Macher Dimer Kalia (Curry with fish Roe)

Macher dim, or fish egg or fish roe is fully ripe internal ovaries or egg mashes of fish. In Bengal, deep fried fish roe is a delicacy and they are so tasty, once you try, you'll be hooked to it. Among all the sweet water fishes, Rohu and Hilsa fish roe's are mostly eaten in Bengal. One great bengali food blogger and my friend, Sudeshna of Cook like a Bong, she explains very well all about fish roe. Visit her page to know how to make fish roe vada. I had no idea that Fish roes are so popular outside India too, mostly in Asia and Europe.
In this post, I'll share the recipe how to make curry with fish roe, which we call MACHER DIMER KALIA(Kalia is a term of bengali cooking, where the sauce is based on onion-ginger-garlic paste with lots of onions and little more oil is used than regular fish curry, basically it's a rich preperation)
I used Hilsa fish roe, vada recipe here



Ingredients :
Fried Fish roe(macher dim) vada
Onion : 3(medium)
Ginger-garlic paste : 1" ginger+2 cloves of garlic
Tomato : 1(medium)
Green chilli : 2 (Slitted)
Turmeric powder : 2 tsp.
Red chilli powder : 2-3 tsp.
Coriander powder : 1 tsp.
For tempering :Bay leaf : 1 + Cinnamon stick : 1(1") + 2 cardamoms + 3 cloves
Salt to taste
Oil : 2 tblsp.
Ghee(clarified butter) : 2 tsp. (optional)
Garam Masala powder : Grind together 2 cardamoms, 4 cloves and 1(1") cinnamon stick

Method :

• Keep aside the fried fish roe vadas.
• Slice the onions lengthwise. Make a paste of ginger and garlic.
• Heat oil in a pan, temper with the ingredients, when they start to crackle, add sliced onions. In medium flame, fry the onions till dark brown with a pinch of sugar. It should be soft but not crispy, so lower the flame. It will take about 5 minutes or so. This way, the curry will take a darker shade.
  
• Add ginger-garlic paste, stir for a minute, then add chopped tomatoes and chopped green chillies. Fry till tomatoes get pulpy and soft. Then add powdered spices with 2 tblsp. water. Stir till oil seperates. Add fried fish roes, mix well with spices.
  
• Add 1/2 cup of water and in medium flame let it cook for 7-8 minutes. When water evaporates, check the seasoning. It should be a dry gravy. Drop 2 tsp. ghee(clarified butter) and garam masala powder over it. Mix well with the gravy and remove from heat.
  

Serve hot with rice...........Unglia chatte rahe jayoge(you'll keep licking your finger even after finishing your food, it's so tasty)
This traditional bengali delicacy is for my event Spotlight : Fish