Doi maach | Doi rui recipe | Doi maach bengali recipe | Fish curry with yogurt

Doi maach recipe aka doi rui is a pure Bengali delicacy and one of the most popular Bengali recipes of fish. This comforting fish curry is prepared in almost every Bengali house throughout the year. In fact, it has occupied place in many authentic Bengali restaurant’s menu card. In this preparation, shallow fried rui fish pieces or any other fleshy fish pieces are simmered in mildly spicy yogurt-onion based gravy with some green chillies. Bengalis mostly relish this mild and luscious fish curry with hot steamed rice.

About the recipe
Health Benefits of Rohu Fish
Tips and Suggestions
How to make Doi Maach (step wise photos)
Recipe Card

The name doi maach itself throw light on the recipe. It is a Bengali fish curry with a Bengali name where the word ‘Doi’ stands for ‘Yogurt’ and ‘maach’ stands for ‘Fish’. For the doi maach recipe, the two primary elements are obviously fish and yogurt. In this preparation fish pieces are cooked in yogurt gravy using minimal amount of spices. Rui fish is ideal for the recipe but other freshwater fishes like katla, aar maach etc. or saltwater fish like cod, salmon, haddock can also be used.

It is an old Bengali recipe which is prepared in different ways in different subcontinents using different components. Many people prefer to prepare it without onion-garlic, many prefer to use onion-garlic paste whereas many others use only the juice of onion-garlic for the preparation of the gravy along with yogurt. Many people prefer to cook the raw fish directly into the gravy and many shallow fries the fish pieces before adding into the gravy.

Whenever I talk about doi maach recipe, I always feel nostalgic. I have so many beautiful memories with this recipe and can go on and on. I have learnt this traditional Bengali food from my mother, and she learnt from her mother (Didun). In this recipe, first I have lightly shallow fried the rui fish pieces and used onion paste and ginger-garlic paste for flavouring up the curry. This is my favourite variation of doi maach recipe which never disappoint me in front of guests, relatives and friends.

Doi maach bengali recipe aka doi rui is a very special Rohu fish curry for me which I have been brought up eating with. It is one of my most beloved Bengali fish curries, especially during summer when you desperately urge to eat something lite but delicious. Doi maach is a perfect example of a salivating but at the same time soothing and comforting Bengali macher jhol.

When I prepared this doi rui recipe for the first time, my husband loved the preparation. He just said a single word ‘Morish’ and ended up having two giant pieces of the fish. Sometimes, even simple recipes make your day.

The recipe for the Rohu fish curry is super light and is ideal for any age group. Though it tastes marvellous, but still doi maach Bengali recipe is a very simple and easy preparation which requires minimal effort and minimal ingredients to get prepared. The best part of the recipe is that it gets prepared within half an hour. This comforting fish curry with yogurt tastes divine with steamed rice.

Doi maach recipe with step by step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section of the recipe. I have shared all the tips and tricks below to prepare a perfect doi macch recipe. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share few interesting facts about Rui Mach (Rohu Fish) and the recipe.

Rohu fish is known by different names like Rui, Ruee, tapra, Roho Labeo etc. It is a freshwater fish from carp family. They are hugely popular in the subcontinents of South Asia. It is one of the most cultured fish in the ponds and lakes of these regions.

• Rohu fish is very rich in nutrients. It contains zinc, potassium, calcium, iron and may more contents. These minerals help to strengthen our body. It is very good for our brain too.
• They are very good source of Vitamin C which helps to build our immunity.
• Rohu fish is high in Protein and low in fat which makes it beneficial for growing kids to adult.
• The Omega 3 contained in the fish helps to make our heart healthy.

• Always marinate the fish slices with Salt and Turmeric powder for at least ten minutes.
• Always use Mustard oil for cooking this fish recipe. It will give amazing flavour to the fish.
• Fry the fishes moderately before adding into the gravy. Over frying can make the fish chewy.
• Don’t skip green chillies from the recipe. If you like less heaty food, then add whole green chillies. It makes the gravy aromatic.

To prepare a yogurt curry recipe, it is very important to add Yogurt in correct way to stop curdling. Here I am sharing few other tips and tricks for yogurt-based gravy.

• Add little bit of gram flour or all-purpose flour into yogurt and mix it evenly before cooking.
• It is very important to whip the Yogurt thoroughly before use.
• Always make sure that the Yogurt is at room temperature while cooking and not chilled.

For the Bengali Fish Curry, first cut and clean the fish pieces and wash them gently. Then marinate them with Salt for ten minutes. I always prefer to prepare white gravy for doi maach aka doi rui recipe. So, I have skipped turmeric powder and red chilli powder from the recipe.

On the other hand, to prepare the yogurt mixture, take the yogurt into the large bowl and add wheat flour (Atta), sugar into it. Mix the content thoroughly with a fork. Make sure there are no lumps. Keep the content aside.

Add onion chunks into a jar of a grinder and pulse it to a smooth paste and keep it aside. I have used white onion for the recipe, but you can use red onion too.

Take a pan and add mustard oil to fry the marinated fish pieces. Once the oil is hot, add the fish pieces and fry them moderately from both the sides and keep them aside on a plate.

Then into the same pan, add cumin seed, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamoms, bay leaves sand let them crackle. Add the onion paste into the pan and cook it in medium flame for 7-8 minutes until it releases oil.

Add the ginger-garlic paste into the pan and cook it in medium flame for another couple of minutes until the raw smell disappears. Add salt and give a nice mix. Cook it in lowest flame for a minute.

Add the yogurt mixture into the pan and cook it in low flame for another 3-4 minutes. Add green chillies and cover the pan. Cook it in lowest flame for another 2 minutes.

Add water into the pan for gravy and give a nice stir. Cover the pan and cook it in high flame until the gravy starts boiling. Then put the flame in low and add garam masala powder into the pan. Mix it nicely.

After this, add the shallow fried fish pieces into the pan. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 10-12 minutes. Flip the pieces once in between. Then switch off the flame.

Many recipe for Bengali Fish Curry have already been shared in my previous posts. You can check few of them like

Rui kalia
Barishali Ilish
Shorshe Tangrar Jhal
Pabda fish bhuna

..And Many more…

• 8 pieces of Rohu fish
• 1 teaspoon Salt

• ½ cup Yogurt
• ¾ tablespoon Wheat flour (Atta)
• 1 tablespoon Sugar

• 2 Onion, diced for paste
• 1 tablespoon Ginger-garlic paste
• 6-7 green Chillies, whole or half slit
• ¼ teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
• 2 Bay leaves (Tejpatta)
• 4-5 Cloves (Laung)
• 4 Cardamoms (Elaichi)
• 2 inches Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
• 1 teaspoon Bengali Garam Masala
• Salt to taste
• 3 tablespoons Mustard oil for cooking
• 2 cups Water for gravy

1. Cut and clean the fish pieces and wash gently with water. Marinate the fish pieces with 1 teaspoon salt and keep them aside for 10 minutes.
2. On the other hand, to prepare the yogurt mixture, take the ½ cup yogurt into the large bowl and add ¾ tablespoon wheat flour (Atta), 1 tablespoon sugar into it. Mix the content thoroughly with a fork. Make sure no lumps are there. Keep the content aside.
3. Add onion chunks into a jar of a grinder and close the lid of the jar. Pulse it to a smooth paste and keep it aside. I have used white onion for the recipe.
4. Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Add Mustard oil into the pan and wait until the oil is hot.
5. Put the flame in low and add the marinated fish pieces into the pan and fry them over medium flame for 2 minutes each side. Once the bottom side is done, turn the fish pieces very carefully and fry the other side. Keep them aside on a separate plate.
   Tip: In doi maach, the texture of fish is very soft and juicy. Don’t overcook the fish, otherwise they will become chewy.
6. Add ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, 2 bay leaves, 2 inches cinnamon stick, 4-5 cloves, 4 cardamoms into the same pan and let them crackle.
7. Add the onion paste into the pan and cook it in medium flame for 7-8 minutes until it releases oil.
8. Add 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste into the pan and cook it in medium flame for another 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
9. Add salt into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in lowest flame for 1-2 minutes.
10. Add the yogurt mixture into the pan and cook it in low flame for another 3-4 minutes.
11. Add green chillies and cover the pan. Cook it in lowest flame for another 2 minutes.
12. Add 2 cups of water into the pan and give a nice stir. Cover the pan and cook it in high flame until the gravy starts boiling.
13. Put the flame in low and add garam masala powder into the pan. Mix it nicely.
14. Add the shallow fried fish pieces into the gravy and close the lid of the pan. Cook it in low flame for another 10-12 minutes. Flip the pieces once in between very carefully.
15. Switch off the flame and put the pan down.

Transfer the doi maach aka rui maach into a serving bowl or on a serving plate. Serve hot or warm to enjoy the best taste. Pair up the dish with steamed Basmati rice and enjoy the authenticity of Bengal with your family and friends.

Doi maach | Doi rui recipe | Doi maach bengali recipe | Fish curry with yogurt

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 20 Minutes 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: NA calories NA fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 2 voted )

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Ingredients

To marinate the fish

• 8 pieces of Rohu fish
• 1 teaspoon Salt

For the yogurt mixture

• ½ cup Yogurt
• ¾ tablespoon Wheat flour (Atta)
• 1 tablespoon Sugar

Other ingredients for the Gravy

• 2 Onion, diced for paste
• 1 tablespoon Ginger-garlic paste
• 6-7 green Chillies, whole or half slit
• ¼ teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
• 2 Bay leaves (Tejpatta)
• 4-5 Cloves (Laung)
• 4 Cardamoms (Elaichi)
• 2 inches Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
• 1 teaspoon Bengali Garam Masala
• Salt to taste
• 3 tablespoons Mustard oil for cooking
• 2 cups Water for gravy

Instructions

1. Cut and clean the fish pieces and wash gently with water. Marinate the fish pieces with 1 teaspoon salt and keep them aside for 10 minutes.
2. On the other hand, to prepare the yogurt mixture, take the ½ cup yogurt into the large bowl and add ¾ tablespoon wheat flour (Atta), 1 tablespoon sugar into it. Mix the content thoroughly with a fork. Make sure no lumps are there. Keep the content aside.
3. Add onion chunks into a jar of a grinder and close the lid of the jar. Pulse it to a smooth paste and keep it aside. I have used white onion for the recipe.
4. Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Add Mustard oil into the pan and wait until the oil is hot.
5. Put the flame in low and add the marinated fish pieces into the pan and fry them over medium flame for 2 minutes each side. Once the bottom side is done, turn the fish pieces very carefully and fry the other side. Keep them aside on a separate plate.

Tip: In doi maach, the texture of fish is very soft and juicy. Don’t overcook the fish, otherwise they will become chewy.

6. Add ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, 2 bay leaves, 2 inches cinnamon stick, 4-5 cloves, 4 cardamoms into the same pan and let them crackle.
7. Add the onion paste into the pan and cook it in medium flame for 7-8 minutes until it releases oil.
8. Add 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste into the pan and cook it in medium flame for another 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
9. Add salt into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in lowest flame for 1-2 minutes.
10. Add the yogurt mixture into the pan and cook it in low flame for another 3-4 minutes.
11. Add green chillies and cover the pan. Cook it in lowest flame for another 2 minutes.
12. Add 2 cups of water into the pan and give a nice stir. Cover the pan and cook it in high flame until the gravy starts boiling.
13. Put the flame in low and add garam masala powder into the pan. Mix it nicely.
14. Add the shallow fried fish pieces into the gravy and close the lid of the pan. Cook it in low flame for another 10-12 minutes. Flip the pieces once in between very carefully.
15. Switch off the flame and put the pan down.