Rohu Fish In Yoghurt Curry: Classic Bengali Dish

Doi Maach is a unique dish with minimal spices and the flavour of the fish is the star of the dish. “Doi” is Yoghurt or Curds and “Maach” is Fish and the mix of the two is just right and a perfect blend. Rohu is an everyday fish in Bengal and to get the authentic flavour, that is the best fish to use. Rohu is the best fish to make this dish. But there are other options too. Red Snapper, Halibut, Cod, Haddock, Swordfish. You can use steaks or cut fillets into bite-size pieces, it still tastes great.

The rohu, rui, or roho labeo (Labeo rohita) is a species of fish of the carp family. found in rivers in South Asia. It is a large omnivore and is extensively used in aquaculture. The rohu is a large, silver-colored fish of typical cyprinid shape, with a conspicuously arched head. Rohu is very commonly eaten in Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and the Indian states of Tripura, Nagaland, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh. 

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients - 

For Fish Marination:

• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder (optional)
• 4-5 pieces of Rohu fish slices 

Curd Mixture:

• 400 gms curd
• ½ tbsp gram flour
• ½ cup onion juice (onions that are ground and strained to make juice)

Curry:

• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• Salt to taste
• ¼ Bengali garam masala powder
• 1 tsp ghee
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 nos cloves
• 2 nos green cardamom
• 3 nos green chilies 
• 1 stick cinnamon

Method:

1. To a pan, add mustard oil
2. Fry the fish on both sides till golden brown (do not cook all the way through)
3. Take off the pan and let it drain off excess oil onto a paper towel

Preparing Curd Mixture:

1. Add curd to a bowl
2. Add gram flour to this curd and beat it till it is lump free

Preparing Curry:

1. In the same oil that the fish was fried in, add some ghee
2. Add cardamom, bay leaves, cloves, and a stick of cinnamon
3. Allow the spices to crackle 
4. Add the curd mixture to the pan
5. Stir the mixture to well
6. Allow the mixture to cook for a minute on medium flame
7. Add salt to taste
8. Add Bengali garam masala powder
9. Stir it well for a lump-free curry
10. Once the curry is lump free, begin to slowly slide in the fish pieces 
11. Also, scrap in the oil that has accumulated in the pan
12. Do not stir the fish too much, or it might break
13. Turn the flame on high and let the fish cook in the curry for a minute
14. Turn off the heat and take off the pan

A recipe for fried Rohu fish is mentioned in Manasollasa, a 12th-century Sanskrit encyclopaedia compiled by Someshvara III, who ruled present-day Karnataka. The fish is marinated in asafoetida and salt after being skinned in this recipe. It is then dipped in turmeric mixed in water before being fried.