Something Fishy!

Bengali's love fish, well the real ones do. And if that is hilsa (ilish) then there is nothing to say. And its so easy to cook it, as you do not need any masala or any thing else to cook hilsa, its own flavour does the magic. Got a 800 gms Padma'r ilish from the local Indian shop and made a meal with 3 dishes.

Clockwise from left:

1. Doi ilish: Just marinated the fish with turmeric, salt and enough curd. Then heated some oil, put in few mustard seeds and green chillies and then the marinated fish. Fried it once on each side, then added little water.
2. Ilish bhapa: The best form of ilish. Mixed the fish with mustard paste, some oil, salt, little turmeric and green chillies. Put in a closed metal box and put in the oven at 230 degrees for 30 minutes. Added some water. Just changed the sides once.
3. Lau with ilish-er matha: Cut the gourd in small pieces. Fry the head of the fish nicely. In the same oil, put some panch foron and green chillies, then add the gourd pieces. Add salt and turmeric and fry for sometime. Then add the hilsa head and break it into pieces with your spoon or khunti. Add some water and put in pressure, or cover and cook till the gourd is soft. Add a bit of sugar if you feel.

And a 3 dish meal is ready and waiting.