How to choose and cook hilsa.
ইলিশ
The king of fish, and how to pick a good one.
The short answer
Hilsa (ইলিশ, ilish) is an oily, rich-tasting fish from the Bay of Bengal and its rivers. It is the national fish of Bangladesh. Look for bright silver skin, clear eyes and firm flesh. Cook it simply, usually in mustard oil with mustard paste, turmeric and green chillies.
Choosing a good one
- Bright, silvery skin with scales still on
- Clear eyes and red gills
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- A clean sea smell, never sour
- A broad, thick body: bigger hilsa are usually richer
Cutting and cleaning
Hilsa is usually cut into steaks across the body. The head, tail and roe are kept for other dishes, like kochu shak or a sour tok. Ask us to scale, clean and cut it at the fish counter and it goes straight into the pan at home.
Ways to cook it
- Shorshe ilish: steaks in mustard paste and mustard oil
- Ilish bhaja: lightly fried in mustard oil, eaten with hot rice and the frying oil
- Ilish paturi: wrapped in banana leaf with mustard paste and steamed
- Bhapa ilish: steamed in a covered dish with mustard and coconut
- Panta ilish: fried hilsa with soaked rice, for Pohela Boishakh
The bones
Hilsa has many fine bones. Eat it slowly with your fingers so you can feel them, and give children the belly pieces, which have fewer.
Shorshe ilish, step by step
Follow it once, then cook it your way.
- Make the pasteSoak black and yellow mustard seeds, then grind them with a green chilli and a pinch of salt.
- Rub the fishRub the steaks gently with turmeric and salt and leave them for ten minutes.
- Heat the oilHeat mustard oil until it just smokes. Add a pinch of kalonji and a few slit green chillies.
- Cook gentlyAdd the paste with a little water and turmeric, lay the steaks in, cover and cook on low heat for about ten minutes. Do not stir, turn the pan instead.
- FinishPour a little raw mustard oil over the top before serving with plain rice.
What to buy.
Everything on this list is on our shelves or at our counters. Tap a ticket to see the aisle.
Questions people ask.
- Where can I buy hilsa in Dublin?
- World of Spices stocks hilsa. Call 01 558 6267 to check what your nearest shop has this week.
- Is frozen hilsa good?
- Yes. Much of the hilsa sold outside South Asia is frozen soon after it is caught. Thaw it slowly in the fridge before cooking.
- Should hilsa be washed a lot?
- No. Rinse it quickly in cold water after cleaning. Washing it for too long takes away its flavour.
- What is a good side for hilsa?
- Plain rice. Hilsa has a strong taste, so most families serve it with rice and very little else.
Come and see us in store.
No online orders and no delivery. Everything is waiting on the shelves and at the counters in our shops in Dublin and Drogheda.