Calling all Bongs! Remember the authentic maacher jhol that our grandmas used to make? Ah! Feel nostalgic already? Maacher jhol is not just a dish, it’s a sentiment. We grew up savouring maacher jhol as our staple lunch for decades. Many of us left the city, but the distinct taste of maacher jhol didn’t leave our taste buds. Maacher jhol and gorom-gorom bhaat is the most delectable combination of emotions and nostalgia.
This quintessential Bengali fish curry is perhaps what we folks live for. With the simplest of spices and veggies, this preparation is pure magic. No other dish can even come close to it. The best part? It doesn’t have any fancy ingredients or complicated cooking methods. It’s not something you will find a Bong ordering at a restaurant because it’s a dish you savour only when made at home, served with love and warmth. It’s our ultimate comfort food. I still remember when I used to go home from the college hostel during my semester breaks. All I yearned to hear was my mum or my grandma say: “Eyi, tor jonne tor favourite maacher jhol r bhaat korechi. Aye khe ne taratari thanda hoye jabe” (Come I have cooked your favourite fish curry. Eat it before it gets cold!) These were the golden words.
With the perfect mix of spices and aroma, the dish has been working its magic for generations. Especially, in my case, maacher jhol has been cheering me up on my worst days. Even now, after marriage, it acts as a glue to mend the bond between my husband and I after we quarrel, because there ain’t a love more sincere than the love for food. Food bonds us more than anything else. When we fight like cats and dogs, maacher jhol is our true-blue arbitrator. All I have to say is, “Esho maacher jhol korechi aj” (Come, I have made fish curry!) and he’s sold. So am I! It’s the best ice-breaker between us after every fight, as it transports us into a different world. A world where there’s no space for fights and quarrels, and only love and warmth resides.
I am glad I got the recipe from my grandma and that it is still helping me in more ways than I can imagine. In case, you also want a hearty dish to warm the old cockles of your heart or ease the strain in a relationship, give this recipe a try:
Ingredients:
500 gms rohu fish
2 potatoes, sliced
Half a cauliflower, cut into pieces
3 pointed gourds/potol, sliced
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tbsp ginger paste
2 – 3 bay leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 green chillies, chopped
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp asafetida/heeng
½ cup bori/dried lentil dumpling
Salt and sugar to taste
2 tbsp mustard oil
Method:
1. Marinate all the veggies and fish in turmeric and salt, and keep it covered for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Heat the oil, and fry the fish and veggies (separately) until light brown. Once done, keep aside.
3. Fry cumin seeds, bay leaves, and green chillies together for a bit before adding the ginger paste. Fry for a minute. Add turmeric, cumin powder, chilli powder, garam masala, salt, sugar, and water to the mixture. Let it cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Once the spice mix is ready, add the veggies and stir well for 2 minutes. Add some water to the jhol/curry. Next, add bari.
5. Now add the fish and heeng to it, and cover the lid. Let it cook for another 10 minutes–et voila, your maacher jhol is ready.
By the way, this is exactly what I had for dinner last night–and no, it wasn’t because my husband and I fought. Did you like this version of maacher jhol? Let us know in the comments below.
