The first time I ever made Sorshe Ilish at home, my elder sister supervised and instructed me not to grind the mustard too fast and too fine. She was right as the texture of the gravy was not as desired. Since then and even to this day, whenever I prepare this dish, I still remember her words, and take it slow while making the paste. This mustard hilsa recipe is a leading example of how even the delicate details in a cooking process can make all the difference.
Quick Facts:
- Sorshe Ilish is a traditional dish of West Bengal, Bangladesh, and Eastern India.
- Fresh fish, mustard paste, green chilies, and mustard oil provide the rich, mildly hot, savory, pungent taste I like so much.
- I serve it with steamed rice. It is the best combination.
- Excluding marination, it takes around 40 minutes to make this dish at home.
- For similar experience, try mustard chicken, and mustard paneer.
The Ingredients:
- Hilsa Fish: 5 Pieces (cut and cleaned)
- Black Mustard Paste: 3 big tbl spoons (paste made with a pinch of salt and three green chilies to avoid bitterness and strained)
- Turmeric Powder: ½ tbl spoon
- Kashmiri Red Chilies: ½ tbl spoon
- Black Cumin Seeds: ½ tbl spoon
- Green Chilies: 7
- Mustard Oil – 3 tbl spoons
- Salt to Taste
How to Cook Sorshe Ilish (Step by Step Images)?
1. Marinate the Hilsa fish pieces with salt and turmeric powder. Leave them for 10 minutes.
2. Put a cooking pan on the gas stove and turn it on.
3. Pour mustard oil into the pan.
4. When the oil is hot, add black cumin seeds.
5. Stir a little and add two green chilies.
6. The ingredients will start fluttering. Reduce the flame.
7. Add ½ tbl spoon each of turmeric and Kashmiri red chili powder.
8. Add a little amount of water.
9. Sauté on a low flame.
10. After a little while, add mustard paste to the oil. Don’t stir too much as the gravy will turn bitter.
(Pro Tip: Stirring too much here is the prime reason most home cooks end up with bitter gravy.)
11. After 5 minutes, pour 1 cup of water into the pan.
12. After a while, add some salt and the green chilies.
13. Once the curry comes to a boil, add the Hilsa fish pieces one by one.
14. Put a lid on the pan and leave it to cook for 10 minutes.
15. Remove the lid and turn the fish pieces upside down.
16. Put the lid on and leave it for 5 minutes.
17. After the fishes are well cooked, reduce the flame further and add 1 tbl spoon of mustard oil. The mustard oil added at the last moment gives the dish a strong and distinct aroma.
18. Turn off the gas stove. Put the lid once again and leave it for 5 minutes so that the strong flavour of mustard oil does not escape the pan.
19. Transfer Sorshe Ilish to a bowl. Serve it hot along with plain steamed rice.
Recipe Variations
- I substitute Rohu for hilsa if not available.
- I avoid using green chilies and instead add some nigella seeds.
- Sometimes, I like to add a spoonful of poppy seed paste for an extra touch of creaminess.
- In case you want to have it spicier, add slit dried red chilies along with the green chilies.
Sorshe Ilish Recipe Problem Solvers
Q: The mustard oil in step 4 became hot extremely quick, before I could add the cumin seeds and other ingredients which burned. Can you guide me?
A: I can. Remove the pan from the flame just for a second or two when it starts to shimmer and then add the spices.
Q: The Kashmiri chili powder in step 7 made my gravy darker than what I desire. Is there a solution?
A: Increase the amount of water in step 8 so that it blooms up in the oil.
Q: Is there a way to fix a curry if the fish taste under-seasoned even though it was marinated in step 1?
A: Rub a bit of extra salt on the fish before adding it into the pan in step 13.
Q: My mustard paste often becomes very dry. What to do?
A: Don’t worry. I would sprinkle a bit of water while grinding.
Q: What if the gravy is still bitter to taste?
A: You may add a bit of sugar in step 17.
Recipe Card:
Sorshe Ilish (Mustard Hilsa)
Ingredients
- 500 grams Hilsa Fish (cut into five pieces and cleaned)
- 3 tablespoons Black Mustard Paste (paste made with a pinch of salt and three green chilies to avoid bitterness and strained)
- ½ tablespoon Turmeric Powder
- ½ tablespoon Kashmiri Red Chilies
- ½ tablespoon Black Cumin Seeds
- 7 pieces Green Chilies
- 3 tablespoons Mustard Oil
- Salt to Taste
Instructions
- Marinate the Hilsa fish pieces with salt and turmeric powder. Leave them for 10 minutes.
- Put a cooking pan on the gas stove and turn it on.
- Pour mustard oil into the pan.
- When the oil is hot, add black cumin seeds.
- Stir a little and add two green chilies.
- The ingredients will start fluttering. Reduce the flame.
- Add ½ tbl spoon each of turmeric and Kashmiri red chili powder.
- Add a little amount of water.
- Sauté on a low flame.
- After a little while, add mustard paste to the oil. Don’t stir too much as the gravy will turn bitter. (Pro Tip: Stirring too much here is the prime reason most home cooks end up with bitter gravy.)
- After 5 minutes, pour 1 cup of water into the pan.
- After a while, add some salt and 5 more green chilies.
- Once the curry comes to a boil, add the Hilsa fish pieces one by one.
- Put a lid on the pan and leave it to cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid and turn the fish pieces upside down.
- Put the lid on and leave it for 5 minutes.
- After the fishes are well cooked, reduce the flame further and add 1 tbl spoon of mustard oil. The mustard oil added at the last moment gives the dish a strong and distinct aroma.
- Turn off the gas stove. Put the lid once again and leave it for 5 minutes so that the strong flavour of mustard oil does not escape the pan.
- Transfer Sorshe Ilish to a bowl. Serve it hot.
