Ingredients: Hilsa Fish - (pieces), cup Onion - finely chopped, Onions - ground to paste, tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste, tablespoon Red Chilli powder, tablespoon Green Chillies - (adjust), cup Mishti doi - whisked well, cup Coconut milk, tablespoons Ghee, - to taste, cups Rice - Basmati or Gobindobhog, cup Coconut milk, Green Chilli, tablespoon Ghee, - to taste, cups Lukewarm Water, Bay leaf (tej patta), inch Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini), Cardamom (Elaichi) Pods/Seeds - crushed, Cloves (Laung) - pounded, High Protein Non Vegetarian diet
Instructions: To begin making the Ilish Pulao Recipe (Bengali Style Hilsa Fish Pilaf), firstly soak rice for 20 minutes. Meanwhile you can cook the hilsa fish.Heat 3 tablespoons ghee in deep bottomed kadai and fry chopped onions until onion turns translucent and pale golden in colour.Add in ginger, and garlic paste with red chilli powder and fry until the mixture comes together. Sprinkle water in between only if required. This is known as koshano in Bengali or bhuna in hindi.Once the masala is ready, add whisked mishti doi, salt and stir well to mix with the masala.Pour half of the coconut milk and stir quickly to incorporate everything.Add raw fish pieces into the gravy very carefully in a single layer without overlapping the fish, such that the fish is cooked evenly.Add green chili and cook for 4-5 minutes, depending on fish size.Flip ilish pieces gently as hilsa is extremely delicate and fragile.Add rest of the coconut milk and cook for 10 minutes with cover or until fish is cooked thoroughly.Once done keep the fish covered until needed. Otherwise the gravy will be dried out.Now prepare the rice pulao. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a cast iron biryani pot and add whole garam masala to the hot oil.Now add half of the gravy from hilsa along with luke warm water. Bring the mixture to a boil.Add previously soaked rice into the mixture and let it cook for 10-12 minutes or until rice is almost half cooked.Add coconut milk, salt and cook covered for another 10 minutes or till the rice is completely cooked.Now arrange the ilish pieces on bed of rice and pour the gravy on it. Add green chillies. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes on simmer.Once done, remove from flame but keep the Ilish Pulao covered. Only remove the lid once ready to serve.Serve Ilish Pulao Recipe (Bengali Style Hilsa Fish Pilaf), Tadka Raita Recipe (Spiced Curd With Onions) for lunch and end your meal with Bengali Sita Bhog Recipe.