Hilsa Fish Curry
Bengal’s treasured shorshe ilish: hilsa steaks in a fierce mustard sauce with green chilies, barely simmered, never stirred.
- prep
- 15 min
- cook
- 25 min
- total
- 40 min
- serves
- 4
- level
- medium
Ilish, the hilsa fish, is Bengal’s monsoon obsession on both sides of the border, and shorshe ilish, hilsa in mustard sauce, is its highest form: a short, fierce gravy of ground mustard seed, green chili and mustard oil, cooked just long enough and stirred never.
Outside Bengal, frozen hilsa from Bangladeshi grocers is the real thing; shad or mackerel are the accepted understudies. The mustard oil, smoked briefly to tame it, is not substitutable.
Hilsa Fish Curry is one of the world's classic dishes from 67 countries.
method
Rub the fish with half the turmeric and a little salt.
Grind the soaked mustard seeds with 2 green chilies, a splash of water and a pinch of salt into a paste; let it sit 10 minutes, then stir in 150 ml water and strain for a smoother sauce if you like.
Heat the mustard oil in a wide pan until it just smokes, then cool it 30 seconds; this mellows its bite.
Crackle the nigella seeds, slide in the fish, and sear 1 minute a side.
Pour in the mustard liquid, add the remaining turmeric and the slit chilies, and simmer gently, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan instead of stirring.
Rest 5 minutes and serve over plain rice, warning guests lovingly about the bones.
chef's tips
- Smoke the mustard oil first; raw it bullies, smoked it sings.
- Never stir; hilsa is delicate and the pan-shake is the technique.
- The bones are part of hilsa culture; Bengalis consider navigating them a life skill.