Amidst lock-down, while everything is shut off, I was dearly missing my daily dose of fish curry. All of a sudden, got hold of good half a kilo of fresh Katla fish which demanded some special treatment. What else could be better to prepare a rich katla curry with creamy yogurt gravy? Indulged into the sheer joy of preparing the Doi Katla and then to have it with long grained rice. One of the few brighter spots in the time of containment.

Just to mention that, many moons back shared almost a similar recipe but with Salmon fillet ( Salmon with yogurt gravy (Doi Mach)).

In fact one can prepare this dish with Rohu fish as well.

Preparation Time : 20 mins.

Cooking Time : 30 mins.

Difficulty Level : Easy

Ingredients to serve 2-3 :

1. Katla fish (medium size pieces) – 300 gm.
2. Paste of 2 small onion
3. Paste of 3 cloves of garlic, 1 inch piece of ginger and 2 green chillies
4. Paste of 5 soaked almonds/ cashew nuts (optional)
5. Beaten yogurt – 2 tbspoon
6. Whole garam masala (cinnamon – 1 inch stick, green cardamom – 2, clove – 3)
7. Bay leaf – 1
8. Dry red chilli – 1
9. Cumin seeds – ½ tespoon
10. Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon
11. Red chilli powder – ½ teaspoon
12. Cumin powder – ¼ teaspoon
13. Salt to taste
14. Sugar – ½ teaspoon
15. Mustard oil – 7-8 thspoon

Procedure :

Remove the scales of Katla pieces, keeping the skin intact, and wash them thoroughly. Coat the pieces with salt and ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder, leave for 10-15 minutes.

Heat oil in a frying pan or kadai over medium flame.

Fry the fishes into the hot oil till golden in colour and keep aside.

Add whole garam masala, bay leaf, dry red chilli and cumin seeds in the remaining oil. Saute for a while.

Then add onion paste and fry for 2-3 minutes on medium flame.

Add ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and continue frying till oil separates from the mixture and the onion paste become golden brown.

Now add remaining turmeric powder, red chilli powder and cumin powder, cook till their raw flavour goes off.

Then add beaten yogurt and almond paste, cook till raw flavour of yogurt goes off.

Now add 2 cups (small) of water and mix it well to the spice mixture.

Add fried fish pieces to the gravy once water starts boiling.

Cover the kadai with a lid and let it cook for few minutes till the gravy thicken to your desired consistency.

Put the gas off, wait for two minutes and then transfer the fish in a serving bowl.

Serve with plain rice.

Note :

Always use the yogurt while it is in room temperature and beat it until creamy. Stir well after the addition of the yogurt. Otherwise the yogurt can separate in the gravy.