Bhetki kalia

Debjani Chatterjee Alam’s Bhetki Kalia selects a Bengali winter-style curry with potato halves and cauliflower florets. Her version uses Bhetki, identified in the recipe as barramundi, and pairs the light fish curry with steamed rice.

The fish is washed and marinated with some salt and turmeric. Onion is sliced, tomato chopped, potatoes peeled and halved, and cauliflower separated into florets; this selected method briefly microwaves the cauliflower with water.

Fish is lightly fried in mustard oil and lifted out, followed by the potato halves and cauliflower. The same oil is tempered with bay leaf, dried red chilli, cumin seeds and green cardamom; the selected optional asafoetida is mixed with water and added.

Onion cooks until brown before tomato is mashed into it. Ginger and garlic pastes follow, then ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, sugar and salt cook until oil separates, with a little water if needed.

The fried potatoes return with the main water and cook under a lid until done. Cauliflower returns before the fried fish and a further water portion; Bengali garam masala and ghee finish the curry, which is served with steamed rice.