Katla Macher Jhol ( Indian Carp gravy ) Bengali Cuisine

Katla fish is very commonly cooked in Bengali house holds . This fish is a fresh water fish and if in case the fish happens to be little big , then no one can beat the taste , This fish is quite fatty and very tasty. This dish I learnt from my husbands paternal aunt . One day we just went to pay visit to them and found she was cooking in the kitchen . because we visited there on Sunday . So how is it possible that if it is Sunday and there will be no fish. After getting married in Bengali family I have observed it is like a ritual in most of the Bengali families to bring fish on every Sunday and relish it in lunch. So when we visited to my husbands uncle house I saw his aunt cooking this fish  so I just stood there and started watching her because Bengali cuisine was new to me specially when it comes to cooking fishes . I being from a vegetarian family was very far from all this but after marriage I started adapting it and since cooking was always my thing even before marriage so learning a new cuisine and master it I took it as a challenge and here I am after 14 years of my marriage cooking and relishing everything .

So let get started :-

Ingredients :-

For the marinade 

• Katla Fish - 1/2 Kg ( Cleaned, washed and cut into thin pieces)
• Turmeric Powder - 2 tsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - For frying

For the Gravy 

• Potatoes - 3 Nos ( Cut into medium Size pieces) 
• Onion - 2 Nos ( Grated )
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
• Tomato - 1 ( Grated )
• Green Chili- 2 slit
• Cumin Powder - 2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
• Red Chili Powder - 1tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Coriander Leaves- ( Finely chopped ) For garnishing

Procedure:-

•  Sprinkle turmeric and salt over the fish and potatoes as well and mix it .
• Keep them aside 
• Switch on the gas and keep a pan over it and add oil for frying.
• Now when the oil is hot enough to fry add the fish pieces one by one and fry them until golden in color on low flame  .
• Now keep the fish aside.
• Now fry the potatoes on medium flame.
• Once they are golden in color , check by inserting tooth pick inside the potato if they are tender take them out.
• Take out the extra oil .
• And in remaing little oil add grated onion and saute it then add Ginger Garlic Paste and stir.
• Once the Paste is little brown in color add tomato, green chili and stir .
• Cover the pan on low flame and let the tomato  soften.
• Once the tomato is soften add all the masala's except salt and stir then add one cup of  water.
• Once the water comes to boil add the fried fish and fried Potato into it and sprinkle little garam masala on top of it .
• Simmer the gas and let it cook for 5 minutes .
• Now atlast add salt as per your taste but before adding the salt be careful as we have already used salt for marinating the fish also.
• Your Katla Macher jhol is ready to be served .
• Before serving garnish with  coriander leaves .

Note : Tastes good with steamed Rice.

Happy Cooking !