How to make kochu diye macher jhol

The marinated  katla/Rui or Illish fish chunks are fried and then simmered in a thin gravy made with tomatoes, onions, garlic and ginger and sometimes added with potatoes or Taro root/Arbi/kochu and other veggies, finished in a warm, spicy, cumin, coriander flavored sauce and this is How to make kochu diye macher jhol.

Author: Abhijit Mukhopadhyay
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Bengali
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Servings: 2 Persons

Ingredients

Fish chunks-05

Kochu/taro root/arbi-03 midium

Brinjal-1/2(medium size)

Aamra or Hog plum-1/4(instead of tomato)

Pointed gourd-02

Green chili-02(silted)

Ginger paste-01 tea spoon

Black pepper powder-1/4 tea spoon

Turmeric and cumin powder-01 tea spoon

Salt to taste

Mustard oil -½ cup( mainly for frying the fish chunks)

panch phoron-1/2 t spoon    (It comprises mouri (fennel seeds), methi (fenugreek seeds), kaalo jeere (black cumin  seeds), zeera(cumin seeds), and a typically Bengali spice, called radhuni)

How to make kochu diye macher jhol

First, wash the fish chunks thoroughly and rub these with salt and turmeric powder.

Take a hard-bottomed pan or kadai, heat oil and fry the fish chunks and keep aside.

In the same oil put panchphoron for tempering.

As they splutter and sizzle add the veggies step by step, first add kochu, then after cooking for 2 minutes add pointed gourds then add brinjal then cook for 2-3 minutes.

Now add ginger paste, smashed Aamra or Hog plum followed by the spices (turmeric, cumin and black pepper powder) and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Now you can add water, salt and cover the lid to boil the veggies for 5-6 minutes in medium flame.

Open the lid, slowly place the fish chunks in the curry, mix it and allow it to cook for 2 minutes.

Take it out from the flame, garnish it with coriander leaves and serve with steam rice.