Presenting here a well balanced, spicy yet slightly sweet ginger, garlic, tomato and onion gravy with potato and lightly fried river fish to complement the Bengali Pulao.
This video was facilitated by Authenticook and released on the 1st of October 2019 by midday.com documenting my recipes for a fish and rice meal to herald the advent of DURGA PUJA festivities, one of the biggest festivals of the Bengali community.
Rohu Fish Kaliya
Cooking Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 4
Ingredients
Rohu fish - 4 medium sized pieces(About 300gms)
Potato small - 2(peeled and cut into halves)
Onion - 1 very small grated
Ginger - grated 1/2 teaspoon
Garlic -grated 1/4 teaspoon
Tomato - grated 1 small or half of a big one
Turmeric powder/Haldi Powder - 1/4 teaspoon for cooking and additional for sprinkling on both sides of the fish
Chili Powder/Mirchi Powder - 1/2 teaspoon(as per taste)
Coriander Powder/Dhaniya Powder - 1 teaspoon
Cumin Powder/Jeera Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard oil -75ml to 100ml
Bayleaf/Tejpatta - 2 pieces
Cardamom -2 pieces
Salt - As per taste and for sprinkling on the pieces of fish
Sugar - 1/3 teaspoon(as per taste)
Cooking Procedure
Clean and wash the pieces of fish and place them on a plate.
Sprinkle some salt and turmeric powder on both sides of the fish pieces. Once you have sprinkled the salt and turmeric powder on one side, turn them over and repeat the process and then apply them evenly with the tips of your fingers to uniformly coat them.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into halves. You can avoid the potatoes but they give a certain wholesomeness to the preparation once you have smashed the potatoes and mixed them with the Pulao and the fish gravy.
In a non-stick kadhai, pour the mustard oil.
Once the oil is hot and steaming, reduce the flame and place the fish pieces gently, one by one beside one another. Cover the kadhai with a lid in order to stop the oil from splattering.
Once the sides of the fish are fried, turn them on the other side with the spatula.
Once both sides are fried, take them out from the kadhai.
Gently place the potato pieces, sprinkle some salt on them and fry.
Once the potatoes are a nice golden colour, drain them from the oil and remove from the kadhai.
In the remaining mustard oil in the kadhai, add 2 bayleaf and 2 cardamom.
After half a minute, add the grated garlic. After half a minute, add the grated ginger. After a minute add the grated onion.
After a few minutes when they are turning golden, add the grated tomato. Cover with lid and allow to saute. .
Add the turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder and cumin powder along with some salt.
Mix it nicely and after sauteeing for a couple of minutes, add 1/4 cup water.
When that simmers and the colour changes add about one to one and half cups of water.
Add the fried potato and cover with lid and allow them to cook on a low flame.
Once the potatoes look slightly cooked add the fried pieces of fish.
Once the gravy reduces and the potatoes are well cooked(dab with the spatula to check if they are soft), add the sugar(optional).
Check for salt seasoning.
Sprinkle some home made garam masala powder(ground cardamom and cinnamon) and allow to infuse in the gravy.
You may add some cow ghee(if you source from Bengal, it has a slightly different aroma and texture).
Tip: If you grind the spices at home like cumin, coriander and garam masala, you are assured of a flavourful and safe from adulteration Masala.
Your Rohu Fish Kaliya is now ready to be served with the Sweet Pulao.
Recipe for Sweet Pulao
A slightly sweet rice dish with cashews and raisins.
Cooking Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 4
Ingredients
Basmati long grained rice or Gobindo Bhog small grained Rice - 300gms
Ghee - 75gms or 1/4th the quantity of rice(you may substitute half the quantity of ghee with refined oil)
Sugar -60gms or 1/5th the quantity of rice(may use 75 gms or 1/4th the quantity of rice, if you want a slightly sweeter version)
Cashew - 25gms
Raisins -25gms
Cardamom - 3
Cinnamon -2
Clove - 5
Bayleaf - 2
Nutmeg/Jaiphal Powder- a pinch
Mace/Javitri - 2
Saffron - a pinch
Turmeric Powder
Chilli Powder-one pinch
Cumin Powder-2 pinch
Coriander Powder-1 pinch
Salt - According to taste
Grated ginger
Hot Water - 450ml (one and half times of the quantity of rice)
Cooking Procedure
First rinse and wash the rice under a tap at least thrice.
Drain the water and spread out the rice on a chart paper. This will absorb the water and leave the grains of the rice dry and fluffy after about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile boil the water and keep in a flask.
Grind the Jaiphal in a mortar and pestle.
Remove the soaked rice now dry from the chart paper onto a bowl.
Mix it with some salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder along with the strands of saffron.
Place the pressure cooker on a flame and add ghee.
In the hot ghee add the bayleaf, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.
Add the crushed Jaiphal and Javitri.
Add the cashews and as they turn slightly brown add the raisins.
When the raisins become plump and change colour add the rice mixed with masala.
When half-fried after about 1 minute, add the sugar.
Stir for a bit and add the hot water. Don't use your spatula too much or the rice grains will break.
Close cooker with lid.
Keep for 7 minutes on the high flame.
After one whistle, reduce the flame.
After 5 minutes remove the extra steam.
Open the lid.
Your Sweet Pulao is ready to be served along with the Rohu Fish Kaliya.
