Here's a simple Bengali fish curry Recipe for you. Chitol Macher Kaliya is a flavorful Bengali fish dish made with onion and the Chitol Mach or Knifefish.
A little announcement
Here I am with the last post of the decade on Debjanir Rannaghar, and this post is special. For the first time, I have tried to combine the written recipe and the video recipe. I have chosen Chitol Macher Kaliya for this post and am thankful to Mehebub for all his support with the video. Hence, this post is about us, not just me!
The changes (for good) in Debjanir Rannaghar!
It is been more than a decade since I have been running this blog and to me Recipe writing is therapeutic. I never thought to put recipe videos through my blog or channel. However, going by the trend and acceptance of the videos I have decided to come up with recipe videos as well. The decision, however, was difficult. As a working mother running this blog means a few dedicated hours a week at times even ignoring other commitments. Needless to say, to come up with another set of activities was difficult. For the first time, I felt like asking for help and I did that. The best part is, I found Mehebub enthusiastic about working with me! This was all I needed to start the YouTube channel. Our videos are improving day by day as we are learning just the way it is with the blog.
Going by our professional commitments, the family, and what I already do for the blog, we have decided to structure the overall functioning of the blog as a whole. There may be one video recipe once in 10 days and a written recipe once a week from now on. We may post more or less and we may not always stick to the plan. Resolutions, after all, are meant to be broken ;).
We now have a YouTube channel!
For the first time, we started working as a team for Debjanir Rannaghar where my responsibility would be everything related to the blog and Mehebub will be responsible for all the editing of videos and pictures. With this plan in place, we have created a few video recipes and posted them through our YouTube channel in 2019. This is for the first time however, we have come up with a recipe where we post the written post and the video together. We aim to come up with several written and video recipes in 2020 and need your valuable support and input.
Chitol Macher Kaliya Video Recipe!
Debjanir Rannaghar, Youtube Channel!
Yes, now we are on YouTube. The plan is simple. We aim to portray a typical Bengali kitchen, with not-so-beautiful utensils which we use regularly. This channel will showcase the simplest form of recipes through video. It is a bit weird to see hardly a few followers on the YouTube channel while I enjoy (and respect) around lakh viewers on my blog every month. It took me more than a decade to reach the viewership which I am receiving on the blog and needless to say I know I (we) have to give equal time to give to the YouTube channel to reach where the blog is today. We don't mind that and we are happy to reach there on its own time.
Chitol Macher Kaliya!
Let me now write something about the dish 🙂 . As I already have mentioned, Chitol Macher Kaliya it is. Chitol Mach is also known as Knifefish. In Bengali households, Chitoler Kaliya is often cooked with Chitol Peti (Belly Piece) as well. In fact, Chitol Petir Kaliya is what we call the dish. As in this recipe, I have used round pieces instead of the Peti, I am referring to it as Chitol Macher Kaliya. For Kaliya, I have opted for the recipe that I have been following for years at home. Basically a rich onion-based gravy with potato and fish chunks is what it is about.
Before you ask, no story is involved with this recipe! No history or interesting details but a sure-shot recipe of Bengali fish curry is what you are going to get through this post.
Here's how I cook Chitol Macher Kaliya at Debjanir Rannaghar!
Recipe Card
Chitol Macher Kaliya
Ingredients
- 6 pieces Chitol Mach cut in round pieces
- 3 Potato
- 6 tablespoon Onion Paste
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Paste
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Paste
- 3 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 4 Green Chilli
- 5 tablespoon Mustard Oil
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
Spices
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 1 teaspoon Bengali Garam Masala Powder
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt to taste
Tempering:
- 3 Bay leaf
- 2 Cinnamon Stick
- 6 Green Cardamom
- 10 Clove
- 10 Black Pepper
Instructions
Cleaning fish
- Wash the fish chunks.
- Rub ¼ Tsp. each of salt and turmeric powder along with 3-4 drops of mustard oil to the fish chunks before frying.
- Keep the fishes marinated for 15 minutes before frying.
Spice Mix
- In a bowl mix Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, ½ Tsp. each of Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder, Bengali Garam Masala Powder, Sugar, ¼ Tsp. Turmeric Powder and also salt with 1 Tbsp. Mustard Oil and keep this aside.
Prep Work
- Meanwhile, peel and cut the potatoes into halves.
Cooking Bengali Fish Kalia
- Heat oil in a pan and sprinkle little salt and turmeric powder while heating the oil.
- Now fry the potatoes till those turn golden in color.
- Strain potatoes from the pan once fried.
- Now fry the fishes one by one on low flame from both sides.
- Add sugar and cook till it caramelizes.
- Temper remaining oil with Bay leaf, Cinnamon Stick, Green Cardamom, Clove and also Black Pepper.
- Add Onion paste and cook till the onion changes color.
- Now add ginger paste, garlic paste and also tomato paste and cook till the raw aroma of tomato goes away.
- Add ¼ Tsp. each of Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, and Salt and cook for a while
- At this point add the spice mix and cook till the oil leaves the side of the mixture.
- Add 2 Cups water followed by Green Chilli.
- Bring the mixture to boil.
- Add fried fish chunks and also fried potatoes.
- Cook for 5 minutes on low flame.
- Once done, add Ghee and ½ Tsp. of Bengali Garam Masala Powder and mix lightly.
Serving suggestion
- Serve Chitol Macher Kaliya hot with steamed rice.
Video
Nutrition
Fish Seafood Recipes from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Piajkoli ar Aloo diye Tangra Macher Jhol (also known as Bengali Light fish curry prepared with Tyangra Maach, Onion Stalks, and Potato)
- Chingri Bati Chorchori | Chingri Macher Batichorchori
- Bhetki Macher Dum (Also Known as Bengali Bhetki Curry)
- Shorshe Bata diye Parshe Macher Jhal (Also known as Mullet Fish in Mustard Gravy)
- Biye Barir Macher Kalia (Also known as Katla Macher Kaliya)
- Ilish Macher Tok (Also known as Ilish Macher Tawk)
- Bori Begun Aloo diye Ilish Macher Tel Jhol (Also known as Ilish Macher Jhol)
- Doodh Maach (Also known as Bengali Fish Curry cooked with Milk)
- Bhetki Maacher Aloo Phulkopi diye Kalia (Also known as Light Fish Curry with Potato & Cauliflower)
Have you tried the Chital Macher Kaliya recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
Do let me know how it came out. Also, I would love to see a picture of the same which you can share here on [email protected]. Meanwhile, on Instagram, you can use my hashtag #debjanirrannaghar and in addition, you can tag me at @foodofdebjani.
Here's the Bengali Chitoler Kaliya Recipe Pin for your Pinterest Board!
We thank you for all the support and expect to receive the same in the coming years! Wish you a very happy new year!
About Debjani Chatterjee Alam
I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.
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