Ilish Paturi (Hilsha fish steamed in plantain leaves)

Ilish paturi

I found some frozen plantain/Banana leaves at Ranch 99, my go-to place for fresh fish. This encouraged me to try fish paturi. I saw a video on YouTube (Pancha Byanjan) where the chef used sliced onions, coconut flakes and mustard seed paste- both white and black for the paturi. I made it the following way.

1. Since the Ilish we get in the West Coast of US  is not as fresh  (read: frozen) as we get in the East Coast of India, I decided to shallow fry the fish  first with Nigella seeds, sliced onions, salt, turmeric and slit green chilies in mustard oil. (You can skip this and just steam the ingredients together if you have access to fresh Ilish.)
2. Make a paste with black mustard. Add water in small portions if the paste is too thick to move inside the food processor.
3. Then, I wrapped the fish in plantain leaves and steamed the in a steamer with lid on until done ( you can use kitchen twine or toothpick to seal the leaves). I noted the color of the leaves, when they turned pale, I switched off the flame. The steam continued cooking the fish.

Tip: The frozen leaves can be more brittle than usual, you may wash them under running cold water and microwave them for 30 secs to soften them. You may use Aluminium foil too, but the leaves impart a distinct flavor.

You can also use cauliflower , whitebait, pomfret, prawns or fish of your choice for the paturi . There is a similar Kerala Delicacy called Meen Pollichathu. 

Two bhery Bengali dishes

Pui Ilish

Pui was a rare find at the Indian grocery store.(Discovered later that it is sold as Vietnamese Spinach at the Asian stores) I decided to make it for a guest who was invited for dinner consisting of  traditional Bengali fare. It goes well with shrimp or Ilish head.

Ilish head

Stalks and potatoes go first in the oil you used to fry the Ilish head. Lots of flavor there.

Final product: my first Pui Ilish

1. Wash and clean the Ilish head. Rub turmeric and salt, set aside for a few minutes while you prepare the pui (Vietnamese/Climbing/Malabar spinach)
2. Wash and break the leaves off the stem. Cut the stalk into bit-sized halves. Dice potatoes (and other vegetables like kumro (butternut squash), jhinge (ridged gourd) and begun (eggplant) to it. ).
3. In a wok, heat mustard oil, light fry the fish head, then keep aside. In the same oil add kalonji, potatoes (and the vegetables ), stalk first and then the leaves. (To reduce cooking time, you can microwave the spinach for 3 mins, drain the excess water released and then add to the wok) 
4. When the leaves are about done add the fried fish head and slit green chilies. Cover and cook in very low flame without adding any water.

A variation with chingri (shrimp) can also be made. Just replace the fish head with shrimp.

Pui Chingri

You might al so like Cabbage with fish head (Macher matha diye Badhakopir Ghonto)

Jhinge aloo kaju posto

Jhinge or ridged gourd is a good source of fiber. With poppy seeds (posto), cashew and potatoes - it becomes an extremely easy-to-make tasty vegetable dish.

1. Using a peeler, peel the tough edges of a ridged gourd. Cut them into inch long sticks, then lightly fry in hot mustard oil. Keep aside.  Cut potatoes about the same size. 
2. Add kalonji, minced onions. Add the potatoes (microwave them for 2-3 mins for faster cooking time), then add back  the ridged gourd , salt, and turmeric.
3. Dry grind poppy seeds with a few cashews- add to the gourd. Add a little water if needed.  Cover and cook on low flame.
   
   
   I also made aloo-bean posto (potato-beans-poppy seeds) similarly .