Preparation of sour fish
![How to Make Macher Tok](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/How-to-Make-Macher-Tok.png)
This is a very ancient dish of Bengal mainly from the Burdwan and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal. The marinated fish chunks are fried and then simmered in a thin stew made with tamarind and sometimes added with eggplant and bori/sun-dried lentil dumplings finished in a warm, spicy, tangy flavored sauce and this is How to Make Macher Tok.
The main ingredients are fish and tamarind, but raw mango also can be used instead of tamarind. This dish has been prepared usually in the summer season to fight against excessive heat. It goes very well with hot or normal rice maybe with panta (cooked rice soaked and fermented in water). You can choose any type of fish to make this amazing but very simple dish. You can also see tuna macher tok, Bata macher tok, and Mourola macher tok. Here I am preparing the tok which is a little dry, if you want you can keep some liquid by adding more water.
The main equipment
- Kadai
- Frying pan
- Serving plate
- Spatula
Ingredients required to make Macher Tok
- Rohu fish-2 chunks
- Mustard oil
- Egg-plant/brinjal-100 gm( small slice cut)
- Sun-dried lentil dumplings-4
- Tamarind pulp-10 gm
- Green chili-2
- Panch phoron-1/2 tbsp (It comprises mouri (fennel seeds), methi (fenugreek seeds), Kalo jeera (black cumin seeds), jeera(cumin seeds), and a typically Bengali spice, called radhuni
- Turmeric powder-1 tbsp ( ½ used for marinating the fish and another half for tok)
- Salt
- Coriander leaves for garnishing
How to Make Macher Tok
- Prepare all the items. Clean and wash the fish chunks, rub with salt and turmeric powder and keep it for half an hour to marinate. Take out the seeds from the tamarind pulp, soak them, and make a fine solution.
![Macher Tok step1](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Macher-Tok-step1.png)
- Take a hard-bottomed wok (pre-seasoned), heat oil in it
![Macher Tok step2](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Macher-Tok-step2-.png)
- When it comes to smoky temperature put the fish chunks to fry.
![Macher Tok step3](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Macher-Tok-step3-.png)
- When fried on one side, then turn it over to another side, as the fish is very fresh, need not over fry it.
![Macher Tok step4](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Macher-Tok-step4.png)
- Fry the bori/sun-dried lentil dumplings in the same oil and take them off the oven.
![Macher Tok step5](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Macher-Tok-step5.png)
- Take another pan. Heat oil and throw some panchphoron for tempering
![Macher Tok step6](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Macher-Tok-step6.png)
- As they splutter and sizzle add the pieces of eggplant and stir them for a minute
![Macher Tok step7](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Macher-Tok-step7.png)
- Add green chili, and turmeric and stir it for two minutes then pour the tamarind water with an additional half cup of water; allow it to cook for five minutes in low to medium flame. As the brinjals are very soft, need very less time to cook.
![Macher Tok step8](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Macher-Tok-step8.png)
- Slowly drop the fish chunks and cook for another 3-4 minutes to allow the fish chunks to soak in the tangy stew.
![Macher Tok step9](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Macher-Tok-step9.png)
- Now the fish chunks have soaked almost all the liquid. (If you want you can keep some stew by adding more water while adding the tamarind, you can refer to my post mourola macher tok). Take it off from the oven, and allow it to cool at room temperature.
![Macher Tok step10](https://www.yummyfoodanddiet.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Macher-Tok-step10.png)
- Transfer it to a serving plate, garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice.