Ilish machher korma

Debjani Chatterjee Alam’s Ilish Macher Korma pairs Hilsa with an onion-based gravy, cashew paste, raisins, milk and hung curd. She describes a hint of sweetness and identifies the dish as particularly popular in Bangladesh, while presenting the recipe as her own version.

The fish is washed, rubbed with turmeric and salt, and left to marinate. Some onion is made into a paste and some thinly sliced, while cashews soak in hot water before being made into a smooth paste.

Sliced onion fries in mustard oil until golden and crisp. The fish is lightly fried in the same remaining oil and set aside; cinnamon, bay leaf, green cardamom and red chillies then temper that oil.

Sliced onion and onion paste cook in the spiced oil before ready ginger and garlic pastes and halved green chillies enter. A little water is added if the mixture dries; hung curd cooks until oil separates, then salt, sugar, cashew paste and whole raisins cook in the same mixture.

Milk and the main water are brought to a boil before the fried Hilsa returns. The gravy cooks until thicker and the oil separates, then ghee, Bengali garam masala and the fried onion finish the korma. It is served with prepared steamed rice.