Katla Mach er Kalia is a traditional, age-old Bengali fish curry. Cooked with aromatic spices this curry tastes best with steamed rice.
In a food processor add onion, garlic, green chillies and tomato, blitz until smooth paste forms, keep aside.
Rub salt and a ½ tsp of turmeric powder on the freshly washed pieces of Katla.
Heat ½ cup of oil in a kadai/deep frying pan and shallow fry the fish pieces until golden brown. Remove and keep aside.
In the remaining oil (5-6 tbsp oil should be there in the kadai, otherwise, add some more oil) temper with all the ingredients mentioned for tempering, sauté for a few seconds.
add the onion-chilli-garlic-tomato paste. Mix and fry for 1 minute over medium heat.
Add ginger paste, cumin powder, ½ tsp of turmeric powder, coriander powder, kashmiri mirch powder, and salt. Mix well and fry for a few seconds.
Now add ¼ cup water into this, mix, stir continuously and cook over medium heat until oil separates from the masala.
Add 1 cup of water. Mix and give this a quick boil over high heat.
Lower the heat, add the fish pieces now. Mix, cover and cook over low heat until the raw smell of the masala goes (15-20 minutes max).
Add sugar, garam masala powder, mix gently and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Remove from the heat.
Your spicy, delicious Katla Mach er Kalia is done. Serve hot with steamed rice.