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Ilish Er Tel Jhol ((Hilsa in a Light Gravy)

July 16, 2016 By Maumita Paul 3 Comments

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–Ilish er Tel JholPin

The sizzling sun has disappeared behind a grey veil of ominous nimbus. There’s a lull. An uncanny calm.

I wait.

I can now smell the rains.

And there i see them, angry pellets of raindrops fast approaching me from the distant dark horizons.

I sit by the window, transfixed, watching the theatrics of the rains, relishing and savoring every moment. I let my hair down, the mad gusts of wind play gleefully with my locks. I crane my neck, I feel the spray on my face. I lose the sense of time and space. Its just the rains and me, me and the rains this grey morning.

Not a day for elaborate cooking and could anything be quicker yet more soulful than hot rice and a runny Ilish tel jhol ? Yes, a couple of green chillies too please !!Save

Save

Save

Ilish er Tel JholPin

Ilish Er Tel Jhol ((Hilsa in a Light Gravy)

Ilish tel jhol. Hilsa in a runny gravy scented with kalonji and turmeric. Spiked with green chillies. Finished with a generous drizzle of mustard oil.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Bangladeshi, Bengali

Ingredients
  

  • 4 pieces Ilish or hilsa
  • 6-7 green chilies slit
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp nigella seeds or kalonji
  • 4 tbsp mustard oil
  • salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Clean and wash the fish. Marinate with salt and turmeric.
  • Add a little water to the remaining turmeric and red chili powder to make a gorgeous golden yellow wet paste. Keep aside.
  • Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a pan, fry the fish till light brown. Keep aside.
  • Add the rest of the oil in the same pan, add the kalonji and green chilies. Once they stop spluttering, add the turmeric-red chili paste. Sprinkle in the salt. Cook for a minute or two. Now add 3/4 cup of warm water and let it simmer for 5 odd minutes on medium heat.
  • Now add the fried fish and cook for another 5 minutes on low heat.
  • Serve hot with steamed rice.

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Ilish Begun Er JholIlish Begun Er Jhol (Hilsa and Eggplant Curry) Anarosh IlishAnarosh Ilish (Hilsa with Pineapple) Ilish BarishaliIlish Barishali (Hilsa with Grated Coconut in a Yoghurt – Mustard sauce) Ilish Kanchkolar JholIlish Kanchkolar Jhol (Hilsa and Raw Banana Curry)

Filed Under: Bengali Recipes, Fish and Seafood Tagged With: Bangladeshi Ranna, Bengali Fish Curry, Bengali Food Blog, Bengali Food Photography, Bengali Ilish Recipes, Bengali Recipes, Durga Pujar Bhruibhoj, Durga Pujo, Durga pujo recipes, Fish, Food Photography, Hilsa, Ilish Er Tel Jhol, Ilish Jhol, Ilish Maach, Ilish Maach Recipes, Ilish Mach Recipes, Ilish Photography, Ilish tel Jhol, Indian Food Photography, Indian Recipes, Jhol, Maacher jhol, Macher Jhol, Must try Ilish Recipes, Non Vegetarian, Opar Banglar Ranna, Traditional Bengali Recipes, Traditional Recipes From Grandmas Kitchen

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rahul Srivastava

    July 17, 2016 at 2:30 pm

    Wow…. what an amazing write up.. love the post, recipe and the click 🙂

    Reply
  2. Tia Dutta

    July 16, 2016 at 12:32 pm

    Amazing write up!!

    Reply
  3. Pinky Chatterjee

    July 16, 2016 at 12:06 pm

    Lovely write up!! So poetic you are… loved the Ilish recipe

    Reply

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Hello!! I am Maumita and welcome to Experiences of a Gastronomad.
My blog on soul food, sweet nostalgia and random musings.

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Maumita Paul
Sankranti remains one of the festivals closest to Sankranti remains one of the festivals closest to my heart. 

One of those days when I miss Grandma dearly and yearn to return to childhood and relish all the delectable pithe puli she would make !!! 
Happy Sankranti everyone !!!

On the plate 
Khejur Gurer Patishapta, Doodhpuli, Teler Pitha, Nolen Gurer Payesh and Soru Chakuli.
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #makarsankranti #creatingmemories #foodthatheals
New blog post ❤️ And every year, around Sankr New blog post ❤️

And every year, around Sankranthi, the chitoi pithe moulds make a magical re-appearance from the hidden vaults of the windowless sunlight-starved and perennially musty and damp bhnaarar ghor (pantry), illuminated by a lone naked incandescent bulb, before being dusted, scrubbed, soaked, dried and then used in vehement anger for the Sankranti festivities, only to disappear once the euphoria of the harvest festival subsides.
A use and throw culture has still not invaded our lives and the fact that this rather inexpensive non-descript humble artifact is used on just a couple of occasions around Sankranti every year makes not an iota of difference to the magnanimous love and care it receives.
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To read more and try this recipe of Doodh Chitoi , direct link is there in bio. 
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #makarsankranti #creatingmemories #foodthatheals
Its less than a week to Sankranti and my kitchen i Its less than a week to Sankranti and my kitchen is in manic frenzy this morning steaming some stunning Bhapa Pitha. 

I have always preferred freshly ground rice flour to store-bought ones. And my hand-free 1400w hamiltonbeach JMG ensured the rice was ground to fine flour, just as I wanted it, in a blink .
(Also do check the coarse, medium and fine grinding options available which gives us such luxury of choice -  I opted for the fine option for the rice flour)

And  here’s my recipe for the quintessential Bengali Bhapa Pitha / Assamese Keteli Pitha. 
Soak the rice for 2 hours, drain from water. 
Allow the rice to dry over a newspaper or muslin cloth to drain any excess water. 
Use your Hamiltonbeach JMG to blitz the rice to a fine powder.
Transfer the rice flour to a bowl, add a pinch of salt, mix well.
Splash a little water to the rice flour, start mixing with your hand. The texture of the dough should be crumbly and just damp enough. Splash water in small increments, we don’t want a wet batter here.
Sieve the moist flour .
Take a kettle, fill it half with water and bring to a boil.
Wrap the lid of the kettle with a damp muslin cloth.
Spread a layer of the rice flour uniformly over the cloth.
Add 1 tsp of freshly grated coconut on the rice flour, followed by 1 tsp of chopped jaggery And finish it with another layer of rice flour. Press gently, take care to not press it too hard.
Wrap with another piece of moist muslin, put the lid back on over the boiling water.
Steam for 10-12 minutes.
Carefully remove the lid from the kettle. 
Gently remove the outer muslin cloth. Use a sharp knife along the edges of the lid to un-mould the pitha..
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#BigBoxOfLove

#SayToHelloPerfection #ProResultsAtHome #HamiltonBeachIndia #CookLikeAPro #fbciofficial

@hamiltonbeachindia, @fbciofficial @grainandgrowth .
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #glutenfree #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #sankranti
The Doulla Pithe that Grandma (Bamma) creates is s The Doulla Pithe that Grandma (Bamma) creates is sheer magic – Pillowy rice flour parcels with a tiny morsel of patali hidden in the center. Stewed in milk perfumed with even more patali gur.
Have a bite, Grandma coaxes.
And the molten patali bursts out of the shackles of the rice flour cocoon.
The fragrance of patali and the perfume of rice leave my palate enthralled.
I take another bite.
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If you want to try this , temporary recipe link is updated in bio ❤️
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #makarsankranti #creatingmemories #foodthatheals
Can I taste one ? I ask as Maa’s experienced han Can I taste one ? I ask as Maa’s experienced hands effortlessly remove the pithe from the oil and immerse them in the jaggery syrup, but even before Maa can warn me, I have snatched one and bitten into the gokul pithe.
My tongue is singed.
And for that odd moment, I am all numb.
Minutes, that feel like days, pass.
And then the taste sinks in, sublime, a mellifluous symphony of grated coconut and jaggery.
This is food heaven !!!
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To try  recipe, temporary recipe link is updated in bio ❤️
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #makarsankranti #creatingmemories #foodthatheals
Natorer Luchir Payesh!! A sandwich, if I can use t Natorer Luchir Payesh!!
A sandwich, if I can use the liberty of an analogy, of two luchis with a divine gurer kanchagolla filling in between. Fried to a gorgeous golden. And dipped into a notun gur perfumed payesh just before serving.
You do not want it soggy, Grandma would religiously remind Maa every time, that would ruin the fun of the dish.
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To try  recipe, temporary recipe link is updated in bio ❤️
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #makarsankranti #creatingmemories #foodthatheals
This is the story of Grandma. And her fierce love This is the story of Grandma. And her fierce love for rice. Not just rice, any new harvest. Any fresh produce of the soil. Her soil. As she would proudly assert.
Wasting rice in our growing-up years was never an option. Not even a single grain. This is the labour of love. She would remind Dada and me whenever we fussed about food. This is the culmination of months of back-breaking labour. Respect the grain. Respect the farmer.

Cut to the present. My chire has just arrived. Ordered online and delivered at the doorstep by a logistics company. I am blissfully ignorant of what rice went in to prepare this chire. And the farmer shall remain an unacquainted stranger to me. As would his family who possibly helped as well.
Food has reduced, I ruminate, to being impersonal, hasnt it, the consumer and the producer separated by more degrees than my mind can decipher. The price I guess for the comforts of modern life.
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To read more and  try chirer doodpuli , temporary recipe link is updated in bio ❤️
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #makarsankranti #creatingmemories #foodthatheals
Of late, Grandma would occasionally give in to sna Of late, Grandma would occasionally give in to snatches of emotional upheavals. Reminiscing more and more of her home in sylvan Sylhet.
Chachi was our neighbour. Born in Bikrampur near Dhaka. Married to a trader family in Sylhet. She brought with her to Sylhet the delectable Bibikhana Pitha from her home town. And every year she would lovingly welcome winter, the new harvest, the fragrant rice and the notun gur with her Bibikhana Pitha.
So here it is, the incredibly delicious Bibikhana Pitha. From Bikrampur in Bangladesh. 
Bliss !!! 
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If you want to try this recipe , temporary recipe link is updated in bio ❤️
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #foodie #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #glutenfree #creatingmemories
Maa’s delectable Koi Komola. A riot on the pala Maa’s delectable Koi Komola. 
A riot on the palate. A throwback to all those weekends in Assam where koi was available aplenty during winters.
Enjoy before the orange season is over !!!

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Recipe link is there in bio.
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 #food52 #tv_foodlovers #calcuttacacophony #capturethemoment #foodstagram #foodstyling #homemade #bengalilunch @hautescuisines #indianfoodbloggers #foodpornography #photooftheday #gastronomad_m #kolkatabuzz @india_undiscovered #fish #theuncommonbox #foodtalkindia #kolkatadiaries #acreativevisual #kolkatafoodsutra #storiesofkolkata #glutenfree #official_photography_hub #indianshutterbugs #styleonmytable #bengalifood  @onlyinbengal @bengal_undiscovered #foodphotography #foodart #homemade #winter #orange

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