All Hail The Queen!

When the world of George R. R. Martin gets hyped about how " Winter is coming" and the queens of Westeros are the talk of the town, most Bengalis are probably murmuring at the back of their heads " Monsoon is coming" and the queen of fishes has already taken the throne of their hearts and palates.

Hilsa or Ilish is a fish most popular in Bengal, Odisha and Bangladesh. It is the national fish of Bangladesh and it accounts for the maximum production of the heavenly aquatic delicacy.

Hilsa travels from the sea to fresh water rivers and estuaries to lay eggs. The semi-adult 'jatka' Hilsa are not caught because they are not fully developed. An adult fish can weigh up to three kilograms while females are larger than males. Most Hilsas ate procured from the Padma-Meghna river system.

The sumptuous, highly nutritious and oily Hilsa is a hit among the crowd for a reason . This highly versatile fish can be cooked in over fifty different ways . No part of it goes to a waste other than the scales and bones.

The simplest way of cooking Hilsa is a crunchy fry with salt and turmeric, fried in mustard oil. The thin skin of Hilsa allows more meat on the body of the fish. The crunchy brownish outer layer perfectly compliments the oily and soft meat leaving people craving for more.

Hilsa being fried.

Steaming the Hilsa with mustard,Poppy and coconut paste for that delightful pungency which brings our senses to life is an equally tasty preparation . Adding fresh green chillies to it gives us the perfect 'Bhapa Ilish' . Using mustard , chilli and black jeera gives a spicier ' Ilish Jhaal' which has gravy with a runny consistency.

Bhapa Ilish

Ilish Jhaal.

It is already established that mustard and Hilsa make a wonderful combination. But what about giving the good old ' Bhapa Ilish' a twist?

Steaming the fish with a thick coat of mustard,Poppy and coconut paste with some green chillies in banana leaves lends it a distinct smoky flavour. This dish is called ' Ilish Paturi' .

The many ways of cooking Hilsa have been tried and tested by people over the years , which resulted in more wonderful creations which do not involve using the meat of the fish. The roe is just as flavourful as the meat and tastes best when fried. Even the entails of Hilsa can be eaten and its flavour increases many fold when cooked in the oil coming out of the fish itself.

Fried Hilsa roe.

Hilsa entails cooked with its oil also known as ' Maacher tel'.

Perhaps, one of the most interesting Hilsa dish is its collaboration with India's favorite dish - Biriyani . The fish gives the grains of rice a unique flavour and the spices compliment it wonderfully.

Hilsa Biriyani.

The famed Hilsa is not only a delectable food item , but is also known for adorning ' Tattwas' or gifts given from the groom's family to the bride's.

A 'Tattwa' with Hilsa.

Sadly, overfishing of Hilsa has led to its steady decline in numbers. The government of Bangladesh has forbidden fishing of 'jatkas' to promote growth of Hilsa population.

It seems that Hilsa lovers need to wait to enjoy a plate of warm khichdi with fried Hilsa on a rainy day.