Why this recipe works
Doi maach means yogurt fish, and the yogurt is both the gravy and the challenge. Whisked and added off the heat, it makes a mild, creamy sauce; boiled hard, it splits. Gentle whole spices, cardamom especially, and a touch of sugar give it the soft, rounded Bengali character, and the fish, lean and omega-3-rich, poaches gently in it.
Ingredients
Method
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1
Rub the fish with turmeric and salt and lightly fry, then set aside.
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2
Bloom the whole spices in mustard oil, then cook the onion paste and ginger gently.
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3
Lower the heat and whisk in the yogurt with a pinch of sugar.
Why off the heat: yogurt splits into grainy curds if it boils, so it goes in low and whisked, giving doi maach its smooth, mild gravy.
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4
Return the fish and simmer very gently until just cooked.
Gentle heat: both the yogurt and the delicate fish want low heat, a gentle poach keeps the gravy smooth and the fish flaky.
An honest word
Doi maach is a light, gentle fish curry: no cream, a modest amount of oil, and a yogurt gravy that even adds a little protein and calcium. It is one of the softer, more soothing ways to eat fish, and there is very little to caveat. With plain rice it makes a calm, nourishing meal, easy on the stomach and genuinely good for you.