Bhapa Ilish (Steamed Hilsa)

Ingredients:

Hilsa about 1Kg.  cut in steak size pieces

Yellow mustard seeds 1& ½  tbsp.
Poppy seeds 2 tsp
2.5 tbsp grated coconut
3-4 tbsp pure mustard oil
Green chilies 3-4 slit
½ tsp turmeric
Salt as pertaste

For the paste:
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
2.5 tablespoons grated coconut
3-4 hot green chili (or as per your taste)
Salt to taste

Preparing the paste:

Soak the ingredients for the paste in 1/4 cup of water for about 30 -45 minutes. Grind the mustard, green chili, poppy seeds and grated coconut with salt (Salt is added to avid the bitter taste of the mustard seeds) to make a thick mustard paste.

[Alternate way to make mustard paste : Dry grind the seeds (mustard and poppy) and then mix the powdered seed with about 3 tablespoon water, grated coconut, salt, and green chilies and grind it again for minute and let it sit for about 15-20 minutes.]

Mathod :

Wash and clean (remove scales) of the fish and cut in steak size pieces or you can have them clean and cut at the place from where you buy the fish.

To this mustard paste add a 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric, 1 tsp. mustard oil and salt. Your mustard sauce is ready. Add 3 cups of water in a pressure cook. Now place a ring in it.
Take a pan and spread little mustard oil. Place the fish pieces on a single layer. Pour the mustard sauce liberally on the fish pieces so that all the pieces are coated nicely. Place the slit green chilies on top. Drizzle some more mustard oil on the top if you wish.
Now place this pan on the ring in the pressure cooker. Cover with lid and pressure cook for 1-2 whistles. Serve hot with rice.
In the microwave:

Coat an microwave oven safe container with mustard oil. Place the fish pieces in the bowl in one single layer. Pour the above mustard sauce over the steaks so the sauce covers all of the steaks completely. Add a few slit green chili peppers on the top. Drizzle some more mustard oil on the top if you wish.
Cover with a lid or with a plastic wrap. Cook for 3 minutes; take it out and stir the sauce (do not move the fish around). Put it back in the microwave, cover and cook for 2 more minutes. Uncover, take out, stir; cover and put it back and cook for 2 more minutes. Uncover and cook for 2-3 more minutes. (The cooking time may slightly vary with the power of the microwave). Adjust to your microwave.