Ilish Macher Tok
Ilish Macher Tok is a traditional Bengali fish curry that features Hilsa fish (Ilish) cooked in a tangy and spicy gravy. The term "Ilish Macher" means Hilsa fish and "Tok" means "sour".
Ingredients
- 600 grams Hilsa fish (cut into 6 pieces and cleaned)
- 1 piece Elephant wood apple
- ½ tablespoon Black mustard seed
- 3 pieces Dry red chili
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon Turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 4 tablespoons Mustard oil
- Salt as per taste
Instructions
- Start by breaking the elephant wood apple fruit with a rolling pin and scoop out the pulp from inside. Collect the pulp in a bowl.
- Now, smash the pulp with a spoon and soak it in water for 10 minutes. After that, strain the pulp using a strainer.
- Take a strainer and a clean bowl. Smash the soaked wood apple pulp with a spoon and strain it through a strainer. This will help you extract the fresh juice of the wood apple without any seeds or fibers.
- Marinate the Hilsa fish pieces with turmeric powder and salt. Add ½ tbsp salt and a little less than ½ tbsp turmeric powder. Mix well and set it aside for 5 minutes.
- Heat a wok and add 4 tbsp mustard oil to it. Let the oil become hot.
- Once the oil is hot, add the Hilsa fish pieces. Fry them lightly, making sure not to overcook.
- Fry both sides of the fish pieces by flipping them.
- Take out the fried Hilsa fish pieces and place them on a plate.
- Add the whole spices, black mustard seeds, and dried red chili to the same oil. Sauté them lightly, keeping the flame low.
- Add turmeric powder and a little bit of water to the oil. Sauté it lightly.
- When it starts simmering, add Kashmiri red chili powder to enhance the color. Sauté it for few seconds.
- Once the raw smell of turmeric powder disappears, add the sour wood apple pulp juice. Mix all the ingredients well.Expert tips: This dish can be prepared with either tamarind or wood apple.
- Add water to achieve your preferred gravy consistency. I have added a total of 1 and ½ cups here.
- Add ½ tbsp salt and let it boil.
- When the gravy starts to boil, add the fried Hilsa fish pieces. Cover the wok with a lid and keep the flame medium to high.
- After some time, open the lid. The dish is almost ready.
- Add sugar and a little more salt. Flip the fish pieces to ensure both sides are cooked equally. Increase the heat on the gas stove.
- The preparation is now ready. Turn off the flame and transfer Ilish Macher Tok to a serving bowl. Serve it with steamed Basmati rice or Bengali pulao.
Video
Subscribe to My YouTube Channel Mitar Cooking!
Notes
Since the fish is the star ingredient, always use fresh and firm Hilsa fish to make this dish and marinate it before cooking. This will enhance the flavor and taste of the dish.
Frying the fish lightly in mustard oil after marination is recommended. This step helps to enhance the texture and flavor of the fish.
Whether you are using tamarind or Elephant Wood Apple pulp, make sure they are fresh. Fresh pulp will give the dish kits desired sourness.
Make sure you do not add too much of sugar or jaggery into the dish so that it overdoes the sourness of the tamarind or Elephant Wood Apple pulp.
I always use mustard oil, preferably kacchi ghani, to get the authentic taste and distinct flavor of this popular Bengali cuisine as it will complement the flavor of the fish and the spices nicely.
Nutrition Info (Estimation Only)
Nutrition Facts
Ilish Macher Tok
Amount per Serving
Calories
263
Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat
19
g
29
%
Saturated Fat
3
g
19
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
4
g
Monounsaturated Fat
10
g
Cholesterol
60
mg
20
%
Sodium
1276
mg
55
%
Potassium
399
mg
11
%
Carbohydrates
4
g
1
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
2
g
2
%
Protein
19
g
38
%
Vitamin A
621
IU
12
%
Vitamin C
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
67
mg
7
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
Follow Me @Mitar.Cooking or Tag #mitarcooking!
Like Page @MitarCooking or Tag #mitarcooking!
Follow Me @MitarCooking or Tag #mitarcooking!