Dhonepata Maach is a lip-smacking Bengali fish curry recipe. Fish simmered in a fresh coriander-chilli-coconut paste and flavoured with garlic and raw mustard oil is finger-licking good.
Coriander also called cilantro, Chinese parsley or Dhone pata (Bengali) has multiple health benefits. It helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL), stimulates insulin secretion, treats anaemia and it’s good for eyes and digestive system.
Fish is one of my favourite foods – it’s healthy, tasty and can be cooked in so many different ways! Fish in cilantro sauce is a great way to cook fish and the authentic Indian flavours work really well.
The fish is first fried, then gently simmered in a coriander+coconut+chilli sauce. The thick, herby cilantro fish sauce is so good, you just want to wipe your plate clean!
Coriander Fish Curry never fails to please with the fresh, aromatic flavours of cilantro and garlic. A simple fish recipe that packs in a lot of flavour!
Dhonepata Maach Recipe Bengali Style:
Cilantro Fish is a very simple and quick fish recipe with a delicious green cilantro sauce. Yummy, fresh and wholesome – just perfect for a meal any day of the week! The mildly spiced green fish curry has wonderful flavours and the cilantro sauce tops it off beautifully!
- To make Dhonepata Maach, firstly wash and pat dry the fish pieces.
- Smear the fish with salt and turmeric. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile make a smooth paste of coriander leaves, coconut and green chillies with a little water. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a kadai. Shallow fry the marinated fish pieces over medium heat till they turn a golden brown on both sides. Remove onto a plate and keep aside.
- To the same oil add Nigella seeds. Once they start to pop, tip in the finely chopped onions. Fry the onions till they start to go brown. Add the garlic paste and sauté for 1-2 minutes till the raw smell of garlic disappears.
- Next tip in the coriander paste, salt and sugar and mix well. Fry over low heat for 4-5 minutes till all the ingredients are well incorporated and the oil starts to seep out from the edges. The cilantro gravy will be thick and just sufficient to coat the fish.
- Add the fried fish to the coriander gravy and simmer over low heat for 4-5 minutes till all the flavours are well absorbed.
- Lastly, drizzle a teaspoon of mustard oil on top and remove dhonepata diye maach.
- Serve Dhonepata Maach hot with Rice and a wedge of Gondhoraj Lebu.
If you are looking for more coriander recipes, do try out Coriander Rice and Nilgiri Chicken.
Fish in Cilantro Sauce Recipe details below:
Dhonepata Maach Recipe
Ingredients
!Marinate:
- 300 grams Fish fillets, cut into cubes
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
! Grind to paste:
- 1½ cups Coriander leaves
- 2 Chillies
- 3 tbsp Coconut, grated
!For curry:
- 1 Onion, chopped finely
- ¾ tsp Garlic paste
- ¼ tsp Kala jeera/Nigella seeds
- ½ tsp Salt
- ⅛ tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Mustard oil
- 2 tbsp Oil
Instructions
- Wash the fish pieces thoroughly and pat dry. Sprinkle salt and turmeric powder and smear the fish pieces well. Keep aside for 10 minutes.
- Grind grated coconut, green chillies and coriander leaves to a smooth paste with a little water.
- Heat oil in a wide pan. Fry the marinated fish to a light golden brown and remove.
- In the same pan, sizzle kala jeera.
- Add chopped onions and fry till the onions turn slightly brown. Add garlic paste and fry for a minute.
- Add the ground coriander paste. Sprinkle salt and sugar and combine all the ingredients well. Cook for 4-5 minutes till the oil starts to leave the sides and you get a thick gravy.
- Gently slide in the fried fish into the cilantro sauce. Let it simmer for 4-5 minutes till it gets nicely coated with the cilantro gravy.
- Drizzle mustard oil on top and remove the cilantro fish.
- Serve Coriander Fish with steamed rice and a wedge of lime.
