Maccher kalia

Maccher kalia

This maacher kalia or fish curry is absolutely apt for hot summer days. The onion based gravy is light and aromatic. The fish curry tastes best with hot steaming rice.

Ingredients

500 gm fish

2 onions, pureed

2 tomatoes, pureed

2 potatoes, cut lengthwise

1 tbsp garlic paste

1 tbsp ginger paste

1 tsp kalonji/nigella seeds

1 tsp chicken masala

1 tsp coriander powder1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

3 green chillies, slit

Salt to taste

½ cup chopped coriander leaves

¼ tsp cinnamon powder

¼ tsp green cardamom powder

Salt and turmeric for the fish

Apply salt and turmeric to the fish and keep aside for half an hour. Heat some mustard oil. Fry the fish pieces. Drain and keep aside. 

Add the kalonji and slit green chillies in the same oil. 

Add the potato pieces. Fry till the potatoes start becoming golden brown. 

Add the ginger and garlic paste. Sauté. 

Add the onion purée. Fry till the mixture becomes dry. Add the tomato purée. Fry some more. 

Add the chicken masala (or 1 tsp cumin powder if you don’t have chicken masala), coriander powder, salt, turmeric and red chilli powder. Sauté till oil starts leaving the sides. 

Add 1 ½ cups of water and bring to a boil. Now add the fish pieces and lower the flame. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. The gravy will thicken a bit. Add the cinnamon and green cardamom powders and mix. Serve garnished with chopped coriander leaves.