Rui Macher Kalia as it is commonly known to the Bengalis, is made from fresh Rohu fish and typical Bengali spices.
The spicy and flavorful gravy adds to its taste and the specific cooking style of this dish gives it the name “Kalia.”
Let’s dive in to the steps to cook this delicious dish with its trademark reddish-brown color.
Key Takeaways:
- Rui Macher Kalia is a favorite and common Bengali cuisine.
- You need common ingredients to make the dish.
- Marinate the fish for 30 minutes.
- The dish tastes spicy, tangy, aromatic, and savory.
- Try fish curry and fish masala as alternatives.
The Ingredients:
- Rohu Fish: 700 gms (cut into 5 chunky pieces and cleaned)
- Ginger-Garlic Paste: 2 tablespoons
- Onion: 1 Big Size (Sliced)
- Onion: Paste of ½ of a medium sized onion
- Tomato: Paste of ½ of a medium sized tomato
- Yogurt: 2 tablespoons (Properly Whisked)
- Cashews: Paste of 12 cashews
- Turmeric Powder:1/2 tablespoon
- Red Chili Powder: 1/2 tablespoon
- Kashmiri Red Chili Powder: 1/2 tablespoon
- Coriander Powder: 1/2 tablespoon
- Cumin Powder: 1/2 tablespoon
- Dry Chilies: 2-3
- Bay Leaves: 1-2
- Cinnamon Sticks: 1 (Medium Size)
- Cloves: 2
- Green Cardamoms: 4
- Black Cardamom: 1
- Green Chilies: 4
- Mustard Oil: 3 tablespoons
- Salt to Taste
How to Cook Rui Macher Kalia (Step by Step Images)?
1. Marinate the Rohu fish pieces with salt and turmeric powder. Leave it for 10 minutes.
2. Put a pan on the gas stove and turn it on.
3. Pour oil into the pan.
4. When the oil starts smoking, slide the fish pieces slowly one by one. Reduce the temperature to medium.
5. Fry the fish pieces till light brown. Flip them when one side is done.
6. Take them out on a plate once fish pieces are fried.
7. Add some oil if required to the cooking pan and then add Bay leaves, dry chilies, cinnamon sticks, cardamoms and cloves.
8. The dry spices will start releasing aroma. At this time, add sliced onions and give it a good stir.
9. After the onions turn light brown, add onion paste and sauté.
10. After the water from onion paste is dried up, add tomato paste and let it cook.
11. After the tomato is done, add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 5 minutes.
12. Make a paste of red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder and cumin powder with a little amount of water in a separate bowl. Keep it aside.
13. Add the mixture of spices paste to the cooking pan. Add turmeric powder and salt. Give the mixture a good stir.
14. Add ½ cup of water, give the mixture a stir and put a lid on the pan. Let it cook for 5 minutes.
15. Remove the lid. Add cashew paste. Mix it well.
16. Add whisked yogurt and continue stirring so that it does not form any lump. Add water if required.
17. After spices start releasing oil, add 1 cup of water and let it come to a boil.
18. Place the lid.
19. After the gravy comes to a boil, remove the lid and add already lightly fried Rohu fish pieces one by one to the gravy. Reduce the flame to low. Cover the pan for 10 minutes.
20. Reduce the flame to low and add green chilies. Cover the pan again.
21. Sprinkle coriander leaves. Turn off the oven after 5 minutes. Rohu Fish Kalia is ready. Serve it hot along with plain steamed rice.
Recipe Card:
Rui Macher Kalia (Rohu Fish Kalia)
Ingredients
- 700 grams Rohu Fish (cut into 5 chunky pieces and cleaned)
- 2 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Paste
- 1 piece Onion (finely sliced)
- 1 piece Onion (medium size pasted)
- 1 piece Tomato (medium size pasted)
- 2 tablespoons Yogurt (properly whisked)
- 12 pieces Cashew (pasted)
- ½ tablespoon Turmeric Powder
- ½ tablespoon Red Chili Powder
- ½ tablespoon Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
- ½ tablespoon Coriander Powder
- ½ tablespoon Cumin Powder
- 2 pieces Dry Red Chilies
- 2 pieces Bay Leaves
- 1 piece Cinnamon Sticks
- 2 pieces Cloves
- 4 pieces Green Cardamoms
- 1 pieces Black Cardamom
- 4 pieces Green Chilies
- 3 tablespoons Mustard Oil
- Salt to Taste
Instructions
- Marinate the Rohu fish pieces with salt and turmeric powder. Leave it for 10 minutes.
- Put a pan on the gas stove and turn it on.
- Pour oil into the pan.
- When the oil starts smoking, slide the fish pieces slowly one by one. Reduce the temperature to medium.
- Fry the fish pieces till light brown. Flip them when one side is done.
- Take them out on a plate once fish pieces are fried.
- Add some oil if required to the cooking pan and then add Bay leaves, dry chilies, cinnamon sticks, cardamoms and cloves.
- The dry spices will start releasing aroma. At this time, add sliced onions and give it a good stir.
- After the onions turn light brown, add onion paste and sauté.
- After the water from onion paste is dried up, add tomato paste and let it cook.
- After the tomato is done, add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Make a paste of red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder and cumin powder with a little amount of water in a separate bowl. Keep it aside
- Add the mixture of spices paste to the cooking pan. Add turmeric powder and salt. Give the mixture a good stir.
- Add ½ cup of water, give the mixture a stir and put a lid on the pan. Let it cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid. Add cashew paste. Mix it well.
- Add whisked yogurt and continue stirring so that it does not form any lump. Add water if required.
- After spices start releasing oil, add 1 cup of water and let it come to a boil.
- Place the lid.
- After the gravy comes to a boil, remove the lid and add already lightly fried Rohu fish pieces one by one to the gravy. Reduce the flame to low. Cover the pan for 10 minutes.
- Reduce the flame to low and add green chilies. Cover the pan again.
- Sprinkle coriander leaves. Turn off the oven after 5 minutes. Rohu Fish Kalia is ready. Serve it hot along with plain steamed rice.
