Hilsa becomes widely available in markets during the monsoon. But many people are cheated when buying it, paying a high price for stale or rotten fish while trying to buy fresh.
Many also complain that some hilsa have little taste. Hilsa are caught from both the sea and rivers, and river fish are said to be tastier. According to experienced buyers, the first thing to check is whether the fish is bright and silvery.
Firmness and gills
To check whether a hilsa is fresh, test whether it is firm or soft. If it is very soft, or its head and tail droop as soon as you pick it up, it is old, and such a hilsa does not taste good.
Look carefully at the gills. Red gills mean the fish is fresh; brown or grey gills mean it is not fresh at all.
Mouth, eyes and smell
The narrower a hilsa's mouth, the better it tastes, so look around the market for narrow-mouthed fish.
Check the eyes too. Hilsa with blue, clear or bright eyes taste much better. In some fish the eyes are sunken, which usually happens when they have been kept in cold storage, and such fish do not taste good.
Above all, check the smell. Always make sure the fish does not give off an odour before you buy it.
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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