Keyword: bengali fish recipe, Easy and Quick Ilish Recipe, Hilsa recipe, Ilish Macher Aloo Begun Diye Jhol, Ilish Macher Tel Jhol, Ilish recipe, Ilisher Tel Jhol, Simple Hilsa Recipe
Servings: 4people
Author: Samrat Roy Chowdhuri
Cost: ₹ 400
Equipment
1 Wok and spatula
1 Knife & Chopping Board
Preparation and serving bowls
Ingredients
4pcIlish or Hilsharound cuts preferable or steak-cut
2tspmustard oilbigger-sized spoons are used here
1pcsmall sized brinjal (eggplant)optional
1pcpotatooptional
1tspnigella seeds or kalo jeere
2pcgreen chili
1.5tspturmeric powder1/2 tsp for marinating the fish, 1 tsp for the curry
2cupwater, for the jhol (gravy)coffee-cup size ( around 200-250 ml)
1cupwater, for the turmeric powder slurryaround 100 ml
salt to taste
Instructions
Preparation for Ilish Macher Tel Jhol
Marinate the fish with half a teaspoon of turmeric powder and salt. Do not overwash the fish, read the notes for more details, allow to rest for 15 minutes
Peel the skin off the potato and chop vertically into four pieces
Cut off the ends of the brinjal or eggplant and cut in long cubes (check recipe image)
Prepare a slurry of turmeric powder and water. To do this add one tsp of turmeric powder to a cup of water, around 100 ml water
How to Cook Ilish Macher Tel Jhol Aloo Begun Diye
Now put on the wok and switch on the flame, ensure flame is on high
Add mustard oil
Once the oil smokes, reduce the flame to medium and add the hilsa or ilish steaks carefully
Fry for a couple of minutes on each side and flip over. Fry for another minute and half
Take off the wok and keep aside
The left-over oil in the wok is filled with flavor, hence never discard it. If required add more oil
Now add the potatoes and saute for a couple of minutes
Add the brinjal (or eggplant) to the wok and fry for a couple of minutes. Ensure that the brinjal does not turn into a mash during this process, hence be careful
Take both the potatoes and brinjal out of the wok and keep aside
In the remaining oil, add the nigella seeds or kalo jeere
Slice the green chilis in half (vertically) and throw in the wok
When you get the aroma from the nigella seeds, add the turmeric slurry
Saute for a few minutes till you see the oil separating
Add water and bring to a boil
Throw in the salt
Add the fried brinjal, potato and fish steaks to the gravy
Reduce the flame to medium, cover the wok and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes
Check for seasonings and adjust if needed
Switch off the flame and cover the wok
Allow to rest for another 10 minutes at least
Serve with rice
Notes
Never procure a hilsa that weighs less than 600-700 grams, the bigger the fish, the better the taste. Also the flavor of the fish is inversely proportional to the amount of the roe (egg) it contains. Hence buy a fish that has low amount of egg content
Depending on the size of your wok, you may add one or more pieces. Do not overcrowd the wok with all the pieces if your wok is small
Do not overwash ilish or hilsa steaks - a simple rinse is more than enough. Remember the taste of hilsa is in the blood (while it may sound like a vampire speaking out, this is mentioned in the oldest recipes books on Bengali cuisine)
Oil drippings from frying the fish are extremely flavorful. Hence add them to the ilish macher tel jhol while adding the fish in the gravy
The oil in the wok after frying the fish steaks is filled with flavor, use the same oil for cooking the rest of the dish
Lightly saute the brinjal, do not over fry the brinjal
The quantity of turmeric powder required for this recipe is a tad more than you would use for any other recipe