| Hilsa is the national fish of Bangladesh. Hilsa is an | | | | curd, brinjal or green banana. |
| integral part of the Bengali culture. One cannot | | | | Here is a recipe to prepare Hilsa with mustard |
| imagine the monsoon in Bengal without cooking | | | | seeds. |
| and feeding on fried Hilsa, or Ilish, as it is known in | | | | Ingredients needed |
| Bengali. It is also associated with religious | | | | Hilsa fish: 500 gm (can be substituted with Salmon, |
| ceremonies, and purchasing hilsas on soma | | | | tastes almost the same) |
| occasions like on the day of Saraswati Puja is | | | | Mustard seed: 5 to 6 teaspoon full |
| even considered auspicious. | | | | Paste of Green chillies: 6 or 7 |
| Essentially a sea fish, hilsa caught from the sea | | | | Turmeric: half teaspoon full |
| are thin and small, and not at all tasty. In the rainy | | | | Oil: 6 to 7 teaspoons |
| season, the fish swim into the inland rivers to lay | | | | Salt to taste |
| eggs, and become fleshy and extremely tasty. | | | | Procedure |
| Sweet water Hilsa, especially from the river | | | | Wash the fish properly. Make a paste of the |
| Padma that runs through Bangladesh are believed | | | | mustard seeds and mix well with the turmeric and |
| to be the best in taste. | | | | green chilli paste. Coat the fish with this mixture |
| There are various ways to cook the hilsa. It can | | | | along with the salt and the oil. Marinate for about |
| be smoked, fried, steamed, baked. Often it is | | | | an hour. Then bake in a microwave for 12 |
| wrapped in young plantain leaves and baked in a | | | | minutes, till tender. Serve hot with cooked rice. |
| steaming pot of rice. It can also be prepared with | | | | |