Taste of Bangladesh

Recipe of Hilsa Pulao
Ingredients (serves ten)
2 hilsas (1.5 kg each)
2 carrots, roughly diced
4 white onions, quartered
10 green chillies, chopped
2 green cardamom pods, gently cracked
2 black cardamom pods, gently cracked
2 cinnamon sticks, 2.5cm-long
10 cloves
2+3 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 cups yoghurt
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp red onion paste
2 tsp garlic paste
½ cup mustard oil
½ cup ghee (clarified butter)
2 cups red onion, sliced
2 tsp ginger, grated
2 cinnamon sticks (2.5cm long)
550g kalijira (fragrant rice)
½ cup hot evaporated or thick milk
 

Method:
Scale the fish. Cut out the head and tail. Reserve them for making stock. Pull out the guts and discard. Place the pan-dressed body of the fish on its side and slice diagonally, cutting into 1.75cm-broad steaks.
In a large pot, pour 8 cups water. Now put hilsa head, tail and other fish pieces, carrot, quartered onions, green chillies, 2 green cardamoms, 2 black cardamoms, 2 cinnamon sticks and 10 cloves. Bring contents to a boil. Reduce heat to medium simmering. Allow the stock to reduce for 90 minutes. Strain the stock and discard the vegetables, spices, herbs and fish parts.

Return stock to the flame. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons salt and pepper and simmer over a very low flame till required. In a mixing bowl, combine yoghurt, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, red onion paste, garlic paste and 3 teaspoons salt. Whisk to a smooth paste.

Drop the fish pieces into this mixing bowl and coat with the paste. Heat the oil in a wok. Gently slide the fish pieces into it, sauté both sides until the spices release aroma, strain the fish pieces and keep aside.
Pour the residual oil into a heavy deghchi*. Add ghee. When the fat is heated, toss in the sliced red onion and sauté  until golden. With a latticed spoon, scoop out 3/4th of the fried onions and place them on absorbent paper towels to drain, to make a baresta*. Add the remaining ingredients to the oil and onions in the deghchi in the following order: grated ginger, black cardamom, green cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. Sauté stirring vigorously until spices release flavour.

Tip in the rice and sauté, stirring all the time, until the spices are blended well with the rice. Cook until the rice changes colour. Pour enough stock to form a 4cm layer on the rice. Swirl the rice with a spatula. Check for salt, add more if required and bring to a boil.

Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the flame to its lowest point. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is al dente (tender but still slightly resistant to the bite). Use a fork to loosen the grains. Sprinkle hot milk on the rice. Arrange the fish pieces over the rice, and spread out ½ the baresta on top, cover again with the lid, and cook for about 7 to 10 minutes.

Carefully take out the fish pieces and set aside. Arrange the rice on a large rice dish. Assemble the fish pieces on top of the rice.

Garnish with the remaining baresta on top.
Recipe is adapted from 'Khunti Korai: Bangladeshi Cuisine' written by Shawkat Osman
*Deghchi is a large cooking pot with a lid
*Beresta is caramelised onions

Photo: Shahrear Kabir Heemel
Food prepared by Hotel Kasturi