Ilish Mach or Hilsa is not just a fish to a Bengali, it’s an emotion!
Hilsa Biryani or Ilish Biryani is a very fragrant and delicious Bengali-style dish. it cooked with Hilsa fish or fragrant basmati rice.
This flavorsome Bangladeshi delicacy is one of the traditional dishes of Bangladesh. Whole hot spice flavored long grain basmati rice,
hilsa fish and
special biryani masala are the three main ingredients in a Bengali style biryani recipe.
It’s the same as chicken or mutton biryani recipes but the added flavor and masalas are mild to keep the hilsa flavor intact.
Ilish fish is Bengali's popular fish, this fish has quite a unique combination of earthy flavors of fresh ilish and the classic taste.
Ilish Biryani and Ilish Polao are names of two separate items which are completely different from each other. Many people consider these are two names of a single dish; it is not. Ilish Polao or Hilsa Polau is a fine-tuning of delicate flavors of fresh
ilish mach and fragrant rice. It has nothing common with Ilish Biryani except the ilish and rice. Ilish Polau is one of those dishes which have few separate cooking styles.
If I’ll get another fresh batch of Ilish I’ll try to upload the recipe on the blog.
If you are a hilsa lover, then this recipe is for you. I will try to show you the technique of
making hilsa biryani quickly. Hopefully, those who are happy to hear about hilsa fish can easily make and eat this hilsa biryani.
Here I will show you how to cook hilsa with light spices.
I’m giving you a menu sample on how you can utilize all possible parts from your hilsa. Begin with Ilish Bhaja (fried Hilsa) followed by Ilish Macher Matha Diye Dal (Lentil cooked with Hilsa Head), Ilish er Chorchori (Hilsa Bone Curry), Ilish Begun (Hilsa Curry with eggplants), Shorshe Ilish (Hilsa in Mustard paste sauce,
Ilish Bhape (Steamed Hilsa) and end with Ilish er Tok (Hilsa Chutney).
As days of Ilish are numbered we Bengali try to make the most of this era. Mostly Hilsa is served as a side dish of rice but if the chance is given you can find it in different forms in all the bowls along the side of your rice. It’s not about cooking various items only with the fish. Our love for this flavor is so enormous that we don’t throw away any single piece of Hilsa! And yes the high valued price tag helps us to keep all the parts from
hilsa in the freezer for as long as possible.
This is an elaborate recipe and needs to be cooked in two separate processes. One is cooking the raw fish in special masala. And the second stage is cooking the aromatic basmati
rice with whole garam masala. And finish the process by
cooking fish and gravy on a bed of rice.
If you are curious about this popular ilish biryani, then you must read the recipe till the end to know each secret I shared over here. Try this Bengali ilish(hilsa fish)
macher biryani recipe at home and please let me know your valuable feedback by writing it down in the comment section below.
(Read the entire recipe and Notes carefully before you start cooking. Do make sure all ingredients are at room temperature (unless mentioned) and weighed or measured correctly in the appropriate weighing machine or measuring instruments such as cups or spoons. Remember these are not regular cups or spoons which is
used in daily life.)
Cuisine : Bengali
Prep time : 25 mins
Cook time : 45 mins
Total time : 60 mins
INGREDIENTS
For Fish:
Ilish (Hilsa): 6-7 pieces
Refined oil: 3/4 cup (for making berista)
Onion chopped: 1/2 cup (for making berista)
Sour curd: 1/2 cup(whisked well)
Onion paste: 1/2 cup
Almond paste: 1/3 cup
Tomato puree: 2 tbsp
Chili powder: 1 tsp
Coriander cumin powder: 1 tsp
salt (as required)
For Rice:
Rice: 3cup or 750g (Basmati or Gobindobhog)
Ghee or oil : 3 tbsp
Whole Garam Masala :(Bay leaf: 2, Clove : 3-4, Royal cumin: 1tsp, Cinnamon stick: 2”, Black Pepper : 3-4, Green cardamom: 4, Star spice: 1, Jayatri: 1)
Milk: 1/2 cup
Warm water: 5 cup
Salt: 1 tsp
Sugar: 1 tsp
Raisins: 7-8
Prunes: 4-5
Cashew nuts: 10-12
For making dum :
Kewra water: 1 tsp
Green chili: 3-4
Berista or golden brown fried onion
Ghee (clarified butter) : 1 tbsp
INSTRUCTIONS
This recipe calls for only 5 mins prep work and that washing and cleaning the rice. Then soak rice in water for 20 mins. Begin with this step so that by the time fish will be done, the rice will be ready to cook.
How to make hilsa or hilsa fish biryani recipe
First of all, take 3 cups of long grain basmati rice, wash it 4-5 times, soak it in water for 30 minutes.
Made of barista or golden fried onion
First, cut the medium-sized onion into thin slices.
Heat a pan with 1/2 cup of refined oil, add the onion pieces and fry until the onions are light golden brown.
When the onion gets a light golden brown color, remove it from the pan and place on a paper towel to soak up the excess oil.
Marinate the hilsa fish for this recipe
Wash the fish pieces, set them aside.
Take a mixing bowl.
Sour curd: 1/2 cup (whisked well), Onion paste: 1/2 cup, Almond paste: 1/3 cup.
Add Tomato puree: 2 tbsp, Chili powder: 1 tsp,
Coriander cumin powder: 1 tsp, salt (as required) with the paste.
Mix it nicely with a whisker or a spoon.
Add the fish pieces to the mixture and marinate for 30 minutes.
How to cook marinated fish
Put a pan on medium heat, let it heat up.
Add 1/4 cup refined oil to it, heat it.
Separate the fish pieces from the marinade, I keep them separate for use
First, separate the fish pieces from the marinade.
Simply add the marinade to the oil (without the fish) and cook it until it leaves the oil on its side.
When the oil separates from the marinade, add 1.5 cups of water to fry the spice. This will make the spiced gravy better.
Biryani spice
I will use the same biryani spice prepared for this recipe. You can see the spice recipe I have already posted.
Then add 1/2 teaspoon of biryani spice (it was made earlier) and mix it.
When the spices are cooked for 2 minutes, add the fish pieces to the pan.
Add the raw fish pieces to the gravy very carefully without overlapping the fish in a single layer.
Add the green peppers and cook for 4-5 minutes depending on the size of the fish.
Gently invert the pieces of hilsa as the hilsa is very delicate and fragile.
Cook with cover for 5 minutes or until fish is well cooked.
Once done, keep the fish covered until needed. Otherwise, the gravy will dry out.
After another 4 minutes, gently separate the cooked fish pieces from the gravy and set them aside later.
Make basmati rice for the recipe
3 cups basmati rice soaked in water for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, place a pan over medium heat, letting it heat up.
Add 2 tablespoons of refined oil or ghee to it, heat it.
When hot add to it Whole Garam Masala: (Bay leaf: 2, Clove: 3-4, Royal cumin: 1tsp,
Cinnamon stick: 2 ”, Black Pepper: 3-4, Green cardamom: 4, Star spice: 1, Jayatri : 1)
Now strain the water from the soaked rice and add it with the spices. The rice should be lightly fried. When fried, stir in 1/2 cup of milk and 5 cups of hot water. According to the amount of rice.
Salt: 1 tsp, Sugar: 1 tsp, Raisins: 7-8, Prunes: 4-5, Cashew nuts: 10-12. Cook rice up to 80 percent on high flame.
Rice assembly for making this recipe
Take a thick bottom nonstick pan or any thick-bottomed wide-mouthed pot to make it affordable.
Divide the rice into two parts.
Prepare a thick layer of basmati rice.
Add the cooked fish pieces over the rice and the pieces will not touch each other.
Then spread the barista over the whole fish.
Next, add the other part of the gravy on top of the fish. Then add rice from the top to make another thick layer.
After spreading the rice evenly, add keora water from the top and spread the barista again.
Finally, add 1 tablespoon of ghee on top to enhance the flavor of the biryani.
Once assembly is complete, cover the vessel with a hard cover so that no air can pass through.
Keep the pot at a low temperature so that it stays in the dam.
Or you can even put the pot on a frying pan or pot while holding it for steaming or slow cooking.
Leave it in the dam for 8-10 minutes to prepare it. Turn off the heat.
Do not remove the id immediately, wait another 10-15 minutes to get the right taste.
After 15 minutes, Bangladesh’s famous hilsa biryani will be ready to serve.
Enjoy Bengali Hilsa Biryani!
How to make Bengali style ilish mach er biryani with step by step pictures
1. First of all, take 3 cups of long grain basmati rice.
2. Wash it 4-5 times.
3. Soak it in water for 30 minutes.
4. Heat a pan with 1/2 cup of refined oil.
5. Made of barista or golden fried onion First, cut the medium-sized onion into thin slices & add the onion pieces and fry until the onions are light golden brown.
6. When the onion gets a light golden brown color, remove it from the pan and place it on a paper towel to soak up the excess oil.
7. Marinate the hilsa fish for this recipe take a mixing bowl.
Sour curd: 1/2 cup (whisked well), Onion paste: 1/2 cup, Almond paste: 1/3 cup. Add Tomato puree: 2 tbsp, Chili powder: 1 tsp, Coriander cumin powder: 1 tsp, salt (as required) with the paste.
8. Mix it nicely with a whisker or a spoon.
9. Wash the fish pieces set them aside.
10. Add the fish pieces to the mixture and marinate for 30 minutes.
11. First, separate the fish pieces from the marinade.
12. Put a pan on medium heat, let it heat up. Add 1/4 cup refined oil to it, heat it.
13. I keep it separate for use simply add the marinade to the oil (without the fish) and cook it until it leaves the oil on its side.
14.When the oil separates from the marinade, add 1.5 cup of water to fry the spice. This will make the spice gravy better.
15. I will use the same biryani spice prepared for this recipe. You can see the spice recipe I have already posted. Then add 1/2 teaspoon of biryani spice (it was made earlier) and mix it.
16. When the spices are cooked for 2 minutes, add the fish piece to the pan. Add the raw fish pieces to the gravy very carefully without overlapping the fish in a single layer. Add the green peppers and cook for 4-5 minutes depending on the size of the fish. Gently invert the pieces of hilsa as the hilsa is very delicate and fragile. Cook with cover for 5 minutes or until fish is well cooked.
17. Once done, keep the fish covered until needed. Otherwise, the gravy will dry out.
18. After another 4 minutes, gently separate the cooked fish pieces from the gravy and set aside later.
19. Whole Garam Masala: (Bay leaf : 2, Clove: 3-4, Royal cumin:1tsp, Cinnamon stick : 2 Black Pepper : 3-4, Green cardamom: 4, Star spice: 1, Jayatri : 1)
20. Make basmati rice for the recipe 3 cups basmati rice soaked in water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, place a pan over medium heat, letting it heat up. Add 2 tablespoons of refined oil or ghee to it, heat it. When hot add to it whole Garam Masala.
21. Now strain the water from the soaked rice and add it with the spices. The rice should be lightly fried. When fried, stir in 1/2 cup of milk and 5 cups of hot water.
22. According to the amount of rice Salt: 1 tsp, Sugar: 1 tsp, Raisins: 7-8, Prunes: 4-5, Cashew nuts:10-12. Cook rice up to 80 percent on high flame.
23. Rice assembly for making this recipe Take a thick bottom nonstick pan or any thick-bottomed wide-mouthed pot to make it affordable. Divide the rice into two parts. Prepare a thick layer of basmati rice. Add the cooked fish pieces over the rice and the pieces will not touch each other. Then spread the barista over the whole fish.
24. Next, add the other part of the gravy on top of the fish. Then add rice from the top to make another thick layer. After spreading the rice evenly, add keora water from the top and spread the barista again. Finally, add 1 tablespoon of ghee on top to enhance the favor of the biryani. Once assembly is complete, cover the vessel with a hard cover so that no air can pass through.
25. Keep the pot at a low temperature so that it stays in the dam Or you can even put the pot on a frying pan or pot while holding it for steaming or slow cooking. Leave it in the dam for 8-10 minutes to prepare it. Turn off the heat. Do not remove the id immediately, wait another 10-15 minutes to get the right taste.
26. After 15 minutes, Bangladesh’s famous hilsa biryani will be ready to serve.
Even you can try other ilish or hilsa fish recipes from my website
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