Ilish (Hilsa) Polau...

Food is not just a mean to satisfy our hunger, rather it serves as an art characterised by distinct techniques with a mix of specific culture. Various factors like local ingredients, traditions, and customs get involve in the process to create a unique dish. Therefore here I present before you a very popular recipe of the Bengali households- "Ilish Polau", prepared to relieve all from the daily toil of excavating some distinct cuisine at the dinner table to please your taste buds. This is a very nostalgic recipe of my grandmother who used to spoil me with these delicacies. Let's try our hands on this special recipe today.

Ilish (Hilsa) Polau...                                 
Ingredients-

For Fish-

3 tbsp Mustard Oil

1/4 cup Onion paste

1 tbsp Garlic paste

2 tsp Cumin powder

2 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Chilli powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1/4 cup beaten Yogurt

1/4 cup Milk

1 tsp Sugar

2 Chillies

1 tsp Salt

6 pieces Hilsa (Ilish) fish

For Rice-

2 tbsp Ghee

1 tbsp sliced Onions

1 bay Leaf

2 tbsp juice of Ginger

2 cups pre-washed short-grain rice (Gobindobhog or Basmati)

3 3/4 cups Water

2 Chillies

1/4 cup Onion rings for garnishing.             
6 small, boiled and fried Potatoes with salt, turmeric and red chilli powder.

Method-

For Fish-

Heat oil in a pot, add onion paste, garlic paste, the spices, yoghurt, milk and sugar. Stir and simmer for a minute. Add chillies and salt. Stir. Place fish pieces on gravy and cook for 1 minute. Turn fish over and cover. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.

Take off heat and reserve 5 tbsp of gravy.

For Rice-

Heat ghee in another pot and fry onions for 30 seconds. 

Add bay leaf, ginger juice and rice. Stir and cook for 1 minute.

Add 5 tbsp of gravy and stir. 

Add water and chilli. Cover and cook on low heat for 15-18 minutes until all the water is absorbed and rice is fluffy. 

For Mixing-

Scoop out half of the rice. Place fish pieces, remaining gravy , potatoes and top with remaining rice.

Cover and simmer on very low heat for 5 minutes.

Carefully serve with fish pieces on top. Garnish with more onion rings.

Please do try this recipe at your home and let me know how it was in the comments section below. Also do share and follow me for more such easy,tasty and delightful recipes.

Please do try this recipe at your home and let me know how it was in the comments section below. Also do share and follow me for more such easy,tasty and delightful recipes. Thank you. Enjoy.