Steamed Hilsa a.k.a Ilish Bhapa

With the first rain drop of the season, the thing that comes to the mind of all Bengalis is Ilish. Being a bengali I think--

'Duh! Why haven't I posted it before, I have cooked it a million times and yet I hadn't'...Silly me! But it's better to be late than never...So the fish which is so famous that it's the national fish of Bangladesh is here cooked traditionally to get your mouth drooling.... I hope you enjoy it..

Ingredients:

Hilsa fish 5-6 pieces washed well.

Mustard Paste(Shorshe bata) 2 1/2 tablespoon.

Poppy seed paste (posto bata) 2 tablespoon.

Yoghurt (Doi) 2 tablespoon. 

Mustard oil (Shorsher tel) 4 tablespoon. 

Turmeric powder ( holud guro) 1/4 teaspoon. 

Green chilies 4-5 slit.

Salt to taste.

Water as required. 

Method:

First make a paste with mustard seeds, poppy seeds, 2 green chilies, yoghurt, turmeric powder, salt and add water as required. Do not add too much water or it will go runny, just enough to make a smooth paste.

Marinade the fish with the paste and let it rest for 5-10 mins.

Now,in a steel round tiffin box add the fish and cover it with the paste all over properly.

Add a generous amount of mustard oil and rest of the slit green chilies. 

Seal it with the cover.

Now, on a big skillet place a ring and place the tiffin box over it.Add hot water from the sides upto touching half of the sides of the tiffin box.

Turn on the heat and let it cook for 30 mins.

Once done, take it off the heat and serve it with hot plain white rice.

It's simple and 'minimal utensil recipe' as I like to call it...Tempting, isn't it? 

Crispy Fish Fry

Among Indian,Bengali culture fish fry means 'Bhetki' fish.Bengali's cannot live without fish,literally whether fish finger,jhol (curry) or just fried,they are always gaga over it.

Fish is considered auspicious whether its wedding,annaprashan(a baby's first meal other than milk),birthdays',whatever occasion,name it! fish is definitely on the menu.

In my house,at least 4 days in a week fish is cooked and the rest 3 days,its stored up in the refrigerator,in short its always available.

Here is a simple fish fry recipe,that's really famous in our culture.We all love it!

Ingredients:

5-6 pieces of Barramundi or Asian Seabass or Giant Perch (Bhetki in Bengali),boneless fillets.

3-4 teaspoon lime juice.

1 tablespoon garlic paste.

1 teaspoon red chili powder.

2-3 medium eggs.

1 cup flour.

Sunflower oil for deep-fry.

Salt to taste.

A pinch of black salt (optional).

Method:

Marinate the fish fillets in lime juice,garlic paste,red chili powder and salt for 30 minutes.

Set aside and let the water run out from the fish.Drain the water.

Take a bowl,add the eggs and little salt and whisk lightly with a spoon.

Heat oil in a frying pan.

Now dip the fish in the egg mixture and roll it over the flour.Repeat it for another time and deep-fry in the hot oil.

Sprinkle a little black salt (optional).

Serve hot with ketchup or white sauce or mustard sauce along with salad (finely sliced onion and bell pepper).