Fish Rezala is one thing I normally cook when guests visit our home. It is a classic dish with a white and slightly sweet gravy, with the fragrant rose water adding to its taste. I usually cook it with rohu fish but other varieties with less bones can also be used. The fragrance fills the room as soon as the lid is opened.
Before You Start:
- Fish Rezala is a delicious dish.
- It is characteristically made from freshwater fish.
- The spices and yogurt mix are the key to its taste.
- Fish Rezala tastes rich, creamy, and slightly sweet.
- It takes just over an hour to make this dish.
- As alternatives, you can try Chicken Rezala, Mutton Rezala, Rui Posto, and Doi Maach.
The Ingredients:
- Rohu Fish – 5 pieces (cut and cleaned)
- Yogurt – 3 Tbsp
- Cashew Nuts (or blanched almonds or melon seeds) – 10 pieces (pasted)
- Raisins (pasted) – 10 pieces (or sugar)
- Onions – 2 pieces (boiled and pasted)
- Ginger Garlic Paste – 2 Tbsp (pasted with 2 red chili)
- Red Chilis – 2 pieces (used in ginger garlic paste)
- Garam Masala – Half spoon
- Coriander Powder – 1 Tbsp
- Bay Leaf – 1 piece
- Dry Red Chilies – 2 pieces
- Cumin seeds – 1 Tsp
- Cinnamon Stick – 2 pieces
- Black pepper – 5 pieces
- Cloves – 2 pieces
- Cardamom – 3 pieces
- Onion boiled water – 1 cup
- Refined Oil – 3 Tbsp
- Ghee – 1 Tbsp
- Salt – As required
- Rose water – 1/2 tsp
- Lukewarm water as much as required
How to Cook Fish Rezala (Step by Step Images)?
1. Marinate the fish pieces only with pinch of salt and leave it for 10 minutes.
2. Fire up the chulha or clay stove, add the wok or kadai and add the oil.
3. Add the fish when the oil is hot, fry it very carefully. Flip it once only. Fry it till light brown.
(Pro tip: I ensure there is no moisture in the fish or else it splatters oil all over.)
4. Fry all the fish in the same way and keep it aside.
5. Add 1 tbsp ghee in the oil and also the whole spices such as bay leaf, dry red chilies, cinnamon, cumin seeds, black pepper, cloves, and cardamom. Fry it for 1 minute.
6. Add the ginger and garlic paste. Fry it well.
7. Add the onion paste and sauté it for 5 minutes, and then add the coriander powder. Add some boiled onion water. Stir it for 2 mins.
8. Add the yogurt while removing the pan from the fire but if you are doing it in the gas stove then make the flame low to add the curd and mix it well.
9. Add the cashew and raisin paste. (I have used raisins instead of sugar).
10. Cook it for 10 mins and add some lukewarm water to make the gravy according to desired consistency. Turn it to boil, add half spoon salt and then add the fried fish pieces.
(Pro tip: Swirl the pan instead of stirring because rohu breaks apart quickly in hot gravy.)
11. . Add the garam masala and a pinch of black pepper powder.
12.Cook it for 10 mins and add half teaspoon rose water, (you can add kewra water if you want).
13. Cover it with a lid for 5 mins and Fish Rezala is ready.
Variations You Will Love
- I often use poppy seed paste to make my dish richer.
- Sometimes I soak the cashew nuts in warm milk before blending for a creamier texture.
- Slit green chilies added in the end give my version a distinct kick.
Fish Rezala Recipe Rescue Guide
Q: Why is my gravy gritty after adding the cashew-raisin paste in step 9?
A: The paste is perhaps not smoothly blended. Add a tablespoon of water next time.
Q: I scorched the spices. Can I still proceed?
A: No. It is better to start with Step 5 all over because the scorched whole spices will make the gravy taste bitter.
Q: My gravy is too thick. What do I do?
A: Add a little lukewarm water in Step 10 and let it simmer for a couple of minutes longer.
Q: Can I prepare the gravy in advance for my guests?
A: Yes, I always make the gravy a day ahead and reheat it with the fried fish added to it.
Q: My rezala tastes bland. What is the remedy?
A: It is most likely due to salt. I would add some more salt after final tasting and cook for a minute more in Step 12.
Q: How long can I store the gravy?
A: It can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days. When reheating, avoid boiling it, otherwise, the fish will disintegrate in the gravy.
Recipe Card
Fish Rezala Recipe | Macher Rezala
Ingredients
- Rohu Fish – 5 pieces cut and cleaned
- Yogurt – 3 Tbsp
- Cashew Nuts or blanched almonds or melon seeds – 10 pieces (pasted)
- Raisins pasted – 10 pieces (or sugar)
- Onions – 2 pieces boiled and pasted
- Ginger Garlic Paste– 2 Tbsp pasted with 2 red chili
- Red Chilis – 2 pieces used in ginger garlic paste
- Garam Masala – Half spoon
- Coriander Powder – 1 Tbsp
- Bay Leaf – 1 piece
- Dry Red Chilis – 2 pieces
- Cumin seeds– 1 Tsp
- Cinnamon Stick – 2 pieces
- Black pepper – 5 pieces
- Cloves – 2 pieces
- Cardamom – 3 pieces
- Onion boiled water – 1 cup
- Refined Oil – 3 Tbsp
- Ghee – 1 Tbsp
- Salt – As required
- Rose water – 1/2 tsp
- Lukewarm water as much as required
Instructions
- Marinate the fish pieces only with pinch of salt and leave it for 10 minutes.
- Fire up the chulha or clay stove, add the wok or kadai and add the oil.
- Add the fish when the oil is hot, fry it very carefully. Flip it once only. Fry it till light brown. (Pro tip: I ensure there is no moisture in the fish or else it splatters oil all over.)
- Fry all the fish in the same way and keep it aside.
- Add 1 tbsp ghee in the oil and also the whole spices such as bay leaf, dry red chilis, cinnamon, cumin seeds, black pepper, cloves, and cardamom. Fry it for 1 minute.
- Add the ginger and garlic paste. Fry it well.
- Add the onion paste and sauté it for 5 minutes, and then add the coriander powder. Add some boiled onion water. Stir it for 2 mins.
- Add the yogurt while removing the pan from the fire but if you are doing it in the gas stove then make the flame low to add the curd and mix it well.
- Add the cashew and raisin paste. (I have used raisins instead of sugar).
- Cook it for 10 mins and add some lukewarm water to make the gravy according to desired consistency. Turn it to boil, add half spoon salt and then add the fried fish pieces. (Pro tip: Swirl the pan instead of stirring because rohu breaks apart quickly in hot gravy.)
- Add the garam masala and a pinch of black pepper powder.
- Cook it for 10 mins and add half teaspoon rose water, (you can add kewra water if you want).
- Cover it with a lid for 5 mins and Fish Rezala is ready.
