Fish Chokha
Smoky cooked fish mashed with onion, green chili, mustard oil, and fresh herbs makes this rustic eastern Indian chokha bright, punchy, and deeply satisfying. It works beautifully with steamed rice or roti as part of a simple meal.
For 4 servings
- boil · ~10 min
Boil the fish until just cooked.
1.Add water to a pan and bring it to a gentle boil.2.Add the fish and the salt for boiling water.3.Cook over medium heat until the fish flakes easily, about 8 to 10 minutes.4.Lift the fish out and let it cool enough to handle.TIPDo not overcook the fish or it turns dry and harder to mash smoothly. - prep · ~5 min
Remove the bones and flake the fish.
Carefully remove all skin and bones from the cooked fish. Flake the flesh into a wide bowl so it is easy to mash evenly.
- mix · ~4 min
Mash the fish with the chokha ingredients.
1.Add onion, green chili, garlic, mustard oil, lemon juice, coriander leaves, and the salt for mixing to the bowl.2.Mash everything together with clean fingers or the back of a spoon.3.Mix until the fish is soft and the onion and chili are evenly distributed.4.Taste and adjust the sharpness with a little more lemon juice if needed.TIPMustard oil gives chokha its signature bite, so mix it in raw for the best flavor. - serve
Serve the fish chokha.
What to keep in mind.
7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.
- 1Stop boiling as soon as the fish flakes; overcooked fish turns cottony and loses the soft chokha texture.
- 2Let the fish cool slightly before deboning so the flesh stays in larger flakes and bones are easier to spot.
- 3Use clean fingers to mash if possible; you can feel tiny bones and distribute onion and chili more evenly.
- 4Finely chop the onion and green chili so the chokha tastes punchy without feeling coarse or watery.
- 5Add the mustard oil raw at the end for its classic sharp aroma; heating it first dulls the signature bite.
- 6Rest the mixed chokha for 5 to 10 minutes before serving so the garlic, lemon, and mustard oil meld.
- 7Fish chokha is best fresh, but it can be chilled briefly; bring it closer to room temperature before serving for fuller flavor.
Adapt it for your goals.
Smoked
Roast or lightly char the fish before mashing instead of boiling for a deeper smoky flavor closer to rustic village-style chokha.
low spiceLow-spice
Reduce the green chili and increase coriander leaves for a milder chokha that keeps the mustard-lemon sharpness.
mustard forwardMustard-forward
Add a little extra raw mustard oil if you enjoy a stronger, more traditional pungency with rice.
tomato addedTomato-added
Mash in a little roasted tomato for softness and tang, giving the chokha a juicier texture and a gentler onion bite.
Why this is on our healthy list.
Rich in Fish Protein
The fish makes this dish filling and satisfying while providing quality protein in a simple, minimally processed form.
Herb and Allium Boost
Onion, garlic, green chili, and coriander add flavor along with plant compounds that make the dish more nutritious and vibrant.
Light Yet Satisfying
Because the fish is boiled and only a little mustard oil is used, the dish stays relatively light while still tasting bold.
Frequently asked questions
Use a firm fish that flakes well after cooking and can be deboned cleanly. The easier it is to remove bones, the smoother and safer the chokha will be.
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