Puti macher jhal | Puti macher recipe |Puti macher recipe Bengali |Bengali recipe of small fish

Puti macher jhal is a Bengali delicacy and a comforting small fish curry. It is one of the most frequently prepared Bengali recipe of fish in almost every Bengali house. This puti macher recipe is very popular in Bangladesh, West Bengal and Orissa. In this preparation, fried fishes are simmered in spicy onion-tomato gravy with some green chillies and coriander leaves. This scrumptious Bengali recipe fish is always relished with hot steamed rice.

About the recipe
Tips and Suggestions
Frequently Asked Questions
How to make Puti macher jhal (step wise photos)
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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 occasions.

Both West Bengal and Bangladesh are surrounded by many rivers. They have been a great source of fresh river fishes for ages. The availability of fishes is the key reason behind the popularity of Fish Curries in these regions. This is the secret of the huge variation of Fish curries in Bengali cuisine.

Other than occasions or celebrations, Bengali people’s meal is incomplete without fish curries. In this case, Rui, Katla, Talapia, Mrigal, Shorputi, Puti play the most important role to complete any Bong’s regular meal. Macher patla 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’.

Our old ancestors have left behind many supreme and simple varieties of fish curry recipe with both large fishes and small fishes for us. Bengali spices can create magic and make any fish curry taste WOW. Puti Macher jhal is one of the finest examples of Bengali recipe fish with small fishes.

Puti macher jhal is a Bengali name where ‘puti mach’ indicates the ‘name of the fish’ and in Bengali ‘jhal’ means ‘spicy aka heaty’. In short, puti mach aka small fish is cooked in spicy gravy. This is not a signature dish and every family have their own style of preparing this dish.

Few people prefer to add the mustard paste into the curry whereas few do not. Few people add onion into the curry and few do not. Few people use both whole green chillies and green chilli paste and a few skip green chilli paste. But in every preparation, it tastes amazing and comforting.

Since my childhood, I love eating small fishes and Puti mach is one of my favourites. I have prepared many Puti Macher recipe with this delectable fish like Puti Macher Jhal, Puti macher shorshe jhal, Puti Macher Jhol, Puti Macher Tok, Puti Macher Chorchori and many more. When I was in Kolkata, I used to get fresh puti mach from the fish market. But in London, I get these small fishes in frozen blocks.

But even if you don’t have puti mach, you don’t need to worry. You can prepare this versatile Bengali fish curry with any other fish. You can use any small fish and even big fish pieces to prepare the dish.

Puti Macher jhal is a very simple and easy recipe that requires minimal effort and minimal ingredients to get prepared. Each ingredient is easily available in any Indian kitchen pantry. The best part of the recipe is that it gets prepared within half an hour. Though it gets ready very easily, but still it tastes divine.

A bowl of puti macher jhal with plain rice is more than a comfort meal for me. I am pretty sure many of you are on the same side as me. If you have not yet tried it, then I would highly recommend you try it at least once. I am pretty sure you are going to repeat it frequently.

Puti Macher recipe with step by step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section of the recipe. I have included all the tips and tricks to make the recipe easier for you in the very first attempt. But before jumping into the recipe, let me share a few interesting facts about Rui Mach (Rohu Fish) and the recipe.

• The basic and important part before cooking Puti mach (Small Fish) is to cut and clean the tummy of each of the fishes properly, otherwise, the fishes will stink.
• To scale Puti mach (Small Fish), rub them on the rough surface first and then rub with salt for some time and wash them thoroughly.
• Wash them gently for a couple of times.

For the perfect taste of the Puti Macher jhal, a few things need to be done.

• Always marinate the Puti Mach (small fish) with salt and turmeric powder for at least ten minutes.
• Always use Mustard oil for frying these fishes. It will give amazing flavour to the fish.
• Fry the fishes moderately before adding to the gravy. Over frying make the fish chewy.
• Make a masala paste in a separate bowl by adding the ground spices and some water. It gives better flavour and taste to the gravy.
• The consistency of the gravy is thick. Don’t add too much water to the gravy.

Macher jhol and macher jhal are the two most popular variations of Bengali fish curry. Macher jhol is usually lite and the gravy is runny. It is prepared by adding vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower, brinjal etc.

On the other hand, macher jhal is spicy and the consistency of the gravy is thick. Usually, any vegetable is not added to the gravy except onion.

Yes, of course. It is one of the most versatile fish curry recipes. You can use any fish variety instead of puti mach.

The choice is completely yours. You can add mustard paste to make the gravy richer. You can try my puti macher shorshe jhal recipe too.

Puti macher jhal is a comforting spicy fish curry. It is always relished with steamed rice. The curry has its own flavour. So, it does not go well with flavoured rice items.

For this puti macher recipe, first I have cut and cleaned the fishes and then marinated them with salt and turmeric powder for some time. Then I have deep-fried them moderately in mustard oil and kept them aside.

Yes, mustard oil is the secret ingredient of any Bengali fish curry which gives extraordinary flavour and better taste.

In the same pan, add some nigella seeds for tempering and let them crackle. Then add green chillies, chopped garlic and cook it in medium flame for 1-2 minutes until the garlic turns golden in colour. Add sliced onion and cook it for 10 minutes until soft in texture.

Then add ginger-garlic paste and cook it in medium flame for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell goes away.

Add the tomato chunks into the pan and give a nice mix. Add salt and give a nice stir. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 5-6 minutes until the tomatoes get mushy.

In the meantime, take a bowl and add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and some water into it. Make a paste of the spices and add it into the pan. Cook it in low flame for another couple of minutes until the masala releases oil.

Then add water for the gravy into the pan and mix it. Cover the pan and put the flame in high until the gravy simmers. Then put the flame in low and take off the lid.

Add fried fishes into the gravy and give a gentle stir. Add some chopped coriander leaves, broken green chillies into the pan and mix it. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 5-6 minutes. Switch off the flame and put the pan down.

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

Tangra Macher Chorchori
Shorshe Tangrar Jhal
Bata Macher Aloo Peyaj Diye Jhol
Mourala macher chorchori

..And Many more…

• Puti Mach (small fish), 250 grams
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)

• ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
• ¾ teaspoon red Chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
• 2 tablespoons Water

• 2 large Onions, thin sliced
• 2 large Tomatoes, diced
• ½ tablespoon Garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Ginger-Garlic paste
• 3-4 green Chillies
• 3 tablespoons Coriander leaves, chopped
• ½ teaspoon Nigella seeds
• Salt to taste
• ¾ cup Water, for gravy
• 4 tablespoons Mustard oil for cooking

1. Cut and clean the Puti mach (small fish) and wash with water.
2. Marinate the fishes with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder and keep them aside for 10 minutes.
3. Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Add ¼ cup mustard oil into the pan and wait until the oil is hot.
4. Put the flame in low and add the marinated fishes (Step 2) into the pan. Fry each side of the fishes for 2-3 minutes in medium-high flame. Strain the excess oil and keep them aside on a plate.Tip: Don’t overcook the fishes, otherwise the fishes will become chewy. During the time of frying don’t turn the fishes more than two times. The fishes may dismantle.
5. In the same pan, if required, add some more mustard oil and wait until the oil becomes hot. Add ½ teaspoon of nigella seeds and let them crackle.
6. Add 2 green chillies, ½ tablespoon chopped garlic and cook it in medium flame for 1-2 minutes until the garlic turned golden in colour.
7. Add sliced onion and cook it in medium-high flame for 10 minutes until soft in texture. Stir in regular intervals.
8. Add 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste and cook it in medium flame for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell goes away.
9. Add the tomato chunks into the pan and give a nice mix.
10. Add salt and give a nice stir. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 5-6 minutes until the tomatoes get mushy.
11. In the meantime, take a bowl and add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¾ teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 2 tablespoons water into it and mix it well. Make a smooth paste of the spices.
12. Add the masala paste into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for another couple of minutes until the masala releases oil.
13. Add ¾ cup water for the gravy into the pan and mix it. Cover the pan and put the flame in high until the gravy simmers.
14. Put the flame in low and take off the lid. Add fried fishes (Step 4) into the gravy and give a gentle stir.
15. Add 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves, 2 broken green chillies into the pan and mix it. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 5-6 minutes.
16. Switch off the flame and put the pan down.

Transfer the puti macher jhal into a serving bowl or on a serving plate. Serve hot or warm to enjoy the best taste. Pair up the dish with steamed rice and enjoy your comfort meal.

Puti macher jhal | Puti macher recipe |Puti macher recipe Bengali |Bengali recipe of small fish

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 30 Minutes 30 Minutes

Nutrition facts: NA calories NA fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

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Ingredients

To marinate the fish

• Puti Mach (small fish), 250 grams
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)

For masala paste

• ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
• ¾ teaspoon red Chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
• 2 tablespoons Water

Other ingredients

• 2 large Onions, thin sliced
• 2 large Tomatoes, diced
• ½ tablespoon Garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Ginger-Garlic paste
• 3-4 green Chillies
• 3 tablespoons Coriander leaves, chopped
• ½ teaspoon Nigella seeds
• Salt to taste
• ¾ cup Water, for gravy
• 4 tablespoons Mustard oil for cooking

Instructions

1. Cut and clean the Puti mach (small fish) and wash with water.
2. Marinate the fishes with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder and keep them aside for 10 minutes.
3. Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Add ¼ cup mustard oil into the pan and wait until the oil is hot.
4. Put the flame in low and add the marinated fishes (Step 2) into the pan. Fry each side of the fishes for 2-3 minutes in medium-high flame. Strain the excess oil and keep them aside on a plate. Tip: Don’t overcook the fishes, otherwise the fishes will become chewy. During the time of frying don’t turn the fishes more than two times. The fishes may dismantle.
5. In the same pan, if required, add some more mustard oil and wait until the oil becomes hot. Add ½ teaspoon of nigella seeds and let them crackle.
6. Add 2 green chillies, ½ tablespoon chopped garlic and cook it in medium flame for 1-2 minutes until the garlic turned golden in colour.
7. Add sliced onion and cook it in medium-high flame for 10 minutes until soft in texture. Stir in regular intervals.
8. Add 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste and cook it in medium flame for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell goes away.
9. Add the tomato chunks into the pan and give a nice mix.
10. Add salt and give a nice stir. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 5-6 minutes until the tomatoes get mushy.
11. In the meantime, take a bowl and add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¾ teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 2 tablespoons water into it and mix it well. Make a smooth paste of the spices.
12. Add the masala paste into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for another couple of minutes until the masala releases oil.
13. Add ¾ cup water for the gravy into the pan and mix it. Cover the pan and put the flame in high until the gravy simmers.
14. Put the flame in low and take off the lid. Add fried fishes (Step 4) into the gravy and give a gentle stir.
15. Add 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves, 2 broken green chillies into the pan and mix it. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 5-6 minutes.
16. Switch off the flame and put the pan down.

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