Bhapa Elish - Bhapa Hilsa

I am yet to meet a Bengali who does not drool over Elish. Two of the favorite foods of traditional Bengalis are mango and Elish. Of the variety of ways my mother cooks Elish, Bhapa Elish is my most favorite. The pungent taste of mustard seeds enhances the sublime flavor of Elish manifold. Earlier I posted a microwave version of Bhapa Elish, but today I am posting the recipe of Bhapa Elish cooked in steamer. I used a normal Indian steamer available in grocery stores. I put the fishes in a tiffin box, snap the lid into it and then put it inside the perforated floor of the steamer. It took about 25 minutes to get the fishes cooked. 






Ingredients

• 6-7 Pieces of Elish or Hilsa
• 3 tbsp black mustard seeds
• 4-5 green chilies
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Generous amount of mustard oil

Method

1) Take black mustard seeds and green chilies together in a mixer grinder. Add 2-3 tbsp of water and grind into fine paste.

2) In a small bowl, mix together the black mustard paste, turmeric powder, salt, and generous amount of mustard oil. (I used about 1 cup of mustard oil.) Place the hilsa pieces in a bowl and add the black mustard paste mixture and rub the fish pieces in this mixture making sure both sides of the fish pieces are smeared with the paste.

3) Heat one cup of water in steamer. Put the fishes in a tiffin box and carefully arrange the fishes in the box and tightly put the lid in place. Place the tiffin box on the perforated floor of the steamer and close the lid. Steam on low heat for 20-25 minutes.

4) Serve hot with steamed rice.