🍽️ Ilish Macher Shukto – Bitter-Sweet Hilsa Curry

“Ilish Macher Shukto” is a delightful and unique Bengali delicacy combining the succulent Hilsa fish with the bittersweet charm of traditional Shukto spices. This dish perfectly balances bitter, sweet, and savory notes, making it a standout recipe for special occasions.

🥘 Ingredients

For the Main Dish:

• 🐟 Hilsa Fish (Ilish): 500g, cut into medium slices
• 🍆 Eggplant (brinjal): 1 medium-sized, diced
• 🥔 Potato: 2 medium-sized, diced
• 🎋 Drumsticks (Sajna Data): 2, peeled and cut
• 🥒 Bitter Gourd (Korola): 1 small, thinly sliced
• 🟢 Raw Banana: 1, peeled and sliced
• 🌿 Neem Leaves: 10-12 fresh leaves (optional, adds authentic bitterness)
• 🌾 Mustard Oil: 5 tablespoons
• 🥥 Coconut Milk: 1 cup
• 🍚 Panch Phoron (Bengali five-spice): 1 teaspoon
• 🌶️ Green Chilies: 4, slit
• 🌸 Turmeric Powder: 1 teaspoon
• 🧂 Salt: as per taste
• 🍯 Sugar/Jaggery: 1 tablespoon
• 💧 Water: 1½ cups

Spice Paste:

• 🌰 Mustard Seeds (Black and Yellow mixed): 2 tablespoons
• 🌰 Poppy Seeds (Posto): 1 tablespoon
• 🥜 Cashew Nuts: 8-10 pieces
• 🌶️ Ginger Paste: 1 teaspoon

👨‍🍳 Cooking Process (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Preparation

• Wash Hilsa fish pieces gently, marinate with salt and turmeric powder, and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Prepare the spice paste by soaking mustard seeds, poppy seeds, and cashew nuts in warm water for 30 mins. Grind them along with ginger into a fine paste. Keep aside.

Step 2: Frying the Vegetables

• Heat mustard oil in a pan until it reaches smoking point, then cool slightly.
• Add Panch Phoron, fry till aromatic.
• Add bitter gourd slices and neem leaves, sauté until lightly golden and set aside separately.
• Add potatoes, drumsticks, eggplant, and raw banana slices to the same oil; fry lightly, sprinkle salt and turmeric. Remove and keep aside.

Step 3: Cooking the Hilsa (Ilish)

• In the same pan, lightly fry Hilsa fish slices until golden on both sides. Remove carefully and keep aside.

Step 4: Preparing the Curry

• In the same oil, add spice paste and sauté gently until oil separates.
• Pour in coconut milk, stir continuously, and simmer gently.
• Add fried vegetables (except bitter gourd and neem leaves), green chilies, salt, sugar (or jaggery), and water.
• Cover and simmer for about 8-10 minutes until vegetables become tender.

Step 5: Final Assembly

• Add the fried Hilsa fish pieces carefully, along with fried bitter gourd slices and neem leaves. Gently simmer another 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
• Adjust seasoning as per your taste.

Step 6: Serve

• Remove from heat, drizzle lightly with raw mustard oil (optional) for added flavor.
• Serve hot, garnished with green chilies, accompanied by steamed rice or Bengali pulao.

🌟 Chef’s Special Tips

• Authentic Hilsa fish from Sundarbans enhances the flavor significantly.
• Keep bitterness mild by limiting neem leaves if you prefer a lighter bitter taste.
• Do not overcook Hilsa, as it’s delicate and cooks quickly.

📌 Footnote
This authentic Hilsa dish is celebrated widely during the renowned Sundarban Hilsa festival (Sundarban ilish utsav), where people gather from around the globe to savor this delicacy and celebrate Bengali culinary heritage.

Recipe adapted and inspired by traditional Bengali cooking methods.