Bonjour! It’s summers already and the charm of having certain dishes during summers is different altogether and “Doi Maachh” or “Dahi Maacha” is definitely one of them. Now, if I go for a literal translation, it means “Curd Fish”. The dish is very famous in Odisha and West Bengal and with time, gained popularity in other parts of India as well. Doi Maachh is made in numerous ways but what makes people relish it during summers is the fact that it’s not spicy and the curd based gravy acts as a cooling agent and is very light on stomach. I read it somewhere that ” Fish, to taste right, must swim three times – in water, in butter and in wine”. I must add here that fish has to swim “in curd and mustard paste” as well to taste heavenly.
Doi Maach:
Like I said earlier, Doi Maach is a dish mostly had in the Eastern regions of India but the making process vary from person to person. But the significant difference in the cooking method can be observed in Odisha and West Bengal’s version of the dish. In Odia, it’s called “Dahi Machha” and the flavouring of the dish varies a little. I remember relishing it long back when our Landlady (Of that time) made it for us. However, the variant of “Doi Maachh” I am talking about today is my mother-in-law’s recipe which I love to have too. Apart from the taste, the fact that it’s non fussy and super easy to cook appealed to me all the more. Also, unlike the other variants, it is cooked in the microwave.
Be it any variant, Doi Maachh doesn’t always have “Doi” or “Curd” in it alone. It always has some amount of mustard paste in it as well. I always prefer using pieces of big “Rohu Fish” because they are fleshy, have lesser bones and it’s flavour enhances the taste of the gravy. Now without any further ado, I shall straight away jump into the making process.
INGREDIENTS:
- Rohu Fish – 6 pieces
- Hung Curd – 100-150 grams
- Mustard Paste – 4 Tablespoons
- Chopped Green Chillies – 4-5
- Mustard Oil – 4-5 Tablespoons
- Salt
- Sugar – 3-4 Teaspoons
COOKING METHOD:
- Heat for about 2 tablespoons of oil in a (Non- stick) pan. Put the fish pieces ( washed properly and marinated with a little salt) on it. Cook it from both sides for just about 5 mins so that the raw smell of the fish goes. Don’t crisp fry it.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, put hung curd(make it smoother first by beating well), green chillies, mustard paste, sugar, mustard oil and salt. Give it a nice mix.
3. Add the pan-fried fish pieces into the gravy and try to mix it carefully so as to avoid the breaking of the fish pieces.
This variant of the “Doi Maach” is super easy to make and can be done in a jiffy. All you have to do is just to mix the ingredients and put it in the microwave and while it’s getting cooked, you can wind up your other stuff too. Just take out and have it with steamed rice for that ultimate summer bliss. It’s light and non-spicy and the fleshy flavour that rohu fish releases makes the dish more lip-smacking. This makes for a light & breezy summer perfect meal.
I really hope you guys make it once and share your feedback with me. Apart from that, if you have any queries or suggestions, do comment in the section below.
Till then, Happy Munching & Keep Smiling! 🙂
Love,
Shobhna
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