Rui Macher Rezala (Rohu Fish in white gravy - Bong style)

 

            Rui Macher Rezala is a traditional and a very popular Bengali style fragrant Fish curry cooked in a creamy yogurt based gravy. With a slight aroma coming from the kewra water and the nutty flavour from the Cashew paste, this is surely a connoisseurs delight and is a sure Shahi dish. 

          I made use of Rohu fish. However, any other variety works just as good. This recipe calls for a gravy with a slightly thicker consistency. It is mildly spiced, mostly coming from the ground peppercorns. There are many versions to this delicacy, but the end result is simply mouth watering. Mutton and chicken rezala are another two dishes which are also very popular.

          Rui Macher Rezala is very much a part of the menu in many Bengali restaurants in and around Kolkata. This recipe is also very popular in Bangladesh. This dish is usually cooked in mustard oil and some ghee for an authentic flavor. 

          It is a great party recipe and is mostly cooked during special occasions. Enjoy it with hot steamed rice or Basanti Pulao / veg. pulao for a great comfort meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing Durga Puja special dish. 

• 2-3 Rohu fish fillet, cleaned
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1" ginger
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 4 green chilies
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 6-8 cashew nuts
• 1 cup milk
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. kewra water

          Blend together cashew nuts and yoghurt till smooth. Keep aside. Grind the onion, ginger, 4 green chilies and garlic into a paste. Keep aside. 

          Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt and lime juice for 5-10 minutes. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry them till light brown. Keep aside. 

          Heat remaining oil and ghee and temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, cumin seeds and dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the ground onion paste and sauté for 2 minutes. 

          Add roasted coriander powder, roasted cumin powder and pepper powder. Mix well and sauté for a few seconds. 

          Now add the cashew-yoghurt mix and simmer for 2-3 minutes or till the oil separates. 

 

          Add the milk and salt to taste. Bring it to a boil. 

          Then add the fried fish and cook, covered, till the gravy thickens to a desired consistency.

          When done, add 2 slit green chilies, kewra water and garam masala powder. Give it a stir and switch off the flame.

          Enjoy this aromatic fish curry with hot steamed rice, or Basanti / veg. pulao. 

                      Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt & lime juice for 5-10 minutes. 

                      Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan & fry them till light brown. Keep aside. 

                   Heat remaining oil & ghee & temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, 

                      cumin seeds and dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

                          Add the ground onion paste and sauté for 2 minutes. 

                    Add roasted coriander powder, roasted cumin powder & pepper powder. 

                    Mix well and sauté for a few seconds. 

                        Add the cashew-yoghurt mix.

 

                       Simmer for 2-3 minutes or till the oil separates. 

                       Add the milk and salt. Bring it to a boil. 

                              Add the fried fish & cook, covered, till the gravy thickens to a 

                              desired consistency.

                       When done, add 2 slit green chilies, kewra water & garam masala 

                        powder. Give it a stir and switch off the flame.

                   Enjoy this aromatic fish curry with hot steamed rice, or Basanti / veg. pulao. 

Kaddu Ka Dalcha with Tuvar Dal (Bottlegourd Cooked with Pigeon Pea Lentil - Hyderabadi Cuisine)

 

         This is a traditional Hyderabadi cuisine where I have cooked Bottle Gourd with tuvar dal (split pigeon pea lentil) called "Kaddu Ka Dalcha." Kaddu means Lauki / Bottle Gourd in the local lingo. There are many versions to it. It is also cooked with Chana Dal (Bengal Gram Lentil).

          So today I have cooked with Tuvar Dal in a gravy form to be relished with steamed rice, plain biryani or Jeera Rice. It is cooked in the same way as Mutton Dalcha, minus the mutton, eggplants and potatoes.

           A tempering of mustard seeds, dry red chilly and curry leaves in ghee is poured over the cooked Dalcha and served, garnished with coriander leaves. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1/2 cup Tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentil), soaked for 30 minutes
• 1/2 of a medium bottle gourd, chopped into big pieces
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds / Shahjeera
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 dry red chilies
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tomato, chopped
• salt to taste 
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves to garnish

          Pressure cook the dal in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. Whisk and keep aside. Pressure cook the chopped bottle gourd in required quantity of water for 2 whistles. Keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with bay leaves, 2 dry red chilies, cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and cumin seeds. After it stops crackling, add the onion and sauté till light brown.

          Now add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup water. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Add the chopped tomato and continue to sauté till they are mashed. Add the boiled dal, boiled bottle gourd and tamarind water.

          Simmer on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. Check the consistency. Add more water if the gravy is to be had with rice.
      
          Heat ghee and temper with mustard seeds and remaining red chili. After it stops spluttering, add the curry leaves and switch off the flame. 

          Pour this tempering over the prepared Dalcha. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with jeera rice, plain biryani or hot steamed rice.

                                 Pressure cook the dal in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. 

                                 Whisk and keep aside. 

                             Pressure cook the chopped bottle gourd in required quantity of 

                             water for 2 whistles. Keep aside.

                          Heat oil & temper with bay leaves, 2 dry red chilies, cardamoms, 

                          cinnamon, cloves and cumin seeds.

                              After it stops crackling, add the onion and sauté till light brown.

                              Add ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup 

                              water. Sauté till the oil separates.

                           Add the chopped tomato & continue to sauté till they are mashed. 

                                Add the boiled dal, boiled bottle gourd and tamarind water.

                         Simmer on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. Check the consistency. Add 

                         more water if the gravy is to be had with rice.
      

                         Heat ghee & temper with mustard seeds and remaining red chili. After 

                         it stops spluttering, add the curry leaves and switch off the flame. 

                        Pour this tempering over the Dalcha & garnish with coriander leaves. 

                      Serve with jeera rice, plain biryani or hot steamed rice.

Oats & Gulkand Kheer / Pudding / Payasam

          Oats are nutritious, wholesome and low in cholesterol. It contains fibre and is rich in antioxidants. Hence it is advisable to include it in our daily diet. Besides having it for breakfast, they can be turned into yummy desserts. 

          So give a twist to your usual kheer by trying it out with oats and flavour it with some gulkand (rose petals jam). It will not only give a fragrant rose flavour, but it also tastes delicious when had as it is, as an after meal dessert or with poori or parathas. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 3 cups milk
• 3 tbsp. oats
• 1 tbsp. gulkand
• 3 tbsp. sugar or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. rose water
• 1 tbsp. mixed nuts
• pinch of saffron strands
• rose petals to garnish

          Dry roast the oats for a minute or till you get a nice aroma coming through. Keep it aside. Bring the milk to a boil and add sugar, gulkand, cardamom powder and the oats.

          Keep simmering on a medium flame till it is reduced and becomes fairly thick. Add the rose water and keep aside to cool down. Then refrigerate till serving time. 

          Garnish with chopped mixed nuts, rose petals and saffron. Serve this chilled kheer in individual bowls / short glasses as an after meal dessert or whenever you feel like. It also tastes delicious with poori or paratha.

                                  Dry roast the oats.

                                  Bring milk to a boil.

                                  Add sugar.

                                  Add gulkand.

                                  Add fried oats.

                     Add cardamom powder. Simmer till it is fairly thick. Add rose water
                     and chill.

                  Garnish with chopped mixed nuts, rose petals & saffron. Serve in individual 
                  bowls / short glasses as an after meal dessert or whenever you feel like. It also
                  tastes delicious with poori or paratha.