Catla Kalia Recipe
Catla Kalia is a rich red fish curry, with many ingredients but easy steps which you are probably already familiar with. This recipe doesn’t take very long but tastes as though it did. Keep reading for the full recipe breakdown. If you feel that the amount of chilli used in this recipe is too hot for you to handle, please feel free to reduce the quantity.
Servings Prep Time
4people 15 minutes
Cook Time
25minutes
Servings Prep Time
4people 15 minutes
Cook Time
25minutes
Ingredients
Marinade Ingredients
Whole Spices
Chilli Paste Ingredients
Curry Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Marinate your fish for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Chop and grind your onions to make a paste.
  3. Soak the 2 Kashmiri chillies in warm water.
  4. Once soaked, make your chilli paste by blending the chilli paste ingredients mentioned above.
  5. Heat your oil in a wok on a medium-high flame and fry your marinated fish until golden brown.
  6. Once fried, set your fish aside, lower the flame and use the oil in the wok to begin your curry.
  7. Add in all your whole spices and let this cook for a minute.
  8. Turn your heat up to medium again and add the onion paste to your wok.
  9. Once your onion paste has browned you can put in the chilli paste and cook it for a few minutes.
  10. When ready, add in the cumin and turmeric powder and allow all your spices to cook until the raw smell goes away.
  11. Next in goes the yogurt. Make sure to keep stirring this mix for at least 3-4 minutes to make sure that it does not curdle.
  12. Once you are happy with your spice mix, put in your chopped tomatoes and cook until it comes on oil. Remember to stir occasionally to prevent your spices from sticking.
  13. When the oil has begun to separate then pour in a little water and allow this entire mix to come to a boil.
  14. Then the sugar and salt go in. Now cover your wok and cook everything for roughly 5 more minutes.
  15. Lower your flame for the last time, add in your katla fillets and cook your kalia for 10 minutes. If you feel that more seasoning is required then adjust it accordingly.
Recipe Notes

Catla kalia is usually served with simple steamed rice. If you do feel like you want to add in extra flavour and texture like potatoes and raisins, then this is how to do it. You will need to coat your potatoes in turmeric powder and pre-fry them. These potatoes will then go in with the catla towards the end.

For the raisins and a sweeter taste, you can do one or both of these things. Make a raisin paste – around 1 tablespoon, in your grinder. This paste should be added with the tomatoes. If you prefer, you can add in whole raisins by themselves with the tomatoes. Some people do both, it just depends on how sweet you want your kalia to be because remember, you will have added a tablespoon of sugar as well. While this dish does have a lot of steps, the flavour is really worth it.

So, if you’re looking for a dish to make for a special occasion that has heaps of flavour and everyone will love, this is certainly the dish for you. Give it a go, and let us know in the comments how it turned out.

Print Recipe
 Catla Kalia Recipe
Catla Kalia is a rich red fish curry, with many ingredients but easy steps which you are probably already familiar with. This recipe doesn’t take very long but tastes as though it did. Keep reading for the full recipe breakdown. If you feel that the amount of chilli used in this recipe is too hot for you to handle, please feel free to reduce the quantity.
Jamai Shashti
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Marinade Ingredients
Whole Spices
Chilli Paste Ingredients
Curry Ingredients
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Marinade Ingredients
Whole Spices
Chilli Paste Ingredients
Curry Ingredients
Jamai Shashti
Instructions
  1. Marinate your fish for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Chop and grind your onions to make a paste.
  3. Soak the 2 Kashmiri chillies in warm water.
  4. Once soaked, make your chilli paste by blending the chilli paste ingredients mentioned above.
  5. Heat your oil in a wok on a medium-high flame and fry your marinated fish until golden brown.
  6. Once fried, set your fish aside, lower the flame and use the oil in the wok to begin your curry.
  7. Add in all your whole spices and let this cook for a minute.
  8. Turn your heat up to medium again and add the onion paste to your wok.
  9. Once your onion paste has browned you can put in the chilli paste and cook it for a few minutes.
  10. When ready, add in the cumin and turmeric powder and allow all your spices to cook until the raw smell goes away.
  11. Next in goes the yogurt. Make sure to keep stirring this mix for at least 3-4 minutes to make sure that it does not curdle.
  12. Once you are happy with your spice mix, put in your chopped tomatoes and cook until it comes on oil. Remember to stir occasionally to prevent your spices from sticking.
  13. When the oil has begun to separate then pour in a little water and allow this entire mix to come to a boil.
  14. Then the sugar and salt go in. Now cover your wok and cook everything for roughly 5 more minutes.
  15. Lower your flame for the last time, add in your katla fillets and cook your kalia for 10 minutes. If you feel that more seasoning is required then adjust it accordingly.
Recipe Notes

Catla kalia is usually served with simple steamed rice. If you do feel like you want to add in extra flavour and texture like potatoes and raisins, then this is how to do it. You will need to coat your potatoes in turmeric powder and pre-fry them. These potatoes will then go in with the catla towards the end.

For the raisins and a sweeter taste, you can do one or both of these things. Make a raisin paste - around 1 tablespoon, in your grinder. This paste should be added with the tomatoes. If you prefer, you can add in whole raisins by themselves with the tomatoes. Some people do both, it just depends on how sweet you want your kalia to be because remember, you will have added a tablespoon of sugar as well. While this dish does have a lot of steps, the flavour is really worth it.

So, if you're looking for a dish to make for a special occasion that has heaps of flavour and everyone will love, this is certainly the dish for you. Give it a go, and let us know in the comments how it turned out.