the onion paste.
• After a smooth blending, add 3/4 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/4 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1+1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp regular spicy chilli powder, and 8-10 pcs whole black peppercorn (optional) to the blender. Blend it well.
• Lastly, add the yogurt (6 tbsp) to the blender and blend it well until getting a creamy sauce like puree. 
• Cooking Method
• Heat the pan on medium to high heat, once released smoke adds 8-10 tbsp mustard oil.
  
• Once the oil releases smoke, then gently leave the fish steaks in hot oil one by one.
• Do not overcrowd the pan, keep a minimum space between the fish steaks. 
• Fry the fish until both sides get a golden texture. Remove the fish from the pan & keep it aside.
• Add masala puree in the same pan, and add moshla dhoa’r jol (1/2 cup of water mixed with the leftover masala in the blender) too. Stir it well.
• Once the masala puree starts boiling and the water little dries up, then add sugar (I used 2 tsp sugar) to balance the sourness of the yogurt.
• Let the gravy almost dry off the water and release oil from all of its sides, then add 2 cups (500 ml)of water. In the meantime, add 1/2 tsp of salt and bring the gravy to a boil.
• Once the gravy starts boiling, add the fried fish steaks into the gravy and nicely coat them with gravy.
• Let the fish cook in the gravy and cover the pan with a tight lid to infuse the aroma of the spices into the fish steaks.
• After 5-6 mins of cooking, turn the fish steaks to get the gravy infused by its other side. Again cover the pan for 5-6 more mins.
• After the last 5-6 mins of cooking, uncover the pan and check whether the salt & sugar is perfect according to your taste. Add little salt & sugar if required. Stir it well.
• Add 1/2 tsp garam masala powder, give it (the gravy) a good stir, and turn off the heat.
  
• Immediately cover the pan to infuse the garam masala aroma into the gravy.
• Biyebari style delicious doi maach is ready. Serve it with piping hot white rice, Bengali fried rice, or Basanti Pulao.

Notes

• If you are using a small blending jar, then take the onion paste & then paste other ingredients. Otherwise, there is a high chance to masala gets overflow while blending.
• How to know oil is perfectly hot instead of releasing smoke, When bubbles over the oil disappear also indicates oil is perfectly hot for frying fish.
• Fish never stick to the pan while frying Whether in an iron Kadai or steel-made pan if the first pan is perfectly heating up then oil.
• Novice (Beginners) or Bachelor try to use a nonstick pan if worried to fry the fish without sticking.
• Roast the Masala until oil floats over the masala gravy.
• Don’t fry the fish immediately take it out of the fridge, and keep it at room temperature first.
• After washing the fish Novice (Beginners) or Bachelor must pat it dry to avoid existing water with the fish & have a high chance of spluttering hot oil.

How To Make Doi Maach

Preparation

• For making doi maach, first, clean and thoroughly wash the fish steaks (Rui / Katla pieces). Pat them dry, and rub turmeric and salt all over the fish steaks.
• Prepare this fish curry masala by first blending 2 skin-out onions (cut into cubes).
• Then blend 1/2 inch ginger, 7-8 garlic cloves, 3 green chillies, 1 tomato, and 1/2 inch cinnamon stick, 3 cardamom pods & 4 cloves with the onion paste.
• After a smooth blending, add 3/4 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/4 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1+1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp regular spicy chilli powder, and 8-10 pcs whole black peppercorn (optional) to the blender. Blend it well.
• Lastly, add the yogurt (6 tablespoons) to the blender and blend it well until getting a smooth creamy puree. 

Frying fish

• Then, heat the pan on medium to high heat, once released smoke adds 8-10 tablespoon mustard oil.
• Once the oil is released smoke, then gently leave the fish steaks in hot oil one by one.
• Do not overcrowd the pan, keep a minimum space between the fish steaks. 
• Fry the fish steaks until both sides get a golden texture. Remove the fish from the pan & keep it aside.

Making fish gravy

• Then, add the masala puree to the same pan. Then add moshla dhoa’r jol (1/2 cup of water mixed with the leftover masala in the blender) too. Stir it well.
• Once the masala puree starts boiling and the water little dries up, then add sugar (I used 2 tsp sugar) to balance the sourness of the yogurt.
• Let the gravy almost dry off the water and release oil from all of its sides, then add 2 cups (500 ml) of water. In the meantime, add 1/2 tsp salt and bring the gravy to a boil.
• Once the gravy starts boiling, add the fried fish steaks into the gravy and coat it well with the gravy.
• Let the fish cook in the gravy and cover the pan with a tight lid to infuse the aroma of the spices into the fish steaks.
• After 5-6 mins of cooking, turn the fish steaks to get the gravy infused by its other side. Again cover the pan for 5-6 more mins.
• After the last 5-6 mins of cooking, uncover the pan and check whether the salt & sugar is perfect according to your taste. Add little salt & sugar if required. Stir it well.
• Add 1/2 tsp garam masala powder, give it (the gravy) a good stir, and turn off the heat.
• Immediately cover the pan to infuse the garam masala aroma into the gravy.

• Biyebari style delicious doi maach is ready. Serve it with piping hot white rice, Bengali fried rice, or Basanti Pulao.

Condition for making biyebari’r Doi maach (Pro tips )

Perfect Fish weight for this recipe

Fish weight does matter to make a perfect biyebari style doi maach recipe. How heavyweight fish you will use, the taste will be best accordingly. At least a minimum weight of 1.8 kg of fresh Katla or Rui (Rohu fish) require to get close to biye barir taste. As here I used a 2 kg 250 g catla fish.

Katla or Rui which is best to use

Doi Maach is generally cooked with Katla fish. However, you can use Rui (Rohu fish) too as big as the size of catla I described.

What kind of Yogurt is used

Try to use fresh yogurt (Indian curd / Bengali tok doi), fresh yogurt is not too tangy. Whether with thick or light consistency is not countable.

How Mustard oil is important for this recipe

Mustard oil was common in Bengali food pantry since ages so no Bengali curry including fish curry never prepared without mustard oil. As this biyebari style fish curry is a traditional fish curry of Bengal so mustard oil is also a prime ingredient for exact taste. However, for a healthy reason or due to unavailability, you can replace it with any vegetable oil which suits you best.

How long to Roast the masala?

Masala needs to roast in oil until oil floats on the roasted masala gravy.

Is sugar mandatory to use?

Must use sugar to balance the tanginess of yogurt not to make it sweet in taste. 2 tsp full sugar I used to balance the tanginess of the yogurt. More or less sugar is used according to how sour the yogurt is.

Role of Tomato

Tomato is optional in any fish recipes if cooking with tok doi / curd. Tomato just used to enhance the taste & texture as well. However, leave it to think of such traditional recipes prepared without tomatoes as a non-abundance of this veggie all through the year.

Consistency of gravy

A thick creamy doi katla is a sign of perfect biyebari’r fish curry. To beat the taste must look over the consistency of this fish gravy.

Garam masala add-on for

Garam masala is a key ingredient of this exotic fish curry. Here garam masala is used twice to uplift the taste along with taking your tastebud to the old day’s Bengali biyebarir doi maach recipe.