How can Durga Puja end without the queen of fish, Hilsa, casting her spells on you? Save the best for the last day and cook it with all the time and care in your hand on Dusshera, the last day of the Puja. The recipe is easy and tasty. Sit back and revel in Ilish’s eternal flavour after a round of tiring Sindoor Khela.
Hyatt Regency Kolkata’s executive chef Clement D’Cruze shares a very unique ilish fish recipe for Indulge readers, Claypot Hilsa. So folks, don your aprons and flaunt your culinary skills with this one.
Claypot Hilsa
Ingredients:
Hilsa whole: 500 gm
Four lotus leaves
Turmeric powder: 5 gm
Cumin seeds: 10 gm
Mustard oil: 20 ml
Ginger paste: 10 gm
Garlic paste: 5 gm
Green chili paste: 5 gm
Green chili whole: 5
Poppy seed paste: 15 gm
Cashew nut paste: 20 gm
Mustard seed: 15 gm
Coconut paste (fresh): 25 gm
Sour curd: 100 gm
Salt to taste
Sugar: 5 gm
Lemon Juice: 1 tbsp
Method:
Marinate the whole hilsa with salt, lemon juice, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste and keep it aside for an hour on a sieve. Make a paste with poppy seed, coconut, green chilli, cashew nut, ginger, mustard seed, salt, sugar, turmeric powder, mustard oil and yogurt.
Marinate the fish with this paste, green chilli slits and wrap with lotus leaves gently. Cover the wrapped fish with wet mud. Smoke on a wooden fire oven or bake in an oven for about 30 minutes. When cooked take it out and break the outer covering and take out the hilsa. Serve with steamed rice.