Demand for hilsa is usually higher than for any other fish in the market, and right now hilsa prices are a little lower than at other times. The price of this tasty fish may rise again in a few days, so many people will want to buy plenty of hilsa now and store it at home.

But without the right method it is not possible to store hilsa for long, so it is worth knowing how. Just two simple methods let us keep hilsa for six months or even a year.

• In the first method, cut the hilsa into pieces and, for each fish, rub the pieces well with 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of chilli powder, half a teaspoon of coriander powder and salt to taste. Put the spiced pieces in an airtight pack so that no air can move inside it, and store the packs in the deep freezer. The fish will keep for about six months this way. If you pack a set amount of fish for each meal, it is even easier to take out and cook.
• The second method keeps hilsa for more than six months. Put the whole hilsa in a polythene bag and keep it in the deep freezer, making sure no air gets into the bag. This way hilsa can be stored for a whole year.

Source: Dhaka Tribune. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.