Bethica's Kitchen Flavours: Rui Macher Jhaal (Rohu Fish Curry

This is my style of a Bong fish curry that I generally prepare for a weekend lunch. In this recipe, I have used Rohu fish and made a slightly dry spicy gravy. It just has a tempering of panch phoron, followed by onion, ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste and Kashmiri red chili powder to give a vibrant red colour to the dish. It is a very easy and a simple recipe. Tastes awesome if had with hot steamed rice and with a dash of lime. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

4 Rohu fish pieces
3 tbsp. + 1 tsp. oil mustard oil
1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, mustard, cumin, fenugreek & nigella seeds/kalonji)
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
salt to taste
1 tsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. red chili powder
1-2 green chilies, slit
1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

Marinate the fish pieces with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes. Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the fish pieces on both the sides till light golden in colour. Keep aside.

Temper the same oil with panch phoron and allow it to splutter. Add the onion and saute till light brown.

Now add the ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste, turmeric powder and red chili powder mixed with some water. Saute till the oil separates.

Add 1/2 cup water, salt, fried fish pieces and slit green chilies. Simmer on low flame for 2-3 minutes or till the gravy is slightly reduced.

When done, switch off the flame and add the remaining mustard oil. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot steamed rice for a sumptuous meal.