I was in for a surprise
when yesterday while shuffling through my recipes, I discovered the recipe of Rohu
Fish Kalia missing from the list. It's unbelievable. In my attempt to try a
whole spectrum of unique fish preparations, I gave the most common yet the most
popular Rohu curry of Bengal a miss. Trust me, it was not deliberate. Rui
Macher Kalia is quite staple in our home, but somehow the recipes which are not
so easily available on the net or which are not so common a preparation in our
part of the world got more preference in my blog or rather simply put, I was
more in favour of this idea of posting the experimental recipes frequently in
my blog than the common ones which are cooked at every home. Whatever the
reason may be, I was shocked not to have found the recipe of Rui Macher Kalia
uploaded in my blog. As far as my memory goes, I have taken the pictures of the
curry every time I made it at home, but at the last moment I might have become
engrossed with something or the other. My mind never remains in one place for
long, normal for anyone tugged between career and family. So the skip happened.
Anyway better late than
never, Rohu Fish Kalia as I have mentioned is one of the popular rohu fish
preparations in Bengal. Before the fashion of caterer service or verbosity of
menu came into picture, traditionally in our marriages in West Bengal, all the
food arrangements on special occasions like marriage or rice ceremony were done
by a group of 'thakurs' who had been into the profession of cooking from
generation after generation. Rui Macher Kalia used to be a sacrosanct item in
their menu. In my childhood I attended many such marriages or occasions where
Rui Macher Kalia or Katla Macher Kalia were served in the fish menu. The oil
and ghee glistening on the surface of the gravy easily came to notice evoking
temptation. However, these days no longer Rui Macher Kalia is served in
marriage ceremonies, other fancy preparations having taken its place.
Ingredients: Cooking
time: 30 minutes
ü 6 pieces of Rohu fish
ü 1 large size potato, cut into wedges
(shallow fried)
ü 1 small size onion (ground into paste)
ü 5-6 green chillies (ground into paste)
ü 1 tomato (pureed)
ü 2 tbsp plain yogurt, beaten
ü 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
ü 1 tsp cumin powder
ü 1 tsp turmeric powder, plus extra for
marinating the fish
ü 1 tsp coriander powder
ü 1 tsp kashmiri red mirch
ü 1 tsp garam masala powder
ü Salt to taste
ü A pinch of sugar (for caramelization)
ü Mustard oil for cooking
ü 1 tsp ghee
For sauté:
ü 1 bay leaf
ü 2 dry red chillies
ü 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Method:
1) Remove the scales from
the fishes and wash them under running water repeatedly. Pat them dry and
toss them in turmeric powder and salt.
2) Heat mustard oil in a
wok. When oil comes to a smoking point, slide the fishes and fry till they
turn brown in color on medium to low heat alternately, this will prevent the
oil from burning and you can use the same for making curry. (Oil should be smoking hot or else the
fishes will stick to the bottom of the wok.)
3) When the fishes are
fried, take them off the plate and keep aside. Into the same oil, add the
ingredients for sauté and allow them to crackle.
4) Then add onion-green
chilli paste. Add a pinch of sugar to caramelize. Fry the onion till it turns
translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste and tomato puree. Add turmeric powder,
kashmiri red mirch, cumin powder and coriander powder. Sauté the mixture for
5 minutes till oil floats on the surface.
5) Add yogurt and mix in
well. Add salt and 1 cup of water. Bring the gravy to a boil. Toss the
shallow fried potato wedges into the gravy. Cook covered till potatoes are
tender.
6) Dung the fishes into
the gravy. Sprinkle garam masala powder and add ghee. Cook covered for 2
minutes before turning the heat off.
7) Serve hot with rice or
pilaf.
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Yes i agree with your post Rui Macher Kalia is very testy.
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