Vedic Village Spa Resort, Kolkata's D-ilish-ous menu serves staples as well as fusion hilsa dishes

The offbeat dishes apart from the staple ones will make you a fan of Ilish all over again at Vedic Village Spa Resort
Smoked Hilsa at Vedic Village Spa Resort
Smoked Hilsa at Vedic Village Spa Resort

AVERY FAMILIAR aroma, a rather strong one filled with nostalgia greeted us as soon as we stepped in Bhoomi, the mud-style restaurant in Vedic Village. It had rained in the morning and the sweet earthy notes filled the air making our tryst with Ilish memorable, 24 km away from the main city where petrichor is a rarity.

The Gondhoraj ghol, buttermilk with a zing of kaffir lime was a refreshing break from the humidity that had engulfed the city that afternoon and we relished every sip of it while chef Azad Arif and his entourage rolled out an elaborate menu on the low wooden table. This year’s D-Ilish-ous menu had a total of 10 dishes and of course, beyond the staples, we were treated to the chef’s new recipes which impressed us thoroughly.

Our taste buds were first teased with the sharp Kolhapuri spices with Kolhapuri Masala Fried Ilish. A masterstroke by the chef was replacing the piquant mustard with the striking dry spices from the Marathi heartland, the fried fish slices served with kasundi (mustard sauce) was a delight-fully crispy starter for a meal.

Another offbeat dish — Kakrol Ilish Pur reflected the dexterity of the chef. Only a fine chef can make teasel gourd an interesting and flavourful bite with the fillings of Hilsa roe and it easily jumped to the first spot in our list of must-haves. The Mustard Mint Chutney added a minty punch to the appetiser and we loved it. The chain of new flavours continued with Smoked Ilish Goujon served with finely fried potato strips or Aloo Jhuri Bhaja. The well-seasoned succulent fish had a twist of tamarind with sweet and sour glazing and we polished it off instantly. “Hilsa is one of the most challenging fish varieties to debone. So we first smoked the fish with mango wood and then glazed it with a tamarind sauce,” says chef Azad who also informs us that he utilised the muro or head of the fish, for a Three-Lentil Muro Soup that is on the menu. Chef tells us, “Hilsa is an expensive fish and hence we try to use as much of it as possible. In Bengal maacher muro (head of the fish) is relished. So we made a soup with the head, coriander paste and more fish.”

Ilish Biryani too is new on the entrée list and we loved the aroma of the fish oil. A non-spicy one-pot-meal, the biryani was flavourful and non-greasy urging us to savour it. Some of the dishes, the chef points out, are from opar Bangla (Bangladesh). He says, “Ilish is cooked with pineapple in Bangladesh so we have Jal Chupi Ilish on the menu which is best paired with Gobindbhog rice. Again, Borishali Ilish, a delicacy named after a place with the same name in Bangladesh, is also on the menu.” With an earthy fragrance and the distinct taste of the bony fish on our palate, we headed back to the hustle and bustle of the city after tucking in a bowl of mishti doi.

Available the entire month. Meal for two

`1,800++ .

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