Doi Ilish/Hilsha in Yogurt Sauce

I started this blogging journey eleven years ago. Life got super busy that I couldn’t post as much as I wanted for past few years;  especially 2023, I just vanished from blogging. But my passion for cooking never faded away. However I never stopped posting on my Instagram whatever I cooked. I came back slowly to blog and excited to share recipes. I got connected with people through my blogging journey. I completely missed my blog's 11th birthday last week. So, better late than never and today, I am sharing an amazing Hilsha recipe that passed down to my mother from a close family friend. It became one of our family favorites. It’s so drool worthy and definitely a keeper. 

Steamed Shrimp with Coconut Mustard

Bengali style steamed fish is an old tradition using coconut paste, mustard paste and mustard oil. This is so simple to make with minimal spices. It's best to use head on shrimp. It may be time consuming but worth it when it comes to flavor profile and texture. The freshly grounded mustard paste is an acquired taste and it has a pungent sensation similar to horseradish  wasabi-like sensation to it. Therefore adding coconut milk and coconut paste to balance it out resulting in a mouthwatering rustic seafood dish and best served with plain rice!

Grass Carp in Creamy Cashew and Raisins Gravy

I tasted this top notch white fish curry in a Bengali ceremony many moons back. This is not a traditional fish curry that I had while growing up. It is inspired by Indian royal cuisines from the Mughal kitchens where luxurious ingredients like nuts, exotic spices and dry fruits are used. It is rich, creamy and mildly spiced with just a hint of sweetness from the raisins. Fish is smothered in heavy cream based gravy along with onion, ginger, garlic and aromatic spices. To make it bit lighter I swap heavy cream with cashew cream mixed with milk and yogurt. It's a great fish curry for any get together or ceremony. 

Spicy Tomatoey Pomfret Curry

It's been a long time I haven't post. Ten years ago I posted for the first time. Then I continued for several years with various recipes from different cuisines that I made for my family and friends. My love for cooking doesn't need introduction anymore. I have met wonderful people through my cooking and blogging journey.  I took a break for almost a year and half. Now I am back again with a delicious recipe of silver pomfret, braised in a spicy onion, ginger, garlic and tomato gravy. This is a superb fish curry served over plain rice. It looks very fiery but it's doesn't have to be that spicy. Spice level is adjusted according to the heat tolerance. That fiery color comes from tomato, paprika and turmeric. 

Spicy Kerala Fish Curry

This slowly braised spicy exotic Kerala fish curry in spicy tangy gravy yet soothed by little bit of coconut milk has a depth of flavor and it is one of the regional fish curries of India that matches our taste buds. This fish curry requires an tropical dry fruit known as Kudampuli or Malabar tamarind(scientific name,Garcinia cambogia, native to South Asia and Southeast Asia) that has smoky flavor and sour taste, available at Indian groceries. But tamarind is a great substitute for kudampuli in case not found.

Macher Paturi

Macher Paturi is one of the best fish delicacies in Bengali cuisine made with predominantly coconut, mustard paste, green chili and mustard oil mixture mostly using Hilsha or Bhetki mach(Baramundi fish), wrapped like a little parcel in banana leaf, then grilled or pan fried. Slowly grilled banana leaf parcel over the hot iron pan gives wonderful aroma and heavenly taste. Paturi in Bengali means pata(leaf). Therefore any edible leaf sometimes used instead of banana leaf for paturi. Macher Paturi is very popular with different spices in different states of India and other countries as well. 

Chingri Malaicurry

Chingri/Shrimp Malai Curry cooked in mildly spiced coconut based gravy is one of the divine dishes of Bengali cuisine served on special occasions or wedding ceremonies. Malai in Bengali means dairy cream but in this particular dish has no dairy in it. Now the question is if I ever wanted to know how the word “malai” came from, not really. Did my grand mothers and mother's generations know? I am not so sure as we never questioned about it. All I know is how my mother made it so finger licking without using overpowering spices and I make exactly the same way. Malai Curry is very close to our heart.

Masor Tenga

Masor Tenga, a signature fish curry from Assamese cuisine specially on hot summer days is truly a soul food. Tenga means sour thin fish curry using tomato, lime juice or other souring agents. This fish curry is the simplest soupy delight I have ever made that doesn't require any spices at all except for tempering, yet very fragrant, richly appealing and heavenly tasty with plain rice. 

Macher Tok/Sour Fish Curry

Macher Tok belongs to West Bengal cuisine that our family never made. This is similar to Assamese counterpart Masor Tenga. We grew up eating simple traditional food that belonged to my parent's native land Noyakhali, in erstwhile East Bengal, now Bangladesh. There is a slight difference between two Bengal's food culture and each side has its own unique ways preparing the food. Tamarind in this recipe is very exotic and drool worthy. Every household makes it differently. This is my close friend's family recipe and I prepare exactly that way. 

Ilish Polao

Hilsha fish is most Bengali's favorite fish  that doesn't require lots of spices. Hilsha's own aroma makes mouthwatering dishes that Bengalis love to savor again and again despite its thousands of tiny bones. Hilsha is easily available in West Bengal and Bangladesh during monsoon season. So we grew up having Hilsha frequently at that time, from thin soupy type stew to rich gravy dishes. All of them were amazingly delicious. But we never had Ilish Polao back home then.  

Ilish Kumro/Hilsha and Pumkin Stew

During the rainy season Hilsa is at its finest test and it is made in different varieties from simple thin runny stew type to thick gravy type with minimal spices. This is another variation at my maternal aunt's in-laws house who were from Faridpur in erstwhile East Bengal, now Bangladesh. I heard that other district of Bangladesh also make it similarly. When I tasted for the first time, I liked it so much that has since become a family favorite. Hilsha's alluring flavor is nicely balanced with slight pungent mustard paste and sweet pumpkin. Trust me this thin soupy Hilsha tastes out of this world!

ChyaNchra/Mixed Vegetable Mismash with Fish Head

Bengalis are fish lovers and they are not averse to eat most part of fish except for scales and fins. A mixed vegetables and fish head mishmash is a special dish known as ChyaNchra made in almost every Bengali household and Bengali ceremony like weddings or annoprashon(baby's first rice eating ceremony)for lunch. Fish stakes are prepared into a delicious main dish at formal dinner in the actual ceremony and fish heads need to be used up somehow; so this famous dish got created with vegetables, fish heads, oils and gills with some spices. This recipe has been passed down for generations in Bengali households and it tastes insanely delicious! It's a delicacy we grew up with but unfortunately it's not that much appreciated dish among younger generation anymore. 

Bengali Style Poached Trout with Mustard Sauce

Trout, poached in a spicy Bengali style mustard sauce served with steamed rice is one of the easiest fish curries in a hurry. This  cooking method is not that common in Bengali households because fish is normally lightly seared, then added to the sauce/gravy. In this recipe the raw fish pieces smeared with turmeric and salt, are added directly in the simmering mustard sauce resulting in a tender and juicy perfectly sublime fish curry inspired by the classic Bengali steamed fish with mustard paste. This is my go-to trout recipe.

Sorshe Tilapia Begun Diye/Mustard Tilapia With Eggplant

Mustard fish curry with eggplant is a signature dish in Bengali cuisine. The gravy is so delicious that it tastes great whatever fish you make it with. There are many versions of making mustard fish. This recipe is with Eggplant in mustard paste along with little bit of onion-garlic and tomato turns out super delicious with the pungent flavor of mustard oil.This recipe is very easy to prepare and it is served with plain rice often.

Macher Mathar Charchari/ Dry Type Fish Head Curry

Fish head is never left out or get wasted in Bengali households. Not everyone in the family likes to savor fish head like fish pieces but some would always enjoy its finger licking deliciousness. I love fish head(not all types of fish head) since my childhood in Macher Jhol, Murighonto/Fish Head Curry, Mung Beans, Mixed vegetables and whatnot. It can be cooked very lusciously with aromatic spices or with just simple basic ingredients. 

Stir Fried Smelt Fish/Smelt Macher Charchari

Macher Charchari is an absolute charred deliciousness to die for and it is made with seasonal vegetables along with generous amount of onion and garlic sometimes. Bengali cuisine has very unique names of cooking methods for vegtarian dish and non-vegetarian dish, such as jhal. jhol, kosha, ghonto, ghyat, bhaja, pora, labra and last but not least chorchori or charchari. Today's post is Charchari and it's a Bengali delicacy with dry type charred mixed vegetables dish or sometimes veggies mixed with small fish and fish head. 

Macher Jhal/Spicy Fish Curry

This is a super tasty Bengali fish curry. "Jhal" in Bengali means fiery but it can be adjusted as per heat tolerance. The secret to the fiery color of this curry is from the mixture of crushed red tomatoes, paprika, turmeric and a little touch of fresh red hot chili pepper without making it hot. Frying the spices another important step to make this curry fragrant. The tang from tomato and sweetness from onion are wonderfully balanced. This is an easy recipe worth trying for fish lover. I made with fresh tilapia steaks but any bone-in white fish like carp, catfish, bass, halibut etc. will be great choice as well. Enjoy with plain rice. 

Noakhalir Badam Shorshe Shorputi/ River Barb Fish Curry with Peanut Mustard Gravy

Cooking is always ritual to me, whether I cook for my family or friends. It is never boring or tedious for me. I enjoy cooking to the core and I cook till I drop. My cooking spirit inspired me toward blogging journey six years back that I never dreamed and of course some of my family members and friends encouraged me a lot as well. It's been a great blogging journey since then; cooking, taking pictures of food I make for family and friends, writing recipes and last but not least meeting people through my cooking. I appreciate everyone who loves my cooking style, tries my recipes and supports me continuously.  It's a happy place for me and I relieve stress through cooking and blogging; a true pleasure that gives me positive vibes and keeps me busy. Today I am sharing an heirloom recipe.  

Shrimp Polao

A family favorite Bengali rice dish with shrimp using simple pantry ingredients is served with salad and raita. This fancy one dish rice and shrimp meal can be served for weeknight dinner as well. The rice gets a very rich shrimp flavor prepared with the shrimp shells stock transforming this dish into an aromatic Polao. The shelled shrimp are gently cooked in the spice mixture, then topped over the almost cooked rice and simmered for a while making this one pot rice dish utterly flavorful, delicious and comforting. It may sound daunting but it's not. A must try for shrimp lovers!

Ca Kho To

Ca Kho To, a Vietnamese style braised catfish in clay pot served in any Vietnamese restaurant is to die for. Sweet-salty sauce is combined with fish sauce, brown sugar and coconut water. Fish stakes are nicely coated with the sauce and braised on low heat to develop caramelized flavor and nice dark brown color. Plain white rice and stir fried any vegetables are the perfect companions to savor this delicacy. Truly delectable, so flavorsome and easy to make restaurant style dish can be made in 30 minutes and great for weekdays.