Ilish Er Tel Jhol Recipe – Bengali Hilsa Fish Curry

Ilish Er Tel Jhol is a runny Hilsa gravy scented with kalonji and turmeric powder. This gravy is spiked with green chillies and finished with a generous drizzle of mustard oil.  Hilsa Fish, Green Chillies, Turmeric powder (Haldi), Kalonji (Onion Nigella Seeds), Mustard oil, Salt   4 Hilsa Fish 3 Green Chillies , slit (adjustable) 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi) 1 teaspoon Kalonji (Onion Nigella Seeds) 2 tablespoons Mustard oil Salt , to taste     5   15     To begin making the Ilish Er Tel Jhol Recipe, clean and wash the fish. Marinate the fish with salt and some turmeric powder.Add a little water to the remaining turmeric to make a gorgeous golden yellow wet paste. Keep it aside.Next, heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Once the oil is hot, put the fish in the pan and pan fry the fish till it turns light brown from both the sides. Keep them aside.Add the rest of the oil in the same pan, add the kalonji and green chilies. Once they stop spluttering, add the turmeric paste and add in the required salt. Cook the gravy for about a minute or two. Now add a cup of warm water and let it simmer for 5 more minutes on medium heat.After 5 minutes, add the fried fish and cook for another 5 minutes on low heat. Once it is done, switch off the gas and serve hot. Serve Ilish Er Tel Jhol along with Steamed Rice and Kachumber Salad for a simple weekday meal with your family.