Description
'Macha' means fish, 'Jhol' means soup. In landlocked Nepal, soup curries using freshwater fish (carp/catfish relatives) are common. To erase muddiness, the fish is first deep-fried crispy, then briefly simmered in a watery, spicy soup punched with mustard oil and massive tomato sourness—a rice thief.
Restaurants serving Macha ko Jhol (Nepali Fish Curry)
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- River fish(or whitefish like Cod/Sea Bream)
- Tomato
- Onion
- Mustard oil
- Mustard seeds
- Cumin
- Turmeric
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- [Fry Fish]: Cut river fish into rounds (or fillet), season with turmeric, salt, lemon juice; deep-fry (or shallow-fry) in generous mustard oil until surface is crispy.
- [Make Soup (Jhol)]: Heat mustard oil in another pot, burn mustard seeds (or fenugreek). Fry onion, massive tomatoes, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander; pour water to make a watery, sour soup.
- [Finish]: Put fried fish in soup, simmer just a few mins to meld flavors (careful not to crumble).
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Mustard oil、Mustard seeds、Tomato sourness
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Coat JP 'Cod' or 'Sea Bream fillets' in turmeric, shallow-fry, put in tomato-based soup curry
Pairing
Bhat (White Rice) / Chiura / Raksi
Trivia
While meat curries use 'Garam Masala' (heavy spices), the Nepali golden rule for fish curries is heavily using 'Mustard Seeds' and 'Tomato' to erase fish odor and finish with clean sourness.
Eating tips & etiquette
As the main side (Tarkari) of Dal Bhat, pour the sour Jhol (soup) generously over rice, flaking the fish meat bit by bit and mixing by hand (careful: river fish have many small bones).
Allergen
Seafood