Indian · lunch, dinner

Bengali Fish Curry with Mustard and Poppy (Machher Jhal)

Bengali Fish Curry with Mustard and Poppy (Machher Jhal) — from Bong Eats's cooking video Watch how it’s made · 5:34

Video by Bong Eats on YouTube · Open on YouTube

60 minServes 5220 kcal a serve
  • Keto (1.9 g net carbs a serve)
  • Pescatarian
  • Gluten-free ingredients
  • Dairy-free
  • Nut-free

Contains: Fish. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

A light, low-carb fish curry with about 16 g of protein a serve, thickened with ground mustard and poppy seeds rather than cream; mustard oil and fish make it rich in omega-3 fats, and there is only ½ tsp sugar in the pot.

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Ingredients 14

Method

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Soak the poppy and mustard seeds in water for 30 minutes, drain, and grind them to a smooth paste with one green chilli. 0:55
  2. Rub the fish with 5 g salt and ½ tsp turmeric. 1:20
  3. Heat the mustard oil in a kadai until very hot, then lightly fry the fish in batches, about 2 minutes a side. Set aside, keeping a little oil back to finish. 2:10
  4. In the same oil, temper the nigella seeds, then fry the onion gently for 5 minutes. Add the garlic for 2 minutes, then the tomato and 8 g salt and cook until the tomato melts; stir in the sugar. 3:08
  5. Add ½ tsp turmeric and the chilli powder and cook until the oil separates. Stir in the mustard-poppy paste for no more than a minute (longer turns it bitter), then pour in the hot water. 4:25
  6. When it boils, add the slit green chillies, slide in the fish one piece at a time and simmer on medium for about 5 minutes. Finish with a drizzle of raw mustard oil and turn off the heat. 5:00

Tip. Serve with plain rice. Fry the fish only lightly so it stays moist; any firm freshwater fish works. Mustard oil is traditional; heat it until it just smokes to mellow it.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 5

Energy220 kcal920 kJ
Protein16 g33% of a day
Fibre0.9 g3% of a day
Carbohydrate2.8 g1.9 g net · 1.1 g sugars1% of a day
Fat16 g2.2 g saturated20% of a day
Sodium1,050 mg46% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 4%
  • Protein 30%
  • Fat 66%

Fits keto: 1.9 g net carbs a serve, with 66% of the energy from fat.

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Omega-3 High71%

1.1 g a serve, mostly from mustard oil (52%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Vitamin B12 High42%

1 µg a serve, mostly from rohu fish steaks (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Selenium High24%

13 µg a serve, mostly from rohu fish steaks (84%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Zinc Source14%

1.5 mg a serve, mostly from rohu fish steaks (84%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Vitamin B6 Source11%

0.2 mg a serve, mostly from rohu fish steaks (77%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Show the other 10
Iron9%

1.7 mg a serve, mostly from rohu fish steaks (65%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Magnesium9%

38 mg a serve, mostly from rohu fish steaks (68%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Potassium8%

350 mg a serve, mostly from rohu fish steaks (82%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Vitamin C6%

5.5 mg a serve, mostly from green chillies (52%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Calcium5%

67 mg a serve, mostly from rohu fish steaks (53%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Folate4%

17 µg a serve, mostly from rohu fish steaks (67%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Vitamin A2%

15 µg a serve, mostly from rohu fish steaks (44%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Vitamin E2%

0.3 mg a serve, mostly from green chillies (32%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Vitamin K1%

1.2 µg a serve, mostly from green chillies (37%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Vitamin D0%

0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

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Recipe and video by Bong Eats; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.