Steam fish recipe with hilsa/ Bhapa Ilish is a Traditional Bengali recipe. This is one of the favourite recipes of all Bengalese. Bengalese love Hilsa Fish like anything. They make Steamed Hilsa Fish in many ways but I made it in my own way. We love this dish very much and hope you all will enjoy this recipe.
Here I am using Mustard oil. But If you don’t want to use mustard oil you can use any oil of your choice. But believe me, the pungent taste of mustard oil gives a Kick of flavour to this dish.
Bangladeshi Hilsha(Ilish ) or Kolkata HIlsha (IlIsh) which is the best to make a traditional Bengali steam fish recipe (Bhapa Ilish)?
Though I belong to Kolkata. But I love Bangladeshi or Padma Hilsha. Because it’s tastier than Kolkata Hilsha Fish. All Bengalese are known about this. Bangladeshi Hilsha fish is much oilier and tastier than Kolkata Hilsha. And also it’s body shape is bigger than local Indian Hilsha fish. So I always prefer to use Padma River Hilsha In my Bengali steam fish recipe hilsha recipes. But I must say Padma Hilsh is much expensive and rare to find in the local fish market easily. That for I use this kind of hilsha fish in moderation in Bengaligali fish recipes. Though this fish price is high. But If you find this fish my recommendation is must use this to make an awesome tasty Hilsha recipe.
How to buy a Fresh Hilsha Fish (Ilish Mach) or any Freshwater Fish?
Sometimes we love to eat hilsha fish but we don’t know how to select perfect fish for the recipe. Here I will share some tips about How you can select a perfect fish from the local market. I learned this all things from my experience and I know this Tips are genuine and tasted so It will help you perfectly without any doubt.
1. Always Touch the fish before Buy. I know It sounds weird. But it’s true If you touch a fish you actually can feel the quality.
2. After touching the fish press the belly of the fish. Yes, You heard right!! press the stomach of the fish. If the stomach is Intact or tight enough, It’s fresh fish and not older than a day.
3. If you are buying a freshwater fish always touche the fish and smell your hand. I know you may think what kind of suggestion is this, But believe me It worked. If the fish odour is like a rotten never buy it. Even if you saw a fish has yellowish slippery stinky froth things on the top, Never ever Buy the fish. It means It’s total rotten from the Inside.
4. Some people suggest checking fish eyes for its freshness. But I believe it’s wrong. Fish eyes have no expression whether it’s alive or dead.
5. Must Check the gills of the fish. If the gills are deep red in colour the fish is fresh.
But This checking technique is not applicable for Hilsha fish. Because hilsha fish always becomes dead just after 5 minutes of catching. My suggestion is if you are checking a Hilsha fish gills just carefully watch whether the gills are deep dark black or not. If it is dark then don’t buy it. It’s an older fish from cold storage. If the Hilsha fish gills are light pinkish red or faded pink in colour that means the Hilsha fish is not from cold storage and quite fresh.
I hope all of my suggestion will help you to buy the best quality hilsha fish.
If You have any Recipe Request Or any suggestion Please let me know in the comment box. Because All my viewers and their suggestions are valuable to me.
| Servings | Prep Time | Cook Time |
| 2People | 15Minutes | 20Minutes |
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 2People | 15Minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 20Minutes |
- 500-600 Grams Hilsa fish/ Ilish Mach
- Freshly Grated Coconut smooth paste (make the paste with a little bit lukewarm water) 4Tbsp Full
- 1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 Tsp Red Chili Powder (Sweet Paprika)
- 4 Tbsp Mustard Oil
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
Ingredients
Servings: People Units: |
- Take a Stainless Steel box, Stainless Steel bowl or any Microwave oven safe Container.
- Put all the fish pieces, Black Mustard Seed paste, Freshly Grated Coconut smooth paste, Turmeric powder, Red Chili Powder (Sweet Paprika), Mustard Oil and Green chillies into that bowl.
- Now rub all the spices with fish pieces.
- Leave the marination for at least 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes add salt to the marri nation and mix it well.
- Now cover the bowl with an Aluminium Foil sheet.
- If you are using handi like me, put 4 cups of water into it and make the water boil then put a Stainless Steel steamer into it and place the fishbowl on it.
- Then cover the Handi lid and Steam the fish for 10 minutes.
- Microwave users can use a Microwave safe utensils and put the Fish pieces into it and then put 4 Cups of water and Cook inHigh Temperature for 5 minutes than in 30% temperature for around 20 to 25 minutes to cook the fish.
- When times Up Carefully take out the steamed fish Container from the handi or Microwave then open the lid or Aluminium Foil sheet very Carefully too.
- Now Steamed Hilsa Fish (Bhapa Ilish) with coconut paste is ready to serve.
- Serve this dish with Hot White steamed Rice.
Tips
If you did not find Hilsa fish you can use any white fish fillets you like for this recipe.
With egg, Hilsa Fish is best for this recipe.
To know the recipe for
Fish curry with the coconut milk pomfret fish Indian way
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