How to cook Kachki Macher Chorchori, Kachki macher chorchori is a delicious and traditional Bengali fish curry that originates from the Indian state of West Bengal, which is known for its rich and diverse cuisine. This recipe is typically made with Kachki fish. ‘Kachki’ or ‘Kechki’ is the Bengali name of the fish. Kachki mach(ganges river sprat) is a small, freshwater fish found in the rivers of South Asia and South East Asia. Of course you can find these fish nicely packed up and frozen in Bengali/Asian supermarkets. These fish are super super tiny and the good thing is you don’t have to worry about the bones…

Growing up in a Bengali household, Kachki Macher Chorchori was something my mum would make now and then. Fish has always been a favorite dish for me so it didn’t matter what kind of fish mum would cook I was always keen to try it out. I guess with Kachki mach the most intriguing thing was the super tiny size of the fish. The taste was of course always phenomenal. The dish pairs deliciously with hot steaming white rice. It’s a taste of proper Bengali cuisine and a taste of home.

Cooking kachki macher chorchori

I never cooked kachki mach before until this time really. I had to give mum a call for her most interesting way of cooking this fish curry. Growing up I used to love watching mum prepare this dish in the kitchen and I would always ask her how could we possibly eat such tiny fish?? Watching mum prepare the fish was another fascination. Well now I have learned to cook this dish myself and I’ll be making kachki macher chorchori for my own family and friends to enjoy!

For those of you who have a love for Bengali fish dishes you will be surprised how easy this dish is to make and for sure give it a try!

Check out the step by step pics for making delicious kachki macher chorchori!

How To Cook Kachki Macher Chorchori

Recipe by ShemaCourse: MainCuisine: Bangladeshi, IndianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Kachki macher chorchori

Ingredients

• 1 250 gram packet frozen kachki mach or fresh kachki fish if available
  

• To clean fish

• 1 teaspoon of salt

• 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric

• Ingredients for cooking kachki mach

• 1/4 cup of cooking oil

• 1 small onion finely sliced

• 1 teaspoon of garlic paste or fresh minced garlic

• Salt to taste (start off with 1/2 teaspoon)

• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder

• 1 and a 1/2 teaspoons of red chili powder

• 4-5 fresh green chili’s cut across the length

• 1/4 cup luke warm water

• A handful of fresh chopped cilantro/coriander leaves

Directions

• If using frozen fish, defrost the fish by soaking in cool water
• Transfer fish to a colander and gently rinse under cold water
• To clean fish, place fish on a chopping board. This just makes it easier to sort the fish out by taking out any dirt or debris that might have been packed along with the fish. (These fish are so tiny that you don’t really have to clean the fish itself but just make sure there is no unwanted debris)
• Add sorted fish into a clean bowl. Add in the salt and turmeric along with enough water to soak the fish
• Soak the fish for 10 minutes, this procedure helps to get rid of that unwanted fishy smell and then drain the excess water using a colander and rinse one more time with cold water. Fish is ready to cook
• In a small cooking pot add in the kachki fish with the oil, sliced onions, salt, garlic paste, turmeric powder, chili powder and fresh green chili’s
• Using your hand (can use a food glove) mix all the ingredients up very gently (remember the fish is very delicate)
• Add in the 1/4 cup of luke warm water and gently mix again
• Cover the pot with a lid and place on the stove on a high heat/flame, let everything come to a slight boil, then simmer for 10-12 minutes(stir once in between)
• Uncover and gently stir (the fish is very delicate so you don’t want to break the fish)then add in the fresh chopped cilantro, stir again and take the pot off the heat
• Kachki macher chochori is ready to serve with hot steaming white rice
• Enjoy!

Notes

• Kachki macher chorchori can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.