Lote macher jhuri recipe | loitta macher jhuro | Dry Bombay duck (bombil fish) curry

Lote macher jhuri recipe | loitta macher jhuro | Dry Bombay duck (bombil fish) curry. Lote macher jhuri (loitta macher jhuro) is a bengali style spicy & dry mushy bombay duck curry or bombil fish curry. Made with Lote Mach / Bombay Duck / Bombil Fish cooked in an onion, ginger, garlic & tomato based spicy gravy until mushy & dry. I use potato to increase the volume & enhance the taste of the curry. Fully cooking in mustard oil however can be replaced with any vegetable oil.

Bombay duck is the English name of Lote mach or loitta fish or bombil (in Marathi & Konkani). This recipe basically a dry and spicy bombay duck curry by drying up the moisture by frying. 

In our Bengali language, any cooked dry item is known as jhuri, jhuro, jhur jhuro or Jhor jhore. As this fish curry is completely dry so named lote macher jhuro.

This dish has many names like lote macher jhal, lote macher kosha or lote macher ghonto in Bengal. Whereas in Bangladesh this dish is popular as loitta macher vorta or loitta bhuna. 

Bombay duck has several names in Indian regions. In the West Bengal region, this fish is named lote mach or Lotte mach or Nihere or Nihare mach. Popular as loitta or loita mach in Bangladeshi origin. Even in the entire Maharastra including Mumbai and Goa, this fish is called bombil. So name this fish curry as per your origin.

In this recipe, Lote mach is prepared like meat to kill its raw smell. Though prepared without garam masala. Cooked in a masala-based gravy contains onion, ginger, garlic, jeera powder and coriander powder. A good amount of green chillies and red chillies used to make this fish curry so spicy.

Even I used tomato to balance the spice and enhance the taste. Though tomato is not mandatory.

Lote macher jhuri with potatoes loved by my family. So I used potatoes too. Though you can easily skip it. Aloo or without aloo does not effect the taste of this dish. 

For making this lote fish curry, fish is cut into small pieces and smeared with salt, turmeric powder and mustard oil. Lote has a tendency to release water in contact with salt. Due to the quick release of water before cooking, lote does not take much time to get dry in the pan. Smearing with mustard oil helps to remove the fish smell.

Lote macher jhuri goes best with plain white rice. Delicious in one word, and to be honest I can finish a plate of rice just with this dish. I guess, any lote mach lover, loved this fish in my way. 

What is Lote, Loitta or Bombil or Bombay duck?

Lote, loitta or bombil is actually a saltwater fish or in short, sea fish. Very popular for its soft flesh and awesome taste. Due to soft flesh, it easily gets mashed while cooking. 

How do get this Lote or Bombil fish cleaned?

Lote or bombil needs to clean by removing its head, all fins and a nicely cleaned stomach. 

How to choose fresh Bombay duck aka Lote fish?

To choose fresh bombay duck, select the fish quite firm in shape with a pinkish texture. 

Lote fish if not fresh, How to cook?

If this fish is not fresh, will have an intense raw smell. Then use more little more ginger and garlic paste than described here. Even smearing with mustard oil also helps to quite get rid of the smell.

How to make this lote fish curry dry?

A generous amount of oil, we use for frying this lote fish curry to make it dry how required for this recipe. In Bengali cuisine, we generally cook this fish curry in mustard oil. Though you can use any vegetable oil available at home.

Being a beginner or novice cook it in a nonstick pan if available at home. Otherwise, continuous stirring is mandatory especially when the fish is getting dry. As this fish has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook till the fish easily leaves the pan. 

This is my first lote mach recipe. Hope to come up with a few more lote recipes soon. Till then try this recipe at home. My step by step recipe must guide you best. So no worries if you are a beginner or novice.

After cooking and tasting must share your feedback about this recipe in the comment section below. Even you can ask any question about this recipe.

You can try some other fish curry recipes too,

Macher Kalia

Doi Maach

Pabda macher shorshe jhal

Pomfret Macher recipe

Recipe card of Lote Macher Jhuri recipe

How To Make Lote macher jhuri recipe (step by step with pictures)

Preparation

• Clean the Lote fish (bombay duck/bombil), then thoroughly wash and cut each fish into 3-4 pieces.

• Smear the fish with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, and 2 tsp mustard oil.
• Mix well and keep it aside to let the fish release its water.

• Cut the potatoes (if using) into small cubes like ghugni. Wash it thoroughly, and keep it aside.

• Heat a pan on high, and add oil when the pan started releasing fumes.
• Add mustard oil or any vegetable oil, and let the oil release smoke too.
• Then fry the aloo until golden brown from all sides. Take it(potatoes) out from the pan, and keep it aside.

How To Make Lote macher jhuri

• Then first add cumin seeds and bay leaves in oil, once spluttering is done, add the onion.

• Fry the onion until soft & golden.

• Then add the salt turmeric-smeared fish. Stir it well.

• Fry the fish until gets mushy (like keema or kachumber) and released so much water.

• In the meantime, make a masala paste with ginger, garlic, tomato & green chillies.

• Add this masala paste to the pan. Mix it well. Keep frying the fish in masalas.

• Next add turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder(optional), coriander powder, and salt. Mixed all well.

• Let fry the fish until the oil separates from all sides. Then add the fried potatoes and mix them well.

• In between add salt (as per taste) if required and keep stirring as the fish is getting dry.
• Fry it until the fish curry is not sticking to the pan instead easily leaves the pan.

• That indicates Lote macher jhuri is ready. Turn off the heat. Enjoy this bombil fish curry with piping hot rice.