Ilish Bhorta

Is The Perfect Hilsa Fish Recipe For Those Who Want To Sample Nona Ilish

Try this ilish fish recipe, a mash of nona ilish, a form of dried and salted hilsa fish used to make an array of dishes. It is more of a delicacy in Bangladesh than in West Bengal, where nona ilish making is quite common. Hilsa holds the status of a national fish in Bangladesh, and it is significant to the country's economy, accounting for over 1 per cent of Bangladesh's GDP. After salting and drying, the fish is packed into earthen pots during the monsoon, when hilsa is most abundant, to preserve it for the months ahead. This method of preservation travelled to India primarily through migration, particularly to Tripura and other parts of the North-East, where communities that moved from Bangladesh continued preparing nona ilish as they always had. It remains a speciality dish in that region today, distinct from the fresh hilsa preparations more commonly cooked in West Bengal, and among hilsa recipes, bhorta stands out as one of the simplest ways to use it, essentially a fish paste cooked down with onion, garlic, and spices until it turns rich and mushy. Before any cooking begins, the dried fish needs to be soaked in water for about 30 minutes to remove the saltiness, which would otherwise overpower the dish. The fish scales are removed after soaking, and the pieces are rinsed again in fresh water before they are prepped for cooking. Mustard oil is the traditional choice for cooking this form of hilsa, and it helps tame the distinctly pungent smell of the dried fish.