Shorshe maach aka fish curry with mustard paste is a pure Bengali delicacy and one of the most beloved recipes for bengali fish curry which is frequently prepared in every Bengali house. This shorshe bata recipe is a signature comfort dish which fills immense pleasure in every Bengali’s life. In this preparation, fried rui fish or any other big fish slices are cooked in mustard-poppy seeds paste with some tomato and green chillies. It is always accompanied with hot steamed rice.
Table of Contents
About the recipe
Health Benefits of Rohu Fish
Tips and Suggestions
How to make Shorshe Maach (step wise photos)
Recipe Card
Shorshe Maach – A Bengali Fish Curry
There is an eternal bonding between fish and Bengalis and as a Bong, I completely agree with it. For Bengalis, fishes are much more than a food ingredient. According to our old ancestors, fishes are auspicious and it’s a significant part of any celebration. Whether it’s Annaprasan or Marriage ceremony or a Matshamukhi (after death ceremony), fish curries are the salient part of any of these.
Other than occasions or celebrations, Bengali’s meal is incomplete without fish curries. In this case, Rui, Katla, Talapia, Mrigal play the most important role to complete any Bong’s regular meal. Macher jhol and bhaat is the most desired food that a Bengali can have almost daily without a single complaint. So, they are also called ‘Mache Bhate Bangali’. Whether you are sick or want to celebrate something, fish curry is always there in every bengali houses’ menu.
Fish Curry recipes has exceptional contribution to the Bengali cuisine. The huge varieties of fishes and the fish preparations make this cuisine rich and unique from others. Shorshe maach is one of the inimitable preparations of this rich cuisine.
For this shorshe maach recipe, I have used rui mach but any other freshwater fish or ocean fish can be replaced with it. You can also use katla, bhetki, cod, salmon and even prawns for the same preparation. Isn’t it versatile? You can make variation in the second most important ingredient i.e. mustard paste too.
Cooking fish curry with mustard paste is an art of traditional Bengali food. Normally, two types of Mustard seeds are used in cooking, yellow and black. Black mustards come with husk which has strong pungent flavour. On the other hand, yellow mustard seeds are husk free and have lesser pungent flavour as compare to black mustard seeds.
In this recipe, I have used yellow mustard seeds and some poppy seeds for paste. Addition of poppy seeds aka posto is completely optional. The addition of poppy seeds induces a nice flavour to the fish curry with creamier texture.
If you like very strong pungent flavour, then you can use 1:1 ratio of both yellow and black mustard seeds for this fish preparation. But don’t forget to strain the mustard paste to get rid of husk of black mustard seeds before use.
Shorshe maach aka rui shorshe is a very simple and easy recipe 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. Though it gets ready very easily, but it tastes divine with steamed rice.
Shorshe 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 shorshe macch recipe. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share few interesting facts about Rui Mach (Rohu Fish) and the recipe.
Health benefits of eating Rohu Fish
- 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.
Tips to prepare perfect shorshe maach
- 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.
- Addition of poppy seeds enhances the flavour of the dish and makes the gravy creamier.
- Don’t skip green chillies from the recipe. If you like less heaty food, then add whole green chillies. It makes the gravy aromatic.
How to make shorshe maach?
For the Bengali Fish Curry, first cut and clean the fish pieces and wash them gently. Then marinate them with Salt and Turmeric powder for at least ten minutes.
On the other hand, soak yellow Mustard seeds and poppy seeds in warm water for 10-15 minutes. Then drain the excess water and transfer it to a jar of a grinder. Add some green chillies, water and grind it to a smooth paste and keep it aside.
Add tomato chunks into a jar of a grinder and pulse it to a smooth paste and keep it aside.
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 nigella seeds aka kalo jeere and let them crackle. Add the tomato paste into the pan and cook it in medium flame for 2-3 minutes until it releases oil. Add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and give a nice mix. Cook the masala in low flame for another couple of minutes.
Add the mustard-poppy seeds paste into the pan and cook it in medium flame for another 3-4 minutes until the raw smell disappears. Add 2 tablespoons of water into the masala and cook it in high flame for another 1-2 minutes. In Bengali, it is called the moshola koshano.
Then add water into the pan for gravy and mix it well. Add some green chillies and put the flame in high. Cover the pan and cook it until the gravy starts boiling. Then put the flame in low and add the fried fish pieces into the pan and close the lid of the pan. Simmer the shorshe maach in low flame for 5-6 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…
Ingredients:
To marinate the fish
- 4 large Rohu fish pieces
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¾ teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
For the Mustard Paste
- 4 teaspoons yellow Mustard seeds (Shorshe)
- 2 teaspoons Poppy seeds (Posto)
- 2 green Chillies
- Water to make a smooth paste
Other ingredients for the Gravy
- 2 Tomatoes, deseeded and cut into 8 pieces
- 2-3 green Chillies
- ½ teaspoon Nigella seeds (Kalo jeere)
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
- 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons Mustard oil for cooking
- 1¼ cups of Water for gravy (Quantity can vary as per desired consistency)
Instructions:
- Cut and clean the fish pieces and wash gently with water.
- Marinate the fishes with 1 teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder and keep them aside for 10 minutes.
- On the other hand, soak 4 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds, 2 teaspoons poppy seeds in warm water for 10-15 minutes and then drain the excess water.
- Put it into a jar of mixer grinder. Add green chillies, a little water and grind it to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
- In a jar of a grinder, add the tomato chunks and pulse it to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
- 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.
- Put the flame in low and add the marinated fish pieces into the pan and fry them over medium flame for 2-3 minutes each side. Once the bottom side is done, turn the fish pieces very gently and fry the other side. Keep them aside on a separate plate.
Tip: Don’t overcook the fish, otherwise they will become chewy. During the time of frying turn the fish carefully because they are very delicate. - Add ½ teaspoon nigella seeds into the same pan and let them crackle.
- Add the tomato paste into the pan and cook it in medium flame for 2-3 minutes until it releases oil.
- Add salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder and give a nice mix. Cook the masala in low flame for another couple of minutes.
- Add the mustard-poppy seeds paste into the pan and cook it in medium flame for another 3-4 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Add 2 tablespoons of water into the masala and cook it in high flame for another 1-2 minutes. Stir frequently.
- Add 1¼ cups of water, 2-3 green chillies into the pan for gravy and mix it well. Cover the pan and put the flame in high until the gravy starts boiling.
- Put the flame in low and add the fried fish pieces into the pan and put on the lid of the pan. Simmer the shorshe maach in low flame for another 5-6 minutes. Flip the fish pieces once in between.
- Switch off the flame and put the pan down.
Serving Instruction
Transfer the shorshe 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.
Ingredients
To marinate the fish
- 4 large Rohu fish pieces
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¾ teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
For the Mustard Paste
- 4 teaspoons yellow Mustard seeds (Shorshe)
- 2 teaspoons Poppy seeds (Posto)
- 2 green Chillies
- Water to make a smooth paste
Other ingredients for the Gravy
- 2 Tomatoes, deseeded and cut into 8 pieces
- 2-3 green Chillies
- ½ teaspoon Nigella seeds (Kalo jeere)
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)
- 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons Mustard oil for cooking
- 1¼ cups of Water for gravy (Quantity can vary as per desired consistency)
Instructions
- Cut and clean the fish pieces and wash gently with water.
- Marinate the fishes with 1 teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder and keep them aside for 10 minutes.
- On the other hand, soak 4 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds, 2 teaspoons poppy seeds in warm water for 10-15 minutes and then drain the excess water.
- Put it into a jar of mixer grinder. Add green chillies, a little water and grind it to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
- In a jar of a grinder, add the tomato chunks and pulse it to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
- 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.
- Put the flame in low and add the marinated fish pieces into the pan and fry them over medium flame for 2-3 minutes each side. Once the bottom side is done, turn the fish pieces very gently and fry the other side. Keep them aside on a separate plate.
Tip: Don’t overcook the fish, otherwise they will become chewy. During the time of frying turn the fish carefully because they are very delicate.
- Add ½ teaspoon nigella seeds into the same pan and let them crackle.
- Add the tomato paste into the pan and cook it in medium flame for 2-3 minutes until it releases oil.
- Add salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder and give a nice mix. Cook the masala in low flame for another couple of minutes.
- Add the mustard-poppy seeds paste into the pan and cook it in medium flame for another 3-4 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Add 2 tablespoons of water into the masala and cook it in high flame for another 1-2 minutes. Stir frequently.
- Add 1¼ cups of water, 2-3 green chillies into the pan for gravy and mix it well. Cover the pan and put the flame in high until the gravy starts boiling.
- Put the flame in low and add the fried fish pieces into the pan and put on the lid of the pan. Simmer the shorshe maach in low flame for another 5-6 minutes. Flip the fish pieces once in between.
- Switch off the flame and put the pan down.
