The monsoon means pattering rain, cloudy skies and a plate of hot rice with hilsa cooked in many ways. But enjoying hilsa does not always need complicated cooking. "Ilish macher kacha makha", made with the sharp taste of raw hilsa, the heat of green chillies and onion and the aroma of mustard oil, can be a special treat on a rainy day.

The dish is easy and quick to make and goes very well with rice, so this monsoon you can try tasty ilish kacha makha today.

First wash the fish well and drain off the water. Put the fish in a bowl and add chopped onion, half a teaspoon each of turmeric, chilli and cumin powder, and salt to taste. With clean hands, gently rub the spices into the fish.

Now add two tablespoons of mustard oil and mix well once more.

Put a karahi (wok) on the stove and pour in the rest of the mustard oil. When the oil is hot, add half a teaspoon of chilli powder. Keep the heat low to medium at this stage, because chilli powder can burn on high heat. Then carefully add the spiced fish to the pan. Pour a little water into the bowl in which the fish was marinated, rinse out the remaining spices and add that water to the karahi too.

Gently swirl the karahi to mix the spices with the fish. Cover and cook on medium heat for 8 to 9 minutes. Then remove the lid, carefully move the pan and turn the fish pieces over. Scatter over sliced green chillies, lower the heat and cook for about 5 more minutes.

Finally sprinkle over roasted cumin powder, take the pan off the heat and leave it covered for 3 minutes. Serve the delicious ilish kacha makha with hot rice.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.