Bhapa ILish or Baked Hilsha Fish

Any day anytime anywhere if we bong get a plate of rice with Bhapa Ilish or Baked Hilsha fish we never say no to this. But you have to be lucky enough to get a tasty fish otherwise your cooking will be a waste. It’s a very easy recipe you just need few fresh fish pieces and some limited ingredients. This recipe is again from my Maa’s kitchen.

I remember during my school days we all were at home because of  rain and my uncle brought a big Hilsha fish form Kolaghat  a famous place for Hilsha fish because the place is located in the side of Ganga River. And the most important thing is the size of the fish around 5 kg. In present day this kind of a big fishes are just a dream. And taste of that fish was just out of the world. Here we usually purchase fish from a Bangladeshi shop and the maximum size of the fishes is around 2 kg. But they are quite tasty because those are form Padma River. That Bhapa ILish truly made our day.

 
Preparation time: 30 mints.
Cooking time: 20 mints.

Ingredients:

1.Hilsha Fish: 4 pieces.
2.One table spoon mustard seeds paste.
3.Half tea spoon poppy seeds paste.
4.Three to Four green chilies.
5.Half tea spoon turmeric powder.
6.Mustard oil: 3 Table spoon.
7.Half tea spoon curd.
8.Salt and sugar as per taste.
9.One tiffin box with tight lid.

Process:
Clean and wash the fish pieces.

Make a smooth mixture with all the ingredients as mentioned above except oil and green chili.

Now place the fish pieces into the tiffin box and add the mixture into it. Marinate the fish pieces with the mixture and keep it aside for 30 mints.

 

Now add the mustard oil and the split green chilies if you want you can add one chopped green chili also into the tiffin box.

 
Now cover the lid and place the coverd box into one vessel which is full of water. Now switch on the gas, the fish will cook with the steam of the boiling water. And cook in medium hit for 15 to 20 mints.

 

Serve hot with plain rice.

 

Doi ILish or Hilsha fish with Curd

As a fish lover the first choice of fish is Ilish or Hilsha. The favorite fish of almost all Bengali’s. This fish is usually available during the Rainy season. Mostly from the river of Ganga (India) and Padma (Bangladesh) this fish is coming from. This is one of the costliest fishes also during the season. Fresh fishes are always best, but here we only get frozen fish still the fish are good. So you can imagine how well the fish when it fresh.

Almost all the recipe with this fish is so easy and quick. But everything is depending on the taste of the fish. During my childhood day my father used to go to Ganger Ghat or (the river side) during the rainy season almost every day to purchase fresh fish directly from the fisher man. And the taste of those fresh fish really I can’t express. Today I prepared some “Doi Ilish” or Hilsha fish with Curd. A heavenly combination with plain rice another delicasy from my Maa's kitchen.

 
Preparation time: 10 mints.
Cooking time: 15 mints.

Ingredients:

1.Hilsha fish : 4 piece.
2.Mustard seeds :One table spoon.
3.Three to Four green chilies.
4.One table spoon curd.
5.One tea spoon turmeric powder.
6.Few Kalonji.
7.Salt & Sugar as per taste.
9.Mustard oil for cooking.

Process:
Marinate the fish with little turmeric powder and salt.

Now grind the mustard seeds with one green chili. Make a mixture with curd, turmeric powder and mustard seeds paste with little water.
Now add some oil in a vessel and fry the fish pieces lightly and keep it aside.

Now on that same vessel add some kalonji  and split green chilies after few seconds and the curd and mustard seeds paste mixture with little salt and sugar.

Cook till the oil separate. Now add little water and the fried fish pieces. Cook till the gravy become thick.

Enjoy with plain rice.