The year was 2003 and it was a musty, humid evening in the CR Park market in New Delhi. I had just got married and was visiting Sam who lived in Delhi then. Post marriage we lived in different cities due to our work commitments. I had just bought fish myself for the first time in my life and was frantically trying to call my mother-in-law to get my hands on her famed doi maach recipe (fish in yogurt sauce). I knew my husband for about 3 years before I got married. During that time I have been given enough hints to know that my mom-in-law was the undisputed authority of this dish on his side of the family, and it seemed there was a clear intention to intimidate me with that piece of information especially because I had never set foot in the kitchen until then. I read somewhere that rose tinted glasses are the key to lasting bliss in a relationship. Otherwise, what would explain my desperation to replicate his mom’s doi maach recipe?

Doi Maach Recipe

Anyways, those were the STD/ISD phone booth days and for whatever reason, I could not get in touch with his mom. So I did the unthinkable, asked my cooking-phobic (there’s a word for it, google it if you want to know) husband to guess the recipe. It’s one thing to be afraid of cooking and it’s completely another thing to make a completely wrong guess and mislead you. Well, in a nutshell, he had me try it with mishti doi which is sweetened yogurt and sans any onion, ginger-garlic. However, I don’t know what happened in that tiny kitchen that night, but as per Sam, that was the best doi machh he ever tasted in his life. It turned out really good. I myself could never replicate that recipe ever again. And all I remember was kind of steaming the fish with the yogurt and a mélange of warm spices. This particular food memory always leaves me with a smile every time.

Later I learned to cook doi machh from my mom-in-law and probably if we had a throw down today, I might even win. The “doi-machh” is an epic dish for the Bongs and it never fails to make an appearance on the dinner table from time to time on both sides of my family. Fish steaks are first fried and then simmered in a fragrant and aromatic sauce. Here in the US, I have used carp as my choice of fish several times and it turns out pretty good.

Doi maach with a side of white rice is comfort food and today after the rough week that we have gone through, it was much needed.

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Doi Maach

Author: Somdatta
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 30

Print Recipe

Description

Try this Doi Maach Recipe at home. A delicately spiced and tremendously aromatic traditional fish recipe. Doi Maach is a delicious fish dish from Bengal.

Ingredients

Fish Steaks – 300 gram ( preferably big fish like Carp)
Onion- 2/3 cup, finely chopped (can use onion paste)
Ginger paste – 2 tsp
Garlic paste – 1tbsp
Yogurt – 2/3 cup
Turmeric – 2 tsp (to marinate fish steaks) + 11/2 tsp ( for sauce)
Red Chili Powder – 2 tsp
Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
Cumin Powder – 1 tbsp
Bay Leaf – 2
Cloves – 5-6
Cumin Seeds – 11/2 tsp
Green Cardamom – 3-4, crushed
Cinnamon- 1 inch
Garam Masala – 1tsp
Mustard Oil – 5 tbsp (to fry) + 4 tbsp (for sauce)
Green Chilies – 4-5, slit lengthwise
Salt – To Taste
Sugar – To Taste

Instructions

Marinate the fish steaks with 2 tsp turmeric and 1 tsp salt.
Heat 5 tbsp of mustard oil in a pan.
Slide in the fish steaks slowly and fry both sides until golden brown. Keep aside.
In another pan, heat 3 tbsp of oil and throw in the bay leaves, cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon stick.
Allow 2 mins until the oil gets fragrant.
Add in the onion paste and fry for couple of mins.
Add in the ginger, garlic paste and fry for 3-4 minutes over medium flame or until the oil leaves the side of the pan.
Meanwhile, whisk the yogurt along with 1/2 cup of water and the turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and the red chili powder and add it to the pan.
Stir and mix everything in. Throw in the green chilies and let it cook for 4-5 mins.
Depending on the consistency required you could add 1/4 cup of water at this stage but this is optional.
Add the fried fish steaks to the simmering sauce as it reduces.
Add salt and sugar to taste.
When the consistency of the sauce looks right to you, remove from the stove.
Add garam masala and mix it in.
Serve hot alongside plain white rice.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 5
Calories: 158
Sugar: 4
Sodium: 120
Fat: 7
Saturated Fat: 2
Unsaturated Fat: 4
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 8
Protein: 17
Cholesterol: 50

Keywords: Doi Maach Recipe

Doi Maach Recipe – Fish in an Aromatic Yogurt Sauce