“Mache Bhate Bangali”❤️💕 Rui Macher Kalia

We Bengalis have a romantic liaison with fish 🐠

“Food shared is happiness multiplied.” So, here I am sharing my recipe for “Rui Macher Kalia”-a rich gravy based Fish Curry which is essentially a delicacy from the river valleys of Bengal.

This quintessential Bengali Delicacy is a classic , royal looking rich preparation and often known for taking a significant place in the menu of the Bengali weddings and has thus acquire a special name “Biye Barir Macher Kalia”.

I grew up eating this Rui Macher kalia cooked by my Ma and Grandma , this is such a favourite in almost all Bengali households. You can cook Kalia with Katla or Bhetki also , however I have used Rui or Rohu fish a sweet water fish very common in Bengal.

Recipe

Ingredients

• Rui/Rohu Fish Chunks

• Potatoes cut lengthwise into four halves.

• Onion medium-sized (peel and cut into halves lengthwise)

• 1- Tomato large (roughly chopped)

• 2 tbsp- Ginger-garlic paste

• 2- Dry red chilli (halved)

• 1- Bay leaf

• Salt to taste

• 1 tsp- Sugar

• 1 tbsp- Kashmiri mirch powder/Red chilli powder

• 5-6- Green Chilies (adjust according to your tolerance)

• 10-12- Raisins

• Turmeric powder

• 1 tbsp- Cumin powder

• 1 tsp- Coriander powder

• 4- Green cardamom (lightly crushed)

• 3-4- Cloves

• 1” (two pieces)- Cinnamon

• Mustard oil

• ¼ tsp- Garam masala powder

• Ghee
  

Instructions

1. Rub turmeric powder and salt on the washed pieces of Rui/Rohu, keep aside.

2. Fry the potatoes till golden brown and keep aside.

3. In a grinder, add onion, green chilies, and tomato, ginger and garlic and blitz until smooth paste forms .Keep aside. Here , I am mentioning one of my tips. If you fry the onions a bit and then make a paste after cooling , the taste of the kalia will be better as the raw smell of the onions will go.

4. Heat oil in a kadai/deep frying pan and fry the fish pieces until golden crisp. Remove and keep aside.

5. In the remaining oil (sufficient oil should be there in the kadai, otherwise add some more oil) temper with dry red chilli, bay leaf, green cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. Sauté for a few seconds.

6. Next add the onion-chilli-tomato -ginger-garlic paste. Mix and stir nicely over medium heat until the paste turns a bit brown and raw smell goes completely.

7. Add cumin powder, ½ tsp of turmeric powder, coriander powder, kashmiri mirch powder, chilli powder and salt in a bowl with little water.

8. Mix well and fry till the oil separates from the masala. Add 1 cup of water. Mix and give this a quick boil over high heat.

9. Reduce heat. Add the fish pieces and potato pieces . Mix well with the curry. Keep the cover little open; this is to allow the steam to escape and cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes or until the raw smell of masala goes.

10. Add sugar, garam masala powder , and raisins, and ghee , mix gently. Cook for a few minutes more. Your spicy and delicious Rui Macher Kalia is ready.

11. Serve hot with steamed rice and enjoy your Rui Macher Kalia.

Ideally the consistency of the gravy will be thick and rich.

Happy Eating😋😋