Bhapa Ilish

Bong Eats’ ilish bhapa, also called shorshe ilish bhapa, coats hilsa with a mustard, yoghurt and coconut paste before steaming it in a closed tiffin box.

Brown and yellow mustard seeds are soaked, strained and ground smoothly with salt and part of the green chillies. Grated peeled coconut, beaten yoghurt, sugar, turmeric and mustard oil are mixed into the paste.

The cleaned fish slices are coated with the same mixture and arranged in the tiffin box. Halved chillies top them, and the closed box is set aside briefly to marinate.

A stand holds the tiffin above the pan bottom, with the external steaming water no higher than half the box’s height. The outer pan is covered for steaming, and the closed fish box rests briefly after removal.

The author describes bringing the finished hilsa to the table and opening the lid to reveal it steaming. The potent mustard paste remains the central flavor of this Bengali preparation.