Illish Anarosh (Hilsha With Pineapple): A Culinary Delight

Since March 2020, my weekends have often been as busy as my weekdays, with various household work and cooking. It was impossible to go out during the pandemic of course, and so weekends lost a huge part of their significance. The boundary between work and rest got blurred. Now, though this pandemic is thankfully towards its wane, we are still not going out as much as before, erring on the side of caution. So, besides usual chores, I continue to spend my days putting books back on shelves, dusting, and arranging souvenirs and trinkets around the house, rather than going out.

Today, I took a break from all that and went to my balcony, like I often do. It’s my own little corner where I can spend hours with my plants. Looking up, I saw an overcast sky, preparing to burst into rain, any moment now. The smell of fresh, wet air and the low growl of thunder took me back to monsoons in Assam. Those were the days of curling up in a blanket on my grandparents’ bed, listening to their stories from Opar Bangla (Bangladesh). Ah, how I miss my place, my home, I guess we all do. As I was feeling nostalgic, standing amidst the wind and clouds, I decided to recreate a part of that memory, through lunch today. In Assam, monsoon is the season of Hilsa, the Queen of Fish. Naturally, Sunday lunches during this season, meant buying Hilsa from the local fish market and preparing different recipes of it. I can still taste those recipes when I close my eyes. Food is often the quickest way back home, isn’t it?

Anyway, when I expressed my desire to my partner, the fish arrived home in no time. So, without further ado, I started preparations to cook Ilish Anarosh or Hilsa with pineapple, a recipe that I haven’t tried in years.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Bangladeshi

INGREDIENTS

3 pieces of Hilsa

1 tbsp freshly grounded fennel seeds powder

1 tsp fennel seeds

2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

2 bay leaves

3 green chillies slit

4 tbsp mustard oil

1/4 tbsp sugar

Half pineapple

Salt as required

INSTRUCTIONS

Smear the fish pieces with turmeric and salt and keep aside.

Cut the pineapple and squeeze some juice from half of the fruit. Strain and keep the juice aside.

Next, cut a few pieces of pineapple to add in the gravy.

Now in a small bowl, take all the masalas (turmeric, salt, fennel powder, red chilli & ginger), add little water and make a fine paste.

Heat oil in a pan, and fry the fish pieces. Once done, remove and keep aside.

In the same oil, add bay leaves, chillies and fennel seeds, allow them to sputter and then add the masala paste. Stir for 1-2 minutes.

Now, add the pineapple juice and cook for 3 minutes. Add in a little sugar and stir for another minute.

Add the fish pieces along with half a cup of warm water (coffee mug)

Cook for 2-3 minutes and you are done.

 Serve it with hot piping rice  This recipe is delicious and personally, full of memories for me. Do give this a try and if you have any confusion or questions about it, feel free to ask me at bhattacharjee.me@gmail.com

By Indrani Mukherjee

A lover of literature, Indrani Mukherjee is working as a Technical/Content Specialist. A diehard fan of music and culture, she is a passionate cook and loves to write on various topics like childhood tales, random musings, travel, cooking, etc.