Sharing Pohala Jhola Recipe which is an Odiya style Fish preparation.A dish that you can relish with steamed rice. A comfort Odiya meal . You don’t need any other side dish.
“Pohala” fish is a common variety we get in local fish market. Usually small sizes are available through out the year . Yesterday I got Pohala fish in nearby Fish market. It was the fresh catch of the day from river.
Odiya Style Pohala Jhola Recipe
Now let’s come to our recipe ,it’s a spicy fish curry which can be enjoyed with hot steamed rice.
Fish are marinated with turmeric powder and salt for 5-10 minutes. These are fried first with a generous amount of Mustard Oil. You can use different cooking oil too.
You can shallow fry on a flat Tawa.This dish can be prepared with other small fishes. You can try with Mackerel or small Mullet .
The gravy is Tomato based. You can add more Green Chillies to make it more spicy.I don’t like Ginger flavour in this gravy.
Garnishing with fresh coriander leaves is an optional. But this is a common practice in Odisha.
You may like to check Fish Curry cooked with Mustard sauce.
How to Eat Pohala Jhola
You can’t really find anyone here eating fish with fork & spoon . Eating using your hand is a culture here.It has been passed on for generations here .This traditional practice to enjoy one’s food brings that personal connection with food feeding not only your stomach but mind.
The practice of eating with your hand has originated thousands of year ago and is widely followed in other parts of the world like Philippines, Middle East countries etc.
I have never seen anyone eating a burger with knife or having the famous Indian street-food “Panipoori” with a spoon .But in the other way you can’t drink your soup without a spoon, Isn’t it!
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 300 gm Pohala Fish
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tomato
- 2 red onion
- 4 green chili
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 3 tbsps mustard oil
- 3 cups water
- salt
- coriander leaves
Ingredients
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- Clean fish and give marks on it with knife. Add turmeric and salt and keep aside for 5 minute.
- Make a paste of garlic,onion,green chili. Grind tomatoes coarsely .
- Heat oil and fry fish on both side until they are done.It will take 3 to 5 minute.
- Take them out ,add onion masala paste in the same pan and fry for a minute.
- Add tomato paste,salt and fry for another 2 minute until it's done.
- Add water and let it boil for 2 minute.
- Add cumin powder and mix well .Immediately add fried fishes to it and cook for 2 minute at low flame.
- It's done.Use fresh chopped coriander leaves to garnish.Serve hot.