Rohu fish curry | Fish masala curry | How to make rohu fish curry

Rohu fish curry aka fish masala curry is a spicy, flavoured Indian fish curry which is very popular in the subcontinents of north and east India. In this preparation, shallow fried rohu fish pieces or any other fleshy fish pieces are simmered in spicy onion-tomato based gravy with some green chillies and coriander leaves. It is mostly relished with hot steamed rice but can also be accompanied by roti.

About the recipe
Health Benefits of Rohu Fish
Tips and Suggestions
How to make Rohu fish curry (step wise photos)
Recipe Card

Rohu fish curry is an old fish curry recipe which is prepared in different ways in different subcontinents using different components. Many people prefer to prepare it without onion-garlic; many prefer to use onion-garlic paste. Every household has a different composition of spices for the gravy. Many people prefer to cook the raw fish directly into the gravy and many shallow fry the fish pieces before adding to the gravy.

But many people think rohu fish curry and Bengali rohu fish curry aka rui macher jhol are the same. Here, I need to make a correction. Though both are similar to each other but are not the same. As I belong to a Bengali family, so I have seen Bengali-style fish curry very closely and grew up eating those delights. This rohu fish curry is a north Indian fish curry, not a Bengali fish curry. The whole spices used for both recipes are different from each other. If you like to know more about Bengali rui macher Kalia then you can check here.

Whenever I talk about rohu fish curry, I always feel nostalgic. I have so many beautiful memories with this recipe and can go on and on. It always reminds me of my bachelor days when I used to stay in a PG and one of my north Indian friends used to cook this luscious fish masala curry. I learnt this recipe from her and later improvised it accordingly. This is one of my favourite variations of rui mach recipe which never disappoints me in front of guests, relatives and friends.

When I prepared this rohu fish curry for the first time, my family loved the preparation. They just said a single word ‘morish’ and ended up with the whole fish masala curry. Sometimes, even simple recipes make your day.

Rohu fish curry aka fish masala curry is a very simple and easy recipe which requires minimal effort and minimal ingredients to get prepared. All the ingredients are easily available in any Asian kitchen pantry. The best part of the recipe is that it gets prepared within half an hour. Though it gets ready very easily, but it tastes divine with steamed rice.

Rohu fish curry with step-by-step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section of the recipe. I have shared all the tips and tricks below to prepare a perfect fish curry masala. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share a few interesting facts about Rohu Fish and the recipe.

Rohu fish is known by different names like Rui, Ruee, Tapra, Roho Labeo etc. It is a freshwater fish from carp family. They are hugely popular in the subcontinents of South Asia. It is one of the most cultured fish in the ponds and lakes of these regions.

• Rohu fish is very rich in nutrients. It contains zinc, potassium, calcium, iron and many other minerals. These minerals help to strengthen our bodies. It is very good for our brains too.
• They are a very good source of Vitamin C which helps to build our immunity.
• Rohu fish is high in Protein and low in fat which makes it beneficial for growing kids and even adults too.
• The Omega 3 contained in the fish helps to make our hearts healthy.

• Always marinate the fish slices with salt and turmeric powder for at least ten minutes.
• Always try to use Mustard oil for cooking this fish recipe. It will give amazing flavour to the fish.
• Fry the fish moderately before adding it to the gravy. Over-frying can make the fish chewy.
• The addition of freshly chopped coriander leaves enhances the taste and flavour of the fish curry.
• Don’t skip green chillies from the recipe. If you like less heaty food, then add whole green chillies. It makes the gravy aromatic.
• The consistency of the gravy is moderate. It’s neither too thick nor too runny.

To prepare the rohu fish curry, first cut and clean the fish pieces and wash them gently. Then marinate them with salt, turmeric powder for ten minutes and keep them aside.

On the other hand, add onion chunks, ginger cubes, peeled garlic cloves and 2 green chillies into a jar of a grinder. Close the lid of the jar and pulse it to a smooth paste and keep it aside.

Then make a separate paste of tomatoes by adding the tomato chunks into a jar of a grinder. Close the lid of the jar and pulse it to a smooth paste and keep it aside.

Take a pan and add mustard oil to fry the marinated fish pieces. Once the oil is hot, add the fish pieces and fry them moderately from both sides and keep them aside on a plate.

Now, into the same pan, add mustard seeds and let them crackle. Add the onion paste into the pan and cook it on a medium flame for 7-8 minutes until it releases oil.

After this, add the tomato paste and mix it well. Cook it over medium flame till the masala releases oil.

Then add salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder, one by one into the pan and mix it well. Cook it on low flame for 2-3 minutes. Stir in between.

Add water into the pan for gravy and give a nice stir. Cover the pan and cook it on high flame until the gravy starts boiling.

After this, add the shallow fried fish pieces to the pan. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for another 10 minutes. Flip the pieces once in between.

Take off the lid of the pan and add chopped coriander leaves into the pan. Mix it well and then switch off the flame. Now rohu fish curry is ready to serve.

Many recipe for fish curry has already been shared in my previous posts. You can check a few of them like

Rui kalia
Barishali Ilish
Shorshe Tangrar Jhal
Pabda fish bhuna

..And Many more…

• 6 large Rohu fish pieces
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)

• 2 large Onions, diced
• 6 large cloves of Garlic
• 1 inch Ginger, diced
• 2 green Chillies

• 3 Tomatoes, for paste
• 4 tablespoons Coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
• Salt to taste
• 4 tablespoons Mustard oil for cooking
• 1½ cups of Water, for Gravy

1. Cut and clean 6 fish pieces of Rohu fish and wash them gently.
2. Marinate them with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder for ten minutes and keep them aside.
3. On the other hand, add onion chunks, 1-inch ginger cubes, 6 peeled garlic cloves and 2 green chillies into a jar of a grinder. Close the lid of the jar and pulse it to a smooth paste and keep it aside.
4. Again, into a jar of a mixer grinder, add tomato chunks and run the mixer grinder for a minute to make a smooth paste. Keep the paste aside.
5. Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 4 tablespoons of mustard oil into the pan and wait until the oil is hot.
6. Put the flame on low and add the marinated fish pieces into the pan and fry them over medium flame for 2-3 minutes on each side. Once the bottom side is done, turn the fish pieces very carefully and fry the other side. Tip: Don’t overcook the fish, otherwise they will become chewy.
7. Keep the fried fish pieces aside on a separate plate.
8. Into the same pan, add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds and let them crackle.
9. Add the onion paste into the pan and cook it on medium flame for 7-8 minutes until it releases oil.
10. Add the tomato paste and mix it well. Cook it over medium flame till the masala releases oil.
11. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder and 1 teaspoon coriander powder, one by one into the pan and mix it well. Cook it on low flame for 2-3 minutes. Stir in between.
12. Add 1½ cups water into the pan for gravy and give a nice stir. Cover the pan and cook it on high flame until the gravy starts boiling.
13. After this, add the fried fish pieces to the pan. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for another 10 minutes. Flip the pieces once in between.
14. Take off the lid of the pan and add chopped coriander leaves into the pan.
15. Mix it well and then switch off the flame. Now rohu fish curry is ready to serve.

Transfer the rohu fish curry into a serving bowl or on a serving plate. Serve hot or warm to enjoy the best taste. Pair up the dish with steamed Basmati rice and enjoy it with your family and friends.

Rohu fish curry | Fish masala curry | How to make rohu fish curry

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 20 Minutes 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: NA calories NA fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

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Ingredients

To marinate the fish

• 6 large Rohu fish pieces
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)

For the Onion paste

• 2 large Onions, diced
• 6 large cloves of Garlic
• 1 inch Ginger, diced
• 2 green Chillies

Other Ingredients for the Gravy

• 3 Tomatoes, for paste
• 4 tablespoons Coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
• Salt to taste
• 4 tablespoons Mustard oil for cooking
• 1½ cups of Water, for Gravy

Instructions

1. Cut and clean 6 fish pieces of Rohu fish and wash them gently.
2. Marinate them with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder for ten minutes and keep them aside.
3. On the other hand, add onion chunks, 1-inch ginger cubes, 6 peeled garlic cloves and 2 green chillies into a jar of a grinder. Close the lid of the jar and pulse it to a smooth paste and keep it aside.
4. Again, into a jar of a mixer grinder, add tomato chunks and run the mixer grinder for a minute to make a smooth paste. Keep the paste aside.
5. Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 4 tablespoons of mustard oil into the pan and wait until the oil is hot.
6. Put the flame on low and add the marinated fish pieces into the pan and fry them over medium flame for 2-3 minutes on each side. Once the bottom side is done, turn the fish pieces very carefully and fry the other side.  Tip: Don’t overcook the fish, otherwise they will become chewy.
7. Keep the fried fish pieces aside on a separate plate.
8. Into the same pan, add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds and let them crackle.
9. Add the onion paste into the pan and cook it on medium flame for 7-8 minutes until it releases oil.
10. Add the tomato paste and mix it well. Cook it over medium flame till the masala releases oil.
11. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder and 1 teaspoon coriander powder, one by one into the pan and mix it well. Cook it on low flame for 2-3 minutes. Stir in between.
12. Add 1½ cups water into the pan for gravy and give a nice stir. Cover the pan and cook it on high flame until the gravy starts boiling.
13. After this, add the fried fish pieces to the pan. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for another 10 minutes. Flip the pieces once in between.
14. Take off the lid of the pan and add chopped coriander leaves into the pan.
15. Mix it well and then switch off the flame. Now rohu fish curry is ready to serve.