khatta Meetha iLLish / Hilsha

                                      
                                                             

khatta Meetha iLLish / Hilsha

khatta Meetha iLLish / Hilsha - Yesterday night we celebrated Onam Festival at one of my Malayali friend’s house at Bangalore. They requested me to cook Bengal famous Hilsha in a kerala style for Onam.  

Originally Onam is veggie fest, but when one Bengali will celebrate any fest fish or non-veg should be there. Is it not?  So we both me & my Mallu friend gone out to buy Hilsha fish and bought  it from the nearest super market, but till that time I did not know what I will cook and what ingredients is required, but I have little bit idea about Kerala fish recipe.

Bengali can’t think hilsha recipe without mustard sauce / paste.  I asked my friend’s wife to give 5 tsp mustard seeds and the below mentioned ingredients.  After finish our dinner believe me my friend said only word ‘Awesome’ even I too felt it was really awesome.

Thanks to my mallu friend for given that opportunity and I am dedicated this recipe to all Keralite.  Happy Onam!

Ingredients:

1 kg Hilsha fish
3 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder
1/2 tbsp coriander powder
1/4th tsp turmeric powder
1 small onion chopped or sliced
3-4 pieces of medium kokum or dried Garcinia / Kadampuli
3 tbsp of mustard oil or any vegetable oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp mustard powder
salt to taste
2 tsp sugar
Handful of curry leaves
2 cups of water

Method:

Soak the kokum / Kadampuli pieces in 1/2 cup of warm water. You can use Tamarind paste as a substitute.

Add mustard seeds. Once it crackles, add the fenugreek seeds and fry for few seconds.

Add kashmiri chili powder, coriander and turmeric powder. Mix well and fry for 2 minutes. Don’t let it burn.

Now add the kokum pieces and water. Add the remaining water also. Mix well and cook till it starts boiling. Add salt to taste.

Now add in the Hilsha / illish fish pieces. Cover and cook on a slow flame.

Once the fish gets cooked and the gravy gets a thick consistency, sprinkle the mustard powder and two spoon sugar. Mix gently and cook for a minute. It will be semi thick gravy and it is ready to serve with Kerala or plain white hot rice.

Author : Manna Majumder

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CHANCHRA / CHHYANCHRA( MALABAR SPINACH WITH HILSA FISH HEAD)

CHANCHRA ( MALABAR SPINACH WITH HILSA FISH HEAD)

 

'Chanchra', is very traditional, popular and monsoon favorite dish in Bengalis cuisines.

Malabar spinach curry while mixed up with fish head is called 'Chanchra'.

Other names of this herb is Pui shakh or Puin shaak in Bengali, Poi saag in Hindi, Pasalai keerai in Tamil, Bachhala kura in Telugu, Basale soppu in Kannada.

INGREDIENTS:

1 banch Malabar Spinach / Creeping Spinach (Pui saag)
1 Hilsa Fish head, cut in two pieces (may use Rohu fish head)
2 Potatoes
200 grm Pumkin
1 long ridge gourd

50 grm flat beans
1 Eggplant
3-4 Green Chillies, cut in slits
1 tsp Paanch Phoron
(combination of mustard, cumin, nigella, fenugreek and fennel seeds)
2/3 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/3 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Sugar (for flavor only)
Salt to taste
4 tbsps Mustard oil (or any white oil)

METHOD:

Wash and clean the fish head. Marinate fish head with 1/3 tsp turmeric powder and little salt. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Cut and clean Malabar spinach first. Cut leaves and finely chop them. Then cut the tender stalk in 1&1/2" length. Wash them in running water. Drain all the water from it. Set aside. Peel potatoes, pumpkin. Cut potato, pumpkin, flat beans, ridge gourd and eggplant in medium sized cubes. Wash all the vegetables, make those pat dry.

Heat mustard oil in heavy bottomed wok. When it comes to smokey, add fish head in it. Fry till the both sides of fish head turns golden brown. Remove it from the oil. Keep aside.
 

In the remaining oil, add paanch phoron. Then add 1 red dry chili and bay leaf leaf in it. Fry for 2 minutes, add all vegetables and green chillies in it. Stir for 2 minutes. Cover and cook for another 3 minutes. Now add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, Cumin and Coriander powder in it. Keep stirring for 2-3 minutes, then add Malabar spinach and salt in it. Fold nicely. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

At this point add fried fish head in it. Break the fish by the tip of spatula and mix with the vegetable nicely. Keep stirring for another 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Add sugar and fold well thoroughly. Remove from heat. Serve with hot steamed rice.

Eelish Tilottoma

Illish / Hilsa Tilotoma

Everybody knows Hilsa or Ilish is the most popular fish for Bengalis. This is the national fish of Bangladesh. Bengalis wait throughout the year for monsoon and Ilish. Now a days this fish is not very pocket frieldly, but still Bengalis can spent any amount for Hilsha especially in rainy season.   I think Hilsa is most popular for its aroma and taste.  

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.

Ilish Macher Kalojeer Jhol [Hilsa Fish with Nigella]

Illish Macher Kalojeer Jhol  [Hilsa Fish with Nigella]

Ingredients

 Ilish/ Hilsa fish spwashed well and then cut into pieces— 4-6 pieces.

Turmeric powder— 1tsp.

Red chili powder- ½ t

slit green chillies— six .

½ tsp of kalojeera / kalonjis (nigella)

Mustard oil— 4tblsp.

Salt to test.

 METHOD

Rub the Ilish/ Hilsa fish pieces with salt and turmeric powder.

Heat mustard oil in a deep bottomed pan. Now lightly fry the Ilish/ Hilsa fish pieces. Then take them out and keep aside.

In the same pan heat the remaining mustard oil. Add kalojeera / kalonjis (nigella). Let it crackle. Then add slit green chillies.

Then add turmeric, red chili powder, salt  with little bit water and stir well till oil come out. Now add 2cup water and let it boil for 5 minutes.

Now add the fried Ilish/ Hilsa fish pieces in the boiling gravy. Cover and cook in low flame for few minutes till the fish is properly cooked.

Now Ilish Macher Kachalonka Jhol [Hilsa Fish with Green Chillies] is ready to be served. Serve it with hot rice.

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.