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Hilsa

Ilish Macher Paturi

Tenualosa ilisha is a species of fish that belong to the Clupeidae. It is one of the most popular and sought after fish in the Indian Sub- Continent and the National fish of Bangladesh.

Habitat

People from Bengal are a die-hard fan of fish. They eat variety of fishes like Rohu, Katla,Pabda, Parshe, Tangra, Chingri, Ilish, etc. Fishes are of two types: freshwater fishes and seafood. The taste of the fishes vary accordingly as they belong from sweet water and salty water. There is one more type of fish which is unique because it is found in the estuary where the fresh water and the sea water meets. This fish is called Hilsa or known as Ilish in Bengali. it is a kind of marine fish. This fish is heading towards extinction due to climatic changes and also due to overfishing by humans.

Source of protein

Fishes are considered to be a good source of protein and the bones of fishes are good sources of calcium. It is very beneficial to our health if we incorporate fish into our diet at least twice a week. There are certain sea foods like salmon, sardines which contain a lot of omega 3 fatty acids that is very beneficial to reduce LDH in our bodies which is none other than the bad cholesterol. Even Hilsa ( Ilish in Bengali) is a heart friendly fish and it is found in the estuary of the Padma river and Bay of Bengal. The fish is usually available during the rainy season when the river overflows due to heavy rains. The estuary water mixes with the river water and these fishes swim towards the bank of the rivers like Padma and Ganges. The fishing is not carried usually in the estuaries and so the fishermen needs to wait for the moonsoons to arrive to catch Hilsa. Hilsa are sold in markets at high prices because they are now one of the vulnerable species. Most of the Hilsa fishes are also exported to other countries where it is not available like USA, UK, Singapore, etc. Mackerel is sometimes considered as a substitute of Hilsa when it is not available because it smells almost similar to Hilsa. The weight of these fishes vary from 600 gm to 2 Kg. The fish is considered to be more oily and tasty if the weight of the fish is above 1-1.5 kg. The fish has its own smell which is liked by most of the people. It can be cooked with various spices and considered as one of the best dishes of Bengal. The fish can be cooked with mustard paste, with poppy seeds and coconut, with tomatoes and cumin paste or simply fried in oil. The fish tastes awesome in any of these cooked forms. It is a delicate fish and needs utmost care while frying.

Numerous Bones

The only disadvantage lies due to the presence of numerous number of bones in this fish. It is not advisable for a child to consume it without the supervision of an elderly person.

Ilish macher paturi, a famous dish of Bengal is cooked in raw banana leaf. This is a very easy recipe and requires minimal effort but the outcome is sumptuous and a delicious dish that will make you drool if had with steamed rice. It is one of the most sought for dishes in occasions. This recipe can also be tried with other types of fishes like Barramundi (Bhetki) and Tiger Prawns ( Bagda Chingri). The same recipe if cooked without the banana leaf and is not steamed but cooked in a Kadai is known as Sorshe Ilish. 

Sorshe Ilish (Ilish cooked in mustard gravy)

Recipe:

Ilish Macher Paturi/ Bhapa Ilish

Ingredients

Hilsa fish (4 pieces), mustard oil, mustard paste(2 tablespoons), poppy seed paste(1 tablespoon), grounded coconut( 1 tablespoon), salt, turmeric, green chilies, raw banana leaf and thread.

Method

1. Marinate the fish pieces with turmeric, salt, mustard paste, poppy seed paste, cononut and 3 tablespoons of mustard oil and keep aside for 30 mins.The marination will allow the spices to coat and seep into each and every part of the fishes. 2. Now cut square pieces out of the banana leaf and coat each side of the leaf with oil. 3.Then heat the cooker or the steamer vessel containing water and place the banana leaf wrapped fishes into an air tight container and into the steamer/cooker. 4. After 30 minutes open the cooker or steamer and take out the box containing the fishes. 5. Open the box and pour 1 tablespoon of mustard oil to the fish gravy. 6. The fish paturi is ready to serve.

The Hilsa Paturi is ready to eat. It goes very well with steamed Basmati rice.

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