Ilish Begun : Hilsa with Eggplant Curry

Ilish or Hilsa: Naam sunei jiv e jol (The name is enough to bring water in your mouth); Even while typing, I’m unable to control my urge to have a bite. Though I mentioned so many times that how much love we Bengalis treasure for our river fishes still our favorite fish does not belong to rivers completely. Yes hilsa is known as king of the Fishes to Bengalis. We all wait throughout the year to get best quality hilsa. Monsoon is the time of hilsa. Like most of the river fishes during monsoon they are found loaded with eggs. The rapid price hike of hilsa in recent times can only be compared with gold price 😉 Few days back found a cartoon on it in a social networking site where it is suggested that after few years Bongs has to satisfy their craving for hilsa only by seeing picture of it(sigh!!!)

As I was out of town during this monsoon, I was nagging continuously that I missed this year’s hilsa. So when I reached home the first thing I did (of course after my sleep) was buying some hilsa. Though I couldn’t manage to get a good one I was happy with whatever I got.

On one side I was very tired out of my journey but on the other side I got so excited as i got some Hilsa (though it was not fresh, frozen). I wanted to keep it simple yet delicious. After few thoughts I finally decided to fry them crisp and to have them with plain white rice. Then I remembered what my mom used to make for us with the first hilsa of the season: ilish mach bhaja r tel, ilish begun er jhol, daal and alu bhaja (crisp fried hilsa with oil, hilsa with eggplant curry, lentils and fried potato). But I wasn’t in mood to have two hilsa at the same time. So I made the curry only 🙂

Ingredients:

Hilsa: 4 pieces

Eggplant: ½ of a large one

Fresh green chillies: 4-5

Nigella seeds: 1 tsp

Turmeric powder: 1 tsp + ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Sugar: ½ tsp

Mustard oil: 4-5 tbsp

Warm water: 1 cup

 

Preparation:

Clean and wash the fish pieces.

Sprinkle some salt and turmeric powder, rub carefully and keep aside for 15-20 mins.

Wash and cut the eggplants length wise. Make thin pieces. Rub some salt and turmeric powder and keep aside for aroung 10-15 mins. This way eggplant will release excess water. Pat them dry by using paper towel.

Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil in a frying pan. Add fish pieces when the oil is hot.

Fry fish pieces until golden. Don’t wait too much time otherwise fish will be hard and crispy.

Remove them with a slotted spoon and keep aside.

In the same oil add eggplant pieces and fry them golden brown. Remove them and keep on paper towels.

Take a small bowl, filled with warm water. Add turmeric powder and salt. Slit 2 green chillies and add them too. Give it a stir and keep aside.

Now in the same pan add rest of the oil and let it be hot.

Add sugar, fresh green chillies and nigella seeds in the piping hot oil and wait until they start to crackle.

Now add chilli, turmeric mixed water in the pan. Increase the flame and let it boil.

When it starts boiling, add fried eggplants and cover.

After few mins add the fish pieces and keep on simmer.

Do the taste test and adjust to your taste.

Check for your desired consistency of the gravy and remove from flame.

Serve it with plain steamed rice.

I paired it with hot steamed rice along with Jhiri Jhiri Alu Bhaja (fried gratedpotato) and Cauliflower in Spicy Yogurt Curry.