Hilsa is a premium quality, tasty fish that either naturally grows around the Bay of Bengal estuaries or fisheries culture them creating artificial water conditions, akin to the ones created out of a steady fusion of salty and sweet waters.

Read more about Hilsa on Wikipedia

Such conditions facilitate the formation of Plankton, a collection of small aquatic organisms, that the fish feed on. A steady supply of plankton is critical to Hilsa cultivation and growth. 

Baked Hilsa or Steamed Hilsa? 

Now, ‘Bhapa Ilish’, as the dish is popularly known in large areas of Eastern India and Bangladesh, doesn’t automatically translate to Baked Hilsa in English. Rather, it’s a ‘dum’-cooked dish (remember how we cook Dum Biriyani). Still, for the non-easterners, the dish became ‘Baked Hilsa’, probably because microwaves/grills are being increasingly used to cook it. 

A correct translation of the dish would be Steamed Hilsa, but very few would reckon the dish by that name. 

The dish, owing to have been steamed or dum-cooked, retains the refreshing aroma of mustard and spices blended in curd/yoghurt. The delicate flavour of Hilsa remains pure as it’s not fried. In all, a well-cooked dish has a divine taste that you must try. 

Also Read: The Perfect Garlic Butter Cream Salmon Recipe

Let’s take a look at the ingredients required to prepare the Baked Hilsa/Bhapa Ilish/Steamed Hilsa dish.

Nutritional Values of a Hilsa fish of about 750 grams in weight: 

• Calories: 309.58 grams
• Protein:   65 grams
• Fat:         66 grams
• Carbohydrate: 10 grams

Baked Hilsa/Bhapa Ilish Ingredients for 3 servings of two pieces each

1. Fresh Hilsa fish, six ring pieces, as shown in the images
2. Black mustard paste, one tablespoon
3. White mustard paste, two tablespoons
4. Yoghurt/Curd, without sugar, three tablespoons 
5. Poppy seeds paste, two tablespoons
6. Green chillies, four
7. Turmeric powder, one teaspoon
8. Salt to taste
9. Sugar, just about enough to balance the saltiness, it’s okay if you don’t add
10. Mustard oil, four tablespoons, only the best quality, preferably fresh

Baked Hilsa/Bhapa Ilish: Cooking procedure 

• Preparation time: 70 minutes
• Cooking time: 20 minutes
• Total time: 90 minutes

• Beat the curd/yoghurt in a bowl along with two kinds of mustard paste, poppy seeds paste, salt, sugar, turmeric powder. Whip well till you make a homogeneous paste. Wait for about ten minutes to allow the marinade to set
• Take the marinade, add the mustard oil into it and stir for a minute or so. We are adding the mustard oil in the second step to retain the pungent and strong smell of mustard oil
• Now gently dip the Hilsa ring pieces into the marinade, move around slowly so that rings don’t break, all the while making sure the marinade covers the pieces fully. Allow the mixture to settle for about an hour
• Then gently put the marinated Hisla pieces into a baking pan, taking care that the pieces don’t break
• Set the microwave to cook the fish pieces at medium temperature for about ten minutes. Don’t overcook as it may level the signature smell of Hilsa and the exotic aroma of the added spices
• Halfway through the cooking, pause the microwave and turn the fish pieces around gently. Restart cooking
• After ten minutes, turn off the microwave and take out the baking pan. Cover the pan and leave it to complete the standing time of about 10 minutes.

Baked Hilsa/Steamed Hilsa/Bhapa Ilish: Alternative cooking procedure

• To cook Baked Hilsa using a gas oven, you have to put the marinated Hilsa fish pieces into a flat, large bowl and cover it tightly with a lid that fits well. If the lid doesn’t fit well or has openings, the dish may never attain the delicacy level that a well-cooked one achieves
• Heat water in a pot. Place a grill stand on boiling water, place the covered bowl on it. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Hilsa fish is very soft, rich in organic oils, so it cooks reasonably fast
• After fifteen minutes, turn off the gas and leave the bowl to complete the standing time of five minutes or so
• Baked Hisla or Bhapa Ilish is a signature dish of Eastern India/Bangladesh that’s best enjoyed with hot, fine grain rice.

Also read: The perfect dessert after a meal of Hilsa and Rice