Sorshey Eilish Bhape ( Baked Hilsa )
Sorshey Eilish Bhape ( Baked Hilsa )
I had to write this post for one of my new friend. She stays alone in Mumbai, loves bengali food or bong food and so I decided to give her this simple recipe of one of the most highly regarded dishes of bengal. This is one of the most easy yet one of the most tasty recipes one can imagine. The Eilish Maach or the Hilsa fish carries lot of bones and like one of my friend said - more the bones more the taste of a fish and mind it - he was no other than one of the senor VP of Sony Pictures based in LA.
Originally this cooking was done in sealed vessels set over kadai with half filled boiling water on a slow fire.
Ingredients
Hilsa fish - 500 gm cut pieces - 6/7 pieces.
Fresh Mustard Paste - as fine as possible - 8 table spoon
Mustard oil - 6 table spoon
Tamarind/ Haldi powder - one tea spoon
Green Chili - 8 - 4 sliced in half / 4 whole forked
One tea spoon - red chili powder (optional)
Salt to taste.
Mix the mustard paste with 4 spoons of oil, haldi powder, red chili powder, salt with four table spoon water and rub it all over the fish. Heat a baking dish with one spoon oil and take it out of the oven. Arrange all the fishes on the dish and spread any remaining paste put the green chillies inside. Cover and bake over medium or 2/3 power for 20 mins. Serve with hot rice.
Tip: In most cases the mustard turn bitter - add one tea spoon salt and one green chili to the mustard while making the paste. Do not soak mustard before making the paste - it will spoil the taste.
Option1 : You may fry one finely chopped onion before placing the fish in the baking oven. But I prefer it straight.
Option2 : You may mix a small bunch of fresh corriander (cilantro) leaves with the paste.
Option 3. Add half grated coconut to the mustard paste and increase the baking time to 25 mins - these adds a different dimension to the Ilish Bhapey. ( I like it )
Legend : This is an excellent monsoon recipe to release clogged nose and throat - and also good for the scalp as most people not habituated with mustard start perspiring heavily top down.
