Rohu Fish Curry Will Leave You Yearning For More
A part of the "Carp" family of fishes, the "Rohu"(Labeo Rohita), better known as " Rui" in Bengal(India) and Bangladesh. It is most commonly found in the rivers flowing in the Southern regions of the continent of Asia. This omnivorous fish has found extensive use(s) in Aquaculture. Generally quite large and silver in colour with an extremely typical cyprinid shape and a head that is interestingly quite arched, this family of fishes can reach weights of forty five kilograms or Ninety Nine Pounds and though their average length is around half a metre (1.6 feet), the maximum recorded length of a Rohu fish is around two metres or 6.6 feet.
Knowing the "Rohu"
The whole Southern subcontinent of Asia, which is made up of the countries of India (North, East, Central), Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Pakistan all have this category of fish. Recently, this fish has also been introduced to a few of the rivers flowing through Peninsular India and also the country of Sri Lanka. In its infancy, the fish is a big consumer of Zooplankton, but with age, the preference of the fish changes and it starts consuming more Phytoplankton instead of the former after sieving the water through its rake-like gills.
Preparing the Rohu Fish Curry
Now, even though it is available in different regions all throughout India, it is the state of Bengal, where the Rohu fish is a widely loved delicacy. Bengalis' love for fish is widely known and so even in the country of Bangladesh, the majority population of which is Bengali, Rohu is a favourite. The "Rohu Fish Curry" which is more commonly known as "Rui Machher Jhhal" in the Bengali language is a fish stew where the fish along with a few potatoes are cooked in a gravy mixture that is laden with a host of spices.
The "Rohu Fish Curry" feels like an explosion when it meets your tastebuds and leaves you feeling warm inside. The dish is most in demand during the season of the Southwest monsoons as the Rohu are found most in numbers during that period. This is owing to the fact that this category of fish which reaches its peak sexual maturity between the ages of two and five, generally spawn during the monsoons in the middle of the flooded rivers. This spawn is often collected and then later on reared in controlled environments like lakes (both man-made and natural) and tanks. Even "Manasollasa" a Sanskrit Encyclopedia which was compiled in the twelfth century, has a recipe for Rohu Fish where the fish is fried.
This dish is preferred by health conscious people owing to the fact that the Curry of Rohu has a whole lot of Omega 3 Fatty acids and even Vitamin A, Vitamin B and Vitamin C packed inside the fish. Made with Turmeric and Red Chilli Powder, Onion(both fried and paste), curd, garlic paste, tomato puree, coriander, cardamom, jeera, salt, sugar etc., this rohu fish curry should be had at least once a week according to health experts.
