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| Illish / Hilsa Tilotoma |
Most
common and popular dish is Sorsha illish or Bhapa illish. But today I cooked
Illish / Hilsa which is not traditional or Bengalis all-time favorite Sorsha
illish.
Hilsa with sesame seeds (Teel) curry and it was awesome. I named it
Illish Tilotoma. Let’s try for it.
Ingredients
Hilsa about 1 kg., cut
in steak size peices
White sesame(Teel) seeds 4 tbsp.
Poppy seeds 1 tsp.
3-4 tablespoons refined oil
Green chilies 3-4, slit
Kalojeera / Kalonji
Salt as per taste
For the paste:
3 tablespoons sesame(Teel) seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds (white)
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 sesame seeds, green chili, with salt to make a thick paste (This paste
is called “TEEL bata = sesame paste). If you want can add poppy seeds paste.
[Alternate
way to make sesame paste : Dry grind the seeds (sesame(Teel) seeds and poppy) and then mix the powdered seed with about 3
tablespoon water, salt, and green chilies and grind it again for minute and let
it sit for about 15-20 minutes.]
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 sesame paste add a 1/2
teaspoon of turmeric (your wish), 1 tsp. refined
oil and salt. Your sesame sauce is ready.
Method
Now rub the fish pieces with salt
and turmeric powder. Heat oil in a pan. Then fry the fish till they are golden
in both sides. Set aside.
Add kalojeera,. As you get the
frying smell of kalojeera then add sesame paste and salt and turmeric powder. Sauté
this for a minute and mix well. Add 1 cups of water if you want more soup you
can add more water. Add silted green chilly ( while serving make sure to give
one green chilly with each fish piece because some person love to mash it and
have it with rice and it add an extra taste).
Now add the fried fish let it boil
for another 2 minutes then put off the flame. Give 10 minutes standing time
before serving and Serve with hot steamed rice.
Alternate Method
Add 3 cups of water in a pressure cook. Now
place a ring in it. Take a pan and spread little refined oil. Place the fish pieces on a single layer. Pour the sesame sauce liberally on the fish pieces so that all the pieces are coated nicely. Place the slit green chilies on top. Drizzle some more refined 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.
