Bengali weddings are one huge affair. The wedding houses (Biyearly)
dazzle with fancy decorations and flower arrangements. The bride is the
belle of the ball, all decked up in her lavish lengthen and expensive
jewellery for her big day. But what also must find a special mention
here is the wedding food. The guests remember the quality of food and
even discuss it after the wedding ceremony comes to an end. And the most
fascinating part about this is the plethora of dishes served at these
functions. The families of the bride and groom go all out to impress
their guests. There is Chat if you are in the mood for something spicy
or different kinds of salads to satisfy the health-conscious folks, or
an open bar in case you just fancy free drinks. Being a foodie, I often
gravitate towards the traditional Bengali cuisine. It is hard to resist
when your olfactory receptors recognize the delicious familiar smell and
make your food choices for you.
Out of all the Bengali wedding functions that I have attended, there
is one dish that I have spotted in almost every function, called Maker Kaila. This popular fish curry is a mainstay of Bong ceremonies, and I
am not just talking about wedding ceremonies. It consists of
well-marinated fish pieces cooked in a tomato (Tamara) and onion
(Pythias) gravy laced with aromatic spices. But this curry comes with a
disclaimer- it is high on the spice quotient, so you should tread with
caution. Maker Kaila is usually prepared using big fish, like rough
(ruin) or carp (atlas)the fat from this fish gives the gravy a rich
quality. Kaila refers to a Bengali cooking process where typically the
fish or meat is cooked in rich and delicious gravy with
onion-ginger-garlic (Pythias-adrakh-lahsan) paste.
Proper marination is the mark of an excellent fish curry. So the fish
should be cleaned well, and marinated generously with spices, followed
by deep-frying in oil. I have combined onion and raisins (mishmash)
together for the paste, which adds certain sweetness to the curry. The
aromatic spices used here can be added according to taste. I have also
included curds (dahlia) as one of the ingredients in the recipe. It makes
the gravy rich and imparts a smooth texture, making sure that you have
an ace rolled up your sleeve. Finally, the fried fish pieces are added
to the gravy and cooked for a few minutes on a low flame. Maker Kaila
and plain rice make for a delectable duo. This is one dish that will
absolutely sweep your Bengali boss or friend off their feet.
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