Rohu fish (rui mach)
Rui is the everyday fish of Bengal and Bangladesh: there's hardly a family meal without macher jhol or a wedding buffet without rui kalia. Rohu is an Indian carp with firm white flesh and a… 3 Products
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Rohu fish (rui mach)
Rui is the everyday fish of Bengal and Bangladesh: there's hardly a family meal without macher jhol or a wedding buffet without rui kalia. Rohu is an Indian carp with firm white flesh and a mild flavour that soaks up spices, mustard oil and tomato beautifully. Customers search for it as "ruhu fish", "rui mach" or simply carp.
From the freezer you can choose whole rohu of roughly 2–5 kg, priced by weight, which is the way to go if you want the head (muro) for muri ghonto and the belly pieces for frying. For convenience, Ruhu Fish Steaks come scaled and cut in 1 kg packs. Two close cousins complete the line-up: mrigel (mrigal carp) from about 2.5 kg, and the large catla, a favourite for kalia and fish-head curry.
The classic method is to sear the pieces in mustard oil before braising them in onion, ginger and turmeric. More Bengali river fish such as pabda, koi and magur are listed under Bangladeshi river fish, while hilsa is waiting for special occasions.
Cooking rohu the Bengali way
Thaw steaks overnight in the fridge and give a whole fish closer to 24 hours, then pat everything dry with kitchen paper. Rub each kilo with roughly 1 tsp turmeric and 1½ tsp salt and leave it for 15 minutes.
- Fry first: sear the pieces in plenty of hot mustard oil for 3–4 minutes per side until golden. This firms them up so they hold together in the sauce.
- Kalia: fry onions with ginger-garlic paste, cumin and a little yoghurt, add the fish and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Macher jhol: a thinner, everyday curry with potato, aubergine and slit green chillies.
Speed up the base with ready-made ginger-garlic paste and a spoonful of whole cumin.
Frequently asked questions
Is rohu the same as carp?
Rohu is a member of the carp family but not the common European carp. It comes from South Asian rivers and has firmer flesh and a milder taste, which is why it is the go-to curry fish in Bengali and Pakistani kitchens.
How much rohu do I need for four people?
Allow about 200–250 g of bone-in fish per person, so a 1 kg pack of rohu steaks makes a curry with rice for four. A whole fish gives you the head and tail on top, which are lovely in dal or ghonto.
What's the difference between rohu, mrigal and catla?
All three are Indian carps. Rohu is the all-rounder, mrigal is slimmer with slightly more delicate flesh, and catla grows very large with a broad head that Bengali cooks prize for kalia and fish-head dishes.
Can I get rohu ready-cut?
Yes, choose the Ruhu Fish Steaks, which are scaled and already cut into curry pieces. If you buy a whole fish, it is far easier to cut through while it is still partly frozen.