Ingredients

• 8-10 pieces hilsa (about 1 kg.)
• 1/2 tsp - turmeric paste
• 1/2 tsp - chilli paste
• 2 tbsp - mustard paste
• 1/4 tbsp - mustard seeds
• 4 tbsp - mustard oil
• Lump of tamarind, the size of a golf ball, or 1 tbsp. tamarind
• 1 tbsp - tamarind concentrate
• 3 cups - water
• Salt to taste
• 1/2-1 tsp - sugar
• 4-6 green chillies, slit

How to Make Hilsa with tamarind and mustard

• In a bowl, add 1 cup water and the tamarind. Leave aside for 10 mins. and then crush slowly with a spoon to extract all the juice from the tamarind.
• Throw away seeds and rind.
• In a separate bowl, mix the turmeric, chilli and mustard pastes in 2 cups water.
• Heat the oil in a karahi and when really hot, add mustard seeds.
• Cook till seeds stop spluttering.
• Add the pieces of hilsa very carefully.
• Fry fish for a couple of minutes shaking the karahi so that fish does not stick to the bottom.
• Through a sieve pour contents of the second bowl into the karahi and then the tamarind juice. Bring it to a boil.
• Add salt, green chillies and sugar.
• Simmer for 15 mins.
• There should be plenty of light gravy in this dish.
• Serve with plain boiled rice.