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Pui Shaaker diye Maacher Jhol

Pui Shaak diye Maacher Jhol

Pui Shaak jhol with eggplant, jackfruit seeds, and Katla maach —rich, comforting, and steeped in Bengali monsoon memories.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Bengali
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the Dal dumplings
  • 2.5 tbsp motor dal
  • 2 green chillies
  • salt to taste
  • oil for frying
For the Curry
  • 4-5 pieces rui or katla fish
  • 1/3 cup potatoes cubed
  • 1/3 cup pumpkin cubed
  • 1/3 cup eggplant cubed
  • 1/3 cup ridge gourd cubed
  • 1/4 cup pui metuli
  • 8-10 jackfruit seeds boiled, peeled, halved
  • 10-12 large pui pata (malabar spinach leaves) roughly chopped
  • 1/2 tbsp ginger paste
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 7-8 green chillies slit
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 tsp kalonji seeds
  • 2-3 bay leaves
  • 2-3 dry red chillies
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 cup mustard oil
  • 1 tsp ghee

Method
 

For the Dal dumplings
  1. Soak motor dal for 5–6 hours. Drain and grind into a smooth paste with minimal water. Whip the paste well until light. Add salt.
  2. Fry small, flat dumplings in hot oil until golden. Drain on kitchen towel and keep aside.
For the Curry
  1. Marinate fish with turmeric and salt.
  2. Heat 3 tbsp oil and lightly fry brinjal cubes. Remove and keep aside.
  3. Add rest of the and shallow fry the fish pieces. Keep aside.
  4. Temper with bay leaves, dry red chilies, and kalonji. Allow it to splutter.
  5. Add potatoes and pumpkin with a little salt. Sauté for 5–7 minutes.
  6. Add jackfruit seeds and cook for 2–3 minutes.
  7. Add jhinge, pui metuli, and half of the ginger paste. Cook for about 5 minutes.
  8. Pour in 1/2 cup warm water and milk. Add a pinch of sugar. Simmer for 2–3 minutes.
  9. Add fried fish, dal dumplings, and chopped pui leaves.
  10. Cook until all vegetables are tender. Turn off heat, adjust seasoning, add remaining ginger paste and ghee.