Rohu Fish Curry - A Delicious Bengali Fish Recipe

Fish is an integral part of Bengali food culture where each family enjoys fish every day, whether it be for lunch or dinner or both. Various fish types which are popular in West Bengal include Rohu, Katla, Hilsa, Magur and even small fishes like Parsey. Fish curries are a must menu item on any special occasions such as marriages and parties of all kinds and is considered a very auspicious meal item.

Rohu, known in the east of India as Rui is a kind of fresh water carp and is often cooked in Bengal with mustard oil which is supposed to enhance the flavor of the fish curry by infusing the spices into the gravy. However, I make this without the mustard oil and it still turns out incredibly flavorful. Various types of curries are prepared with this fish like Macher Kalia, or you can simply fry the fish and enjoy it with your favorite dal.

Rohu fish is high in protein, vitamin C, minerals and is low in fat and like other fishes, these are good for your brain as well.

I enjoy this curry with plain rice on numerous days when I feel a craving for fish curry - so lets get to the recipe.

1. Clean the fish pieces with water 3-4 times and marinate it with little turmeric powder and salt and keep aside for 15 minutes.

2. Grate the onions.

3. Make a tomato puree with your tomatoes (cut them into medium sized pieces and blend them in a blender/mixer).

4. Boil the green peas in water for 5 minutes. Drain the water and keep aside.

5. Finely cut the coriander leaves.

6. Slit the green chilies longitudinally into half.

1. Heat the oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, fry the fish pieces lightly on both sides so that the color changes to a golden color. Take the fish pieces out and keep aside.

2. In the same oil, add the grated onions and fry these till it changes its color slightly and add ginger-garlic paste - now add the tomato puree and keep stirring. When the oil starts separating from the masala, add your boiled green peas and green chilies and stir for 2 minutes. Now add 2 tbsp of water to it and slow the flame.

3. Add turmeric, chilly and jeera (cumin) powder, and sugar to it and stir on a medium flame for 5 minutes so that the masala blends with the onion and tomatoes. At this point, the oil separates from the masala.

4. Add the fried fish pieces and stir lightly for 5 minutes. Now add hot water to the curry - the amount would depend on your preference for the curry, ie you like it thick or otherwise. Add salt and let it boil on a slow medium flame for 10 minutes. Switch off the flame. You will enjoy a wonderful aroma of the rohu fish curry at this point.

5. The delicious Rohu Fish Curry is ready to enjoy with plain rice or jeera rice (check out my recipe for this dish) or roti or nan.

Please note - In this preparation I have used green peas but you may use fried potato wedges instead which is traditionally used in Bengal and makes the dish just so yummy. Also you may add coriander leaves (finely cut) over the finished curry. The sugar is added to enhance the taste of the curry.

If you cannot get your hands on Rohu fish, you could use this exact same recipe with Mackeral (Bangda), Pompfret, Indian Salmon (Rawas) or Seer Fish (Surmai). It wont taste the same as every fish has an inherent taste unto itself, but you will enjoy the same spice fusion that is essential to this recipe, with other fishes as well and it turns out quite delicious and finger licking.