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!
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.
Veggies are my all time favorites. I never get board of eating veggie dishes. Bengali or other Indian regional cuisines make immense variety of seasonal veggie dishes so many different ways with different spices, be it stir-fry with minimal spices, cooked in mildly spiced gravy or dry type. This water spinach curry with mixed vegetables gently spiced with ginger is slightly time consuming but it is worth the effort to have variety of vegetables all together in one dish. It can be served with steamed rice or roti. I learned it from one of my friend's mom who is originally from Dhaka in erstwhile East Bengal, now Bangladesh.
A lightly spiced soupy type Hilsa curry with eggplant, small taro and amaranth stems is nothing but one of the simplest yet tastiest one dish meal with plain simple rice that I learned from one of my maternal cousins whose paternal family belongs to Faridpur district of Bangladesh. It's a popular Hilsha curry in my cousin's household during the rainy season when Hilshas are very abundant. Most Hilsha curries are tempered with nigella seeds, but a tempering of celery seeds in this recipe makes the difference and it turns out so darn delicious.
This Asian inspired Chow Mein became popular in Bengali households during late 80’s. It is mainly prepared with veggies and sometimes eggs are added. As far as I remember during winter months when colorful veggies like bell pepper, green onion, carrot and cauliflower(yes, you heard it right) are easily available and not so expensive made Chow Mein extraordinarily great tasting that was served only with spicy tomato chili sauce on top yet it was optional. Soy sauce was not a pantry ingredient but spicy tomato chili sauce and ketchup were very popular back in the day. Rest of the year for quick lunch box or evening snack Chow Mein was made with potato and onion only and I liked it as is but some people of course wanted with tomato chili sauce. This Chow Mein brings back lot of memories. I am not sure how many people actually make this way any more but I still do.
