Ilish Macher Tel Jhal is a traditional Bengali delicacy is made with Hilsa fish, green chili, mustard paste and spices.
The taste and flavor of the fish is further enhanced by the fresh mustard paste and other common ingredients and spices found in almost every Bengali Kitchen.
It is not hard to cook this delicious fish curry at home. Follow the instructions in my recipe to enhance your culinary experience and cook this dish quickly.
Key Takeaways:
- Hilsa fish, mustard seeds, green chilis, and spices create this flavorful dish easily at home.
- Focus on fresh fish, spice adjustments, smooth mustard paste, gentle frying, tempering spices, salt-water balance, simmering, and resting the dish.
- It is best served with rice.
- Ilish Macher Tel Jhal offers a harmonious taste with balanced heat and unique flavor of the fish. It is mildly spicy rich, and slightly sweet. The mustard paste offers a pungent and savory taste to offer the right warmth and a tangy kick.
- The alternatives to this dish include Doi Ilish, Shorshe Ilish, Ilish Bhapa, Ilish Paturi, Ilish Pulao, and simple Ilish Machher Jhol.
The Ingredients:
- Ilish or Hilsa fish: 4 pieces (cut & cleaned)
- Black mustard seeds: 1 ½ tbsp
- Yellow mustard seeds: 1 tbsp
- Green chilis: 4 pieces (for the paste)
- Green chili: 5 pieces (slitted, for the gravy)
- Turmeric powder: 1 ½ tbsp
- Coriander powder: ½ tbsp
- Cumin powder: ½ tbsp
- Kashmiri red chili powder: 1 tbsp
- Mustard oil: 3 tbsp
- Salt to taste
How to Cook Ilish Macher Tel Jhal (Step by Step with Images)?
1. Take 4 pieces of hilsa fish. Marinate the fish with less than ½ tbsp of turmeric powder and less than ½ tbsp of salt. Smear the fish nicely and set it aside for 10 mins.
Prepare Mustard Paste:
2. Create a paste using 1 ½ tbsp of black mustard seeds, 1 tbsp of yellow mustard seeds, 4 green chilis, and less than ½ tbsp of salt. Grind it using a grinding stone, then strain the paste with a strainer.
Prepare Spice Mixture:
3. In a bowl, combine 1 tbsp of turmeric, ½ tbsp of coriander powder, ½ tbsp of cumin powder, and 1 tbsp of Kashmiri red chili powder. Add a little bit of water to prepare a mixture.
Start the Cooking Process:
4. Take a wok and add 2 tbsp of mustard oil. Then, add the fishes and lightly fry them. After frying one side, flip them over and fry the other side. Avoid frying the hilsa fish too hard. Once fried, remove them from the oil.
(Expert tip: Be very careful when adding the fish into the oil.)
Prepare the Gravy:
5. Now, add the previously prepared spice mixture to the remaining oil. Stir it nicely until the raw smell of the turmeric powder dissipates. After stirring, add the mustard paste to it and stir for 2 mins.
6. Add less than ½ tbsp of salt. When the stirring is done, it will release oil. Add 1 cup of water and 5 slitted green chilis into the gravy. Cover it and let it simmer.
(Expert tip: Add salt according to your taste and adjust the water for your preferred gravy consistency.)
Cook the Fish:
7. When the gravy is simmering, add the lightly fried fishes. Cover it for 5 mins and let it cook. Turn off the gas when it’s done.
8. Drizzle 1 tbsp of mustard oil to enhance the taste, cover, and let it rest.
9. Ilish Macher Tel Jhal is ready and transfer it to a bowl.
10. Serve it with steamed rice.
Recipe Card
Ilish Macher Tel Jhal
Ingredients
- 4 pieces Hilsa fish (cut & cleaned)
- 1½ tbsp Black mustard seed
- 1 tbsp Yellow mustard seed
- 4 pieces Green chili (for the paste)
- 5 pieces Green chili (slitted, for the gravy)
- 1½ tbsp Turmeric powder
- ½ tbsp Coriander powder
- ½ tbsp Cumin powder
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 3 tbsp Mustard oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Take 4 pieces of hilsa fish. Marinate the fish with less than ½ tbsp of turmeric powder and less than ½ tbsp of salt. Smear the fish nicely and set it aside for 10 mins.
- Create a paste using 1 ½ tbsp of black mustard seeds, 1 tbsp of yellow mustard seeds, 4 green chilis, and less than ½ tbsp of salt. Grind it using a grinding stone, then strain the paste with a strainer.
- In a bowl, combine 1 tbsp of turmeric, ½ tbsp of coriander powder, ½ tbsp of cumin powder, and 1 tbsp of Kashmiri red chili powder. Add a little bit of water to prepare a mixture.
- Take a wok and add 2 tbsp of mustard oil. Then, add the fishes and lightly fry them. After frying one side, flip them over and fry the other side. Avoid frying the hilsa fish too hard. Once fried, remove them from the oil.(Expert tip: Be very careful when adding the fish into the oil.)
- Now, add the previously prepared spice mixture to the remaining oil. Stir it nicely until the raw smell of the turmeric powder dissipates. After stirring, add the mustard paste to it and stir for 2 mins.
- Add less than ½ tbsp of salt. When the stirring is done, it will release oil. Add 1 cup of water and 5 slitted green chilis into the gravy. Cover it and let it simmer.(Expert tip: Add salt according to your taste and adjust the water for your preferred gravy consistency.)
- When the gravy is simmering, add the lightly fried fishes. Cover it for 5 mins and let it cook. Turn off the gas when it’s done.
- Drizzle 1 tbsp of mustard oil to enhance the taste, cover, and let it rest.
- Ilish Macher Tel Jhal is ready and transfer it to a bowl.
- Serve it with steamed rice.
