Rui Mach er Kalia is a traditional, age-old Bengali style fish curry. This delicious, spicy and flavourful curry tastes great with steamed rice.
Rub 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp of turmeric powder on the freshly washed pieces of Rui/Rohu, keep aside.
In a food processor add onion, green chilies, and tomato, blitz until smooth paste forms keep aside.
Heat oil in a kadai/deep frying pan and fry the fish pieces until golden crisp. Remove and keep aside.
In the remaining oil (5-6 tsp oil should be there in the kadai, otherwise add some more oil) temper with dry red chilli, bay leaf, green cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. Sauté for a few seconds.
Next to add the onion-chilli-tomato paste. Mix and stir for 1 minute over medium heat.
Add ginger-garlic paste, cumin powder, ½ tsp of turmeric powder, coriander powder, kashmiri mirch powder, and salt. Mix well and fry till the oil separates from the masala (2-3 minutes approximately). Add 1 cup of water. Mix and give this a quick boil over high heat.
Reduce the heat. Add the fish pieces, mix well with the curry. Keep the cover little open; this is to allow the steam to escape and cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the raw smell of the masala goes.
Add sugar, garam masala powder, and raisins, mix gently. Cook for another 2-3 minutes more. Your spicy and delicious Rui Mach er Kalia is done.
Serve hot with steamed rice, enjoy!