Bengali Fish Kalia or Macher Kalia is fish cooked in a rich masala gravy. Fish Kalia Bengali-style is a traditional spicy fish curry usually prepared with Rui or Katla. The fish curry is incredibly tasty, has the perfect heat and makes for great mid-week meal.
Fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Eating 1-2 servings of fish per week reduces your risk of heart disease.
Rui Maacher Kalia is a delectable Bengali fish recipe and it’s usually made on special occasions.
Bengali Fish Kalia Recipe:
Macher Kalia, where fried fish pieces are simmered in a spicy onion-tomato-yogurt gravy, is a popular Bengali dish known for its rich texture, delicious taste and amazing flavour. It is best relished with steamed rice or ghee-bhaat.
- To prepare this delectable macher recipe, firstly clean, wash and dab dry the fish pieces. Then sprinkle salt, turmeric and red chilli powder and rub the fish pieces well. Keep the marinated fish aside for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, grind 1 large onion to paste and set aside. Then peel and slice one medium potato into wedges, slit the chilli and finely chop the tomato.
- Then heat oil in a frying pan. Gently slide in the marinated fish. Fry the fish over medium heat till it turns a golden brown on both the sides. Remove the fried fish and set aside.
- Now add some more oil to the same pan and drop in the potato wedges. Lightly saute the potatoes till they get some colour on the. Remove and set aside.
- Temper the oil with bay leaf, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. Next put in the onion paste and slit green chill. Fry over medium heat till the onion paste starts to brown.
- Then tip in ginger-garlic paste and fry the mixture for about 4 to 5 minutes till the raw smell disappears.
- Now add the chopped tomatoes, mix everything well and cook covered till the tomatoes soften. Instead of chopped tomatoes, you can also add tomato puree.
- Next sprinkle salt, sugar, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder. Combine well and cook for about a minute.
- Then remove the pan from the stove and stir in well-beaten curd. Put the pan back on the stove and cook on a low flame till the oil starts oozing from the sides.
- Now drop in the fried potatoes and mix well with the masalas. Pour about 1 ½ to 2 cups of water and bring the gravy to a boil. The lower the flame, cover and cook till the potatoes are three-fourth done.
- Then remove the cover and put in the fried fish. Gently stir, cover with a lid again and simmer on low heat for about 7-8 minutes until the gravy becomes thick and the fish is well cooked.
- Lastly add a pinch of garam masala and a dollop of ghee. Turn off the gas and put the lid back on. Allow the flavours to mingle.
- Serve Bengali Fish Kalia with steaming hot rice or mishti pulao.
If you are searching for more seafood recipes, then do try out Tangy Fish Curry
Macher Kalia Recipe Details below:
Macher Kalia Recipe
Rui Macher Kalia is an awesome Bengali fish curry where fried fish is simmered in a richly seasoned onion-tomato base. This easy Indian fish curry goes well with plain rice or Pulao. Learn how to make Bengali fish curry.
Servings: 4
Calories: 233kcal
Ingredients
- Fish pieces/ Rui Maach – 4
- Potato – 1 medium
- Onion – 1, large
- Green chilli -1
- Tomatoes – 1 medium
- Curd – 1 tbsp
- Bay leaf - 1
- Cinnamon stick – 1
- Cardamom – 2
- Cloves – 2
- Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp
- Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
- Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
- Cumin Powder – ¼ tsp
- Coriander Powder – ¼ tsp
- Garam Masala Powder – ¼ tsp
- Sugar – ½ tsp
- Oil – 3 tbsp
- Ghee – ½ tsp
- Water – 1 ½ - 2 cups
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Clean and wash the fish. Smear it with salt, turmeric and chilli powder and marinate it for ten minutes.
- Chop the tomato and slit the green chilli. Peel and quarter the potato. Grind the onion to paste.
- Heat oil in a pan and fry the fish till it turns brown on both sides. Remove and keep aside.
- Heat some more oil in the same pan and lightly fry the potato wedges. Drain and keep aside.
- In the same pan, put in the bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and cumin seeds. Once they start to sizzle, add onion paste and green chill and fry.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 4-5 minutes till the mixture turns brown.
- Put in the chopped tomatoes and cook till they become soft. You can also make tomato puree and add it.
- Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin and coriander powder, salt and sugar and combine well.
- Add well-beaten curd and mix well. Cook till the oil starts to ooze out.
- Put in the potatoes, mix well, add 1 ½ - 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook covered till potatoes are ¾ done.
- Remove lid, gently slide in the fried fish and stir gently. Cover and let it simmer on a slow flame for 7-8 minutes till the gravy thickens and the fish is cooked through.
- Remove from stove and sprinkle garam masala powder and add a little ghee on top. Cover with a lid and allow the dish to seep in the flavours.
- Serve Fish Kalia hot with steamed rice.
I love the fish curry in bengali style… Amazing work done in making such a wonderful bengali style fish curry..
Thanks Asiya – you sure must try out this fish recipe.