Ilish Paturi: Bengali New Year Special

Ingredients
Ilish/Hilsa fish- 4-6 pieces
Mustard paste
(I mixed yellow and black mustard seeds in 2:1 ratio. Yellow mustard is for flavor, black mustard is for punch. Soak in water first, then strain and make a paste. I used Magic Bullet for making the paste)
Green chilies paste and slit whole for garnish
1 tsp yogurt
Grated Coconut
Turmeric powder
Mustard oil
Salt to taste

Method

1. Clean the fish. Smear the pieces with turmeric powder, salt, mustard paste, mustard oil, coconut and green chili paste. 
2. Cut the banana leaves into rectangles. Wrap each fish in a separate packet, add a slit green chili on top, tie with kitchen string.
3. Heat mustard oil in a tawa or  frying pan. Fry the packets covered to cook uniformly. Turn every 5 mins till done. I cooked for 15-20 mins.
4. Serve with steamed white rice.

Poha / Chirer Polao

Chirer polao or aloo poha is a favorite for breakfast in winter. And surprisingly easy to make too.

1. Wash the poha (flattened rice) in cold water and drain in a colander.
2. Finely chop onions, green chilis. Julienne/matchstick ginger if you prefer to add them.
3.  Dice potatoes, cauliflower in small bits.  (You might want to add a little salt here)
4. In a wok, heat vegetable oil and add mustard seeds, onions, then potatoes, cauliflower, frozen green peas. Stir.
5. When the veggies are about done, add curry leaves, Whole mustard seeds, green chilis, ginger, dry roasted peanuts. (you can use your favorite snacking peanuts too.)
6. Add the moist poha (you can add salt and a tsp sugar uniformly before you add it to the wok), stir well and serve warm.

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I always try to think what I can have for breakfast- I had almost forgotten how good a well toasted bread tastes in warm milk. Yum.