Pabda Macher Kalo Jeera Diye Recipe - Bengali Pabda Fish Curry

Pabda Macher Kalo Jeera Diye is a famous fish curry recipe from Bengal which is cooked for everyday meals. Serve this Bengali style Fish curry along with Steamed Rice and Kachumber Salad for a weekday meal.

Amrita Roy
Pabda Macher Kalo Jeera Diye Recipe - Bengali Pabda Fish Curry
5770 ratings.

Pabda Macher Kalo Jeera Diye is a famous fish curry recipe from Bengal. Pabda fish is variety of catfish which is called butter catfish. Pabda fish is tasty and flavourful as well as healthy too. The flesh of pabda is very soft and it has smooth skin.

In this curry, there is no onion and garlic but you can add them according to your taste and preference. It is a simple fish curry and therefore you can include them in your everyday meals too.

Serve Pabda Macher Kalo Jeera Diye along with Steamed Rice and Kachumber Salad for a weekday meal.

If you like this recipe, you can also try other Fish Curry recipes for your Indian lunch/dinner such as:

  1. Goan Lady Fish Curry Recipe
  2. Shorshe Maach Recipe
  3. Amritsari Fish Gravy Recipe

Cuisine: Bengali Recipes
Course: Lunch
Diet: High Protein Non Vegetarian
Prep in

30 M

Cooks in

30 M

Total in

60 M

Makes:

3 Servings

Ingredients

  • 3 Pabda fish
  • 1 Potato (Aloo) , sliced
  • 1/2 cup Mustard oil
  • 2 teaspoons Turmeric powder (Haldi)
  • Salt , to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Kalonji (Onion Nigella Seeds)
  • 1 Tomato , chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Ginger , paste
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder (Dhania)
  • 2 tablespoons Coriander (Dhania) Leaves , chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Red Chilli powder
  • 2 Green Chillies
  • Water , as required

How to make Pabda Macher Kalo Jeera Diye Recipe - Bengali Pabda Fish Curry

  1. To begin making the Pabda Macher Kalo Jeera Diye recipe, firstly wash and clean the fish. 

  2. In a bowl, combine the fish along with salt and 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and marinade for 30 minutes.

  3. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan on medium flame and shallow fry the fish, cover and cook. Flip the fish to the other side and cook them till they change the colour and turn a little crisp.

  4. Once cooked, transfer to a plate and keep aside.

  5. Now in the same pan, heat oil on medium flame, add the potatoes, salt to taste and a little turmeric powder.

  6. Let it cook till the potatoes become crisp and golden in colour. This will take about 8-10 minutes. Once it is cooked, drain on an absorbent paper, and keep it aside.

  7. Next in a small mixing bowl, combine turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder, 1/2 cup of water and let it sit for 5 minutes. This makes the spice mix for the Pabda Macher Kalo Jeera Diye recipe.

  8. Next in the remaining oil in the pan, add nigella seeds, chopped tomatoes and green chillies. Cook them till the tomatoes turn soft and mushy. This will take about 5 minutes. 

  9. Once the tomatoes are soft, add the ginger paste and mix everything well. After about 2 to 3 minutes, add the Pabda Macher Spice Mixture.

  10. Adjust the consistency of the curry to your liking, and allow it to boil. Once it starts boiling, add salt, fried fish and and let it cook for about 3-4 minutes minutes.

  11. Once done, switch off the heat, add the roasted potatoes and garnish with coriander leaves. Your Pabda Macher Kalo Jeera Diye is ready to be served

  12. Serve Pabda Macher Kalo Jeera Diye along with Steamed Rice and Kachumber Salad for a weekday meal.

  • Be very careful while frying this fish as like other catfish pabda splutter in hot oil. 
  • Avoid frying these fish for longer time other wise the nutritional value will be lost. 

Pabda Macher Kalo Jeera Diye Recipe - Bengali Pabda Fish Curry is part of the Indian Curry And Gravy Recipe Contest