About The Author
Hello! From Chuchura (in Hooghly District) and a foodie, I created this blog with a mission to preserve the food of the land; with a message to encourage and promote clean and real food. I hope you enjoy and gain out of this blog, happy reading!
Looking forward to read and hear your feedback.
This Katla Kalia recipe is apt for every special occasion, it is a powerhouse of flavors.
The final outcome is spicy, tangy with a tinge of sweetness and every mouthful with rice results in a burst of flavors. Not to forget the taste from Katla or bhakura
Buying the Katla Fish for Doi Katla Kalia
The dish can turn out average, and it can also turn out extremely tasty and satisfying. And that depends on how you buy the fish.
I will write a detailed guide on this later. However, a couple of points should be enough for great results.
- Get a fresh fish. If you can get your hands on a live fish, you are lucky. If you do not get a live fish, check for the eyes. A freshly caught fish will have clear eyes. The older the fish gets, the duller the eyes are
- Choose a big fish. In the fish market, you would get this fish weighing anywhere between less than a kilogram to 7 kg. Your best bet should be any fish that weighs more than 5 kg, because of the fat content. In Bengali, these fishes are also called ‘paka machh‘ or fatty fish.
Now that you know the cardinal rules of buying fish, let me take you through the recipe!
Note
The equipment & ingredient quantity provided in this recipe is to assist you in cooking this dish. Feel free to experiment with your ingredients. Remember that we all have different set, size & shape of kitchen tools in our pantry.
Equipment
- Chopping board
- Knife for chopping
- Mixer and grinder to make the paste
- Wok to prepare the Katla Kalia Curry
- Spatula and Ladle
- Dishes and Bowls
- Serving bowls and plates
Ingredients
- 500 g Katla fish (Bhakura in Odia)
For Marinading Fish
- 1 tsp mustard oil
- 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tbsp salt
For Onion Paste
- 8 pc medium sized onions
For Ginger Chili Paste
- 3 pc red chilly
- 2 pc kashmiri red chilly, or byadgi chilly
- 3 inch ginger
- 2 pc green chilly
- 1/2 tbsp water
For the Katla Kalia Curry
- 150 g mustard oil enough to fry the fishes and make the curry. You can start with less oil and gradually add as required
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp cumin powder
- 1/2 cup curd
- 3 pc medium-sized tomatoes
- 3 pc green chillies
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp sugar
Whole Spices for Tempering the Oil for Doi Katla Kalia Recipe
- 2 pc bayleaf
- 3 pc clove
- 1 inch cinnamon stick (cassia bark or dalchini)
- 3 pc cardamom pods (elaichi)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
Instructions
Preparation for the Katla Kalia
- Wash the fish properly, let the water drain out. Marinade the fish fillets using turmeric, salt and oil as mentioned under "For Marinading the Fish"
- Roughly chop the onions mentioned under "For Onion Paste" and prepare a paste. Keep aside
- Soak the red chilly and kashmiri (or byadgi) red chillies mentioned under "Ginger chilli paste" in water overnight. For quicker results, you can also boil water and keep the chillies soaked in it for half an hour
- For ginger chilly paste, prepare a paste with all the ingredients mentioned under "Ginger Chilli Paste"
Cooking the Doi Katla Kalia Curry
- Take oil in the wok and allow it to smoke
- Once the oil smokes, lower the flame to medium and fry the fish on both sides. Ensure that each side turns golden
- Fry the fish in batches and separate
- In the remaining oil, the curry will be prepared. If the oil is less, you will need to add more mustard oil
- Keep the flame low
- Add the whole spices as mentioned under "Whole Spices for Tempering" in Ingredients section. Stir for a minute to release all the flavors.
- Crank up the heat to medium and add the onion paste. Saute till the raw smell disappears and the color changes to brown
- Add the chilly ginger paste prepared previously and allow it to cook for a few minutes
- Once the raw flavor of the chilly ginger paste disappears, add the turmeric and cumin powder
- Saute the spices until the raw flavor exists. Once the raw flavor is gone, lower the flame
- Whisk the curd and add it. Continuously stir and mix to avoid curdling. This will take 2 to 3 minutes
- Crank up the heat/flame to medium. Chop the tomatoes and add it. Cook until you find the oil releasing. Remember to continuously stir to prevent the spices from sticking to the bottom of the wok and getting burnt
- Once the spice and tomato mix is completely cooked, you will find the oil separating from it
- Add water to this. For best results add hot water
- Once the oil comes to a rolling boil, add in the salt and sugar. Add the green chilies.
- Cover and allow the katla kalia to cook on medium flame for 5 minutes
- Uncover and check for seasonings. If required, adjust
- Add in the fish fillets, and put the flame on low. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes
- Put off the flame
- Serve hot with steaming rice
I recently had the pleasure of trying out a test recipe for Katla Fish Kalia, and I must say, I absolutely loved it! The combination of tender Katla fish and the rich, flavorful gravy made for a truly delicious meal. The blend of spices and the tangy tomato base added a delightful depth of flavor that was simply irresistible. This dish has definitely earned a permanent spot in my list of favorite recipes. If you haven’t tried Katla Fish Kalia yet, I highly recommend giving it a go – you won’t be disappointed!
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So…good recip i have following this page
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