Macher Kalia with Step by Step Pictures

Although it’s not March yet, but Winter officially has ended in Kolkata and the harsh rays of the Sun is hurting the eyes. All my expectations of enjoying the Kolkata winter became a real let down this year when we had to wear sweaters only at the time of riding bikes. Even in the car the ac had to be put on medium temperature. Then after 7-8^th February the lep – kantha – kombol days took rest for the year and we were suffocating so much in the rooms that we had to open up all the windows and the ceiling fan went on at the highest speed.

Thankfully Nolen Gur / Date Palm Jaggery was still available in the market and I stuffed my already overloaded luggage with half kg of them. This year I went to Burdwan Hand Craft Fair and bought a very fine terracotta Durga Idol for my home. I also bought a handmade vase...which I couldn’t bring here as our luggage crossed limit. But all these are sidelines...as the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of this year’s trip to India is the variety of food we ate during the short span of time. My mother, aunt and father-in-law made sure that we miss none of the fishes...hilsa, pabda, parshe, rui, katla, bagda, golda, mourala, aar, bata and many more. Thid year I got myself Kasundi, which we don’t get here and also bought real hand made Gawa Ghee. They smell amazing!!! I bought earrings like a maniac!! Jhumkas and all...Hatibagan has such splendid and grand collection. 

Temper the oil with whole garam masala and add the minced garlic to them. Saute for a bit not letting the garlic brown.

Then add the chopped onions to the garlic and cook until the onions become golden brown.

Next add the tomato puree and cook till the oil separates.

When the tomato is completely cooked add the minced ginger to them and cook for another 2 minutes.

Finally add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder. Mix well and cook until the raw spice flavor is gone.

Now add the fried potato wedges to the prepared curry and add water to make the gravy. Simmer on low till the gravy becomes smooth and creamy. Add more water if required.

When the gravy is half done, add the fried fishes to them and simmer for 3-4 minutes so that the fishes can absorb all the flavours and juices of the curry. Then sprinkle the garam masala powder over them and put off the flame.

I wrote this post last month before leaving for India in the hope that I will post it when I will have time...but internet connection there was in such a horrible condition that we had to rely on text messages. So here it goes, the recipe of Macher Kalia once again!! I felt the need to make a step by step procedure of making macher kalia because the recipe simply needs that. All that curry making is not that easy if you don’t have any firsthand experience in this case. So I included pictures of each and every step here and hope that you guys find this post useful!!

Macher Kalia with Step by Step Pictures

Serves 5

Ingredients:

5 medium pieces of fish (preferably rohu, katla, boal and bhetki)

1 big onion – chopped

1 tomato – pureed

1 medium potato – cut into long and thick wedges

3-5 fat garlic cloves – minced / paste

½ inch stick of ginger – minced / paste

2+ 1 tsp turmeric powder

1-2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 medium cinnamon stick

3-4 green cardamoms

3 cloves

1 large bay leaf

1 tsp sugar

Salt

2-3 tbsp mustard oil

Method:

Sprinkle the 2 tsp turmeric powder and some salt over the pieces of fish and potato wedges, and rub them well. Marinate the fishes for 10-12 minutes.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan / kadai and fry the potatoes until golden from the sides. Once done take them out of the oil and keep in a separate bowl.

In the same oil now shallow fry the fishes until they are nicely golden brown from both the sides. Once done take the pieces of fish out of the kadai and let it cool.

Now add the rest of the oil and simmer on medium flame for 1 minute.

Then add the cinnamon stick, green cardamoms, cloves and bay leaf to the oil and sauté for some seconds or until the oil become fragrant.

Now add the minced garlic. Sauté the garlic for just some seconds so that a fine garlicky aroma emerges without the garlic being burned or turned brown.

Immediately add the chopped onions to them. Sprinkle the sugar over the onions and fry the onions on medium flame for 5-6 minutes or until they turn golden brown.

Once the onions have become golden add the tomato puree.

Sprinkle some salt and minced ginger into them and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the oil starts to separate.

Now add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder. Aldo add fried potatoes and 2 tbsp water.  Simmer on low flame and stir and cook till a smooth and creamy gravy is formed. If needed add more water to it.

When the gravy is formed add water to make proper gravy. If you want your kalia to be thick and rich and ½ - 1 cup of water. If you want thin gravy add 1 and ½ cup of water.

Simmer for about 2 minutes and then add the fried fishes.

Let it come to a boil and then simmer on medium flame till you get your desired consistency of the gravy.

Finally sprinkle the garam masala powder over the fish curry and put off the flame.

Serve hot with pulao or plain steamed rice, with some green salad on the side.