Doi Shorshe Maach is a classic Bengali dish, and being a Malayali, I always gravitate towards fish recipes. Mangalorean, Goan, Sri Lankan and Bengali cuisines are a few that are routinely incorporated into my daily meals. When it comes to gravy dishes, the primary difference is that Bengali curries are yogurt based as opposed to the coconut milk of Kerala dishes. This is a slow-cooked recipe that I made in a special set of black earthenware. I love collecting traditional pottery, and received some black Manipuri pottery as a gift that I went on to prepare this dish in. Mustard oil is also a major difference when it comes to preparation, I used yellow mustard seeds for this. I’ve also used homemade yogurt, which is something reminiscent of my childhood days, with my grandmother routinely making yogurt at home.
How to prepare Doi Shorshe Maach in 3 steps?
- Marinate and shallow fry fish.
- Whisk yogurt, mustard and sesame paste and spices to a smooth base.
- Add fish to yogurt sauce, top with green chillies and simmer until done. Top with more fried onions and serve warm.
What to serve with Doi Shorshe Maach?
Serve warm with steamed rice for a simple, comforting meal.
Check out another exciting fish fry recipe here!
Doi Shorshe Maach (Bengali Fish Curry)
Ingredients
For Marinade
For Frying
For Mustard Yogurt Base
Instructions
-
Wash and pat dry fish. Marinate the fish with turmeric and salt. Rest for 20 to 30 min.
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Soak 2 tbsp of mustard seeds in 1/2 cup of water and keep aside. Toast sesame seeds on low to medium flame until it starts to change color. Keep aside.
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In a wide skillet, add mustard oil. Shallow fry on both sides for 3 to 4 min. Do not deep fry. Keep aside.
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In the same pan, add more oil (if needed). Lightly rub the sliced onions, add to the pan so that it covers the bottom of the pan (do not overcrowd). Fry onions until brown. Keep aside.
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Grind soaked yellow mustard and roasted sesame seeds with 1/2 cup water into a smooth paste.
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Whisk together yogurt, turmeric, chilli powder, ground mustard-sesame paste, salt, lime juice and 1/2 cup water until smooth.
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Grease an earthen pot with mustard oil. Pour the whisked yogurt into it. Arrange the shallow fried fish gently over it. Add sliced green chillies, sprinkle half of the fried onions on top. Simmer on low flame for 20 to 25 minutes until fish is cooked through. Swirl the pot occasionally.
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Adjust salt and spice. Add more lime juice if needed. Once done, top with the remaining fried onions. Rest for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow flavours to deepen.
Note
Best fish to use - Firm, steak-cut fish works best. The fish should be fresh and here I have used seer fish to prepare the dish. Roku or Katla are the most traditional choices.
Homemade yogurt - I like to use fresh homemade yogurt for this recipe.
Mustard seeds - Mustard should be soaked for at least 20 minutes before grinding.
