Purna Di r Tak Jhal Ilish.... Hot & Sour Hilsha with Purna di's Recipe..!!!

I broached in my previous post that the Bengali people simply love ilish /hilsha fish. To satisfy their quench of food they prepare this fish in various ways. Today  I am going to share a complete different  recipe of Ilish ,Ilish Machher Tok Jhal/Tok Jhal Ilish /Hilsha in Hot And Sour Gravy, which I learned from Purna didi ( Purna Chowdhury, an excellent cook by passion). A Very Simple recipe yet the result is so very palatable.

Here goes the entire process:


Ingredients:

• Hilsha Steak : 5/6 Pieces.
• Mustard Seeds: 2 tbsp.
• Salt:1/4 tsp for making paste + as per the taste.
• Green Chili: 2/3
• Cumin Seeds:1 tsp.
• Ginger:1/4 "
• Tamarind Pulp: 1/2 tsp or to taste.
• Mustard Oil :2-3 tbsp.
• Water :1/2 Cup ( warm)

Process:

• Take little water in a bowl and soak the mustard seeds atleast for one hour. But overnight soaking will be perfect. Now drain the water and grind it with little fresh water,salt,1/2 green chili,cumin seeds and ginger and make a very smooth paste.
• Now marinate the hilsha steaks with salt, turmeric powder and a tsp of mustard oil and  keep them aside for 30-45 minutes.
• Now heat little oil in a wide pan and  add the hilsha steaks into it the pan, saute on both sides of the steaks and add the mustard paste into the pan  prepared earlier.
• Now add the warm water (though the original recipe doesn't call for water) and sprinkle little salt.Make the flame very low and let the steaks simmer till the gravy turns bright golden yellow and the fish is cooked.
• Now dilute the tamarind pulp with a tsp of water and add into the curry . Let the gravy cook for some more time until it becomes thick and take a nice golden yellow color.
• Taste the seasoning and add little more salt if required.
• Turn off the flame add 1-2 slitted green/red chili and pour 1/2 tsp of raw mustrad oil on top.
• Serve hot with steaming hot white rice.

                           Enjoy Your Food...!!!!