Bengalis relish hilsa fish as imports of the Bangladeshi delicacy grow

A 19th century woodcut: old passionIt has always been around. But this monsoon it has announced its dazzling pre-eminence at the market and the kitchen. The gastronomic conquest of Bengal by the hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) fish this year is the most delicious outcome of the current thaw in Indo-Bangladesh relations.The hilsa, or simplyilish mach, is a Bengali icon of ambrosial excellence. This month, as floodgates opened to imports from Bangladesh, 4,000 kg of the silvery delight hit Calcutta's fish marts each day - sending prices to unprecedented lows and rekindling nostalgia for the pre-Partition days.Padmar Iilish, the cousin of the West Bengal variety that the post-Independence generation had been deprived of, is now almostde rigueur."It's amazing how fast people are learning to tell the difference between the Padma and Gangetic (West Bengal) varieties," remarks Ashim Das, a fishmonger at a south Calcutta market. He demands Rs 70 a kilo but is willing to sell at Rs 50 on weekdays after mild persuasion. The trucks that formerly returned empty from Petrapole checkpost after unloading, are loaded full on the return trip. Yes, Gujralism is setting the minor brother's balance of trade position (Rs 264 crore of exports against Rs 4,742 crore of imports) a wee bit towards the black.The hilsa found in the Padma is prized for its superior taste. Until 1993, the taste was virtually unknown to Bengalis on the Indian side. Imports began that year, but the trade stopped in 1994 as Bangladeshi exporters began demanding hard currency. This year's hilsa bonanza is because the Indian Government in January eased the cumulative restrictions on the fish along with 180 other items. The hilsa, traded duty-free against dollars, is retailed at the Calcutta market with a 100 per cent margin.Hilsa is eaten fried, smoked, steamed, wrapped thick in mustard sauce or in stews flavoured with sesame seeds, with slivers of brinjal. Its head is deep fried with "pui" greens. Even its hard roe and fat are not spared by the Bengali. The import from Bangladesh has boosted Bengal's obsession with the fish. Park Hotel's Indian foods' restaurant, Saffron, now advertises hilsa courses on its menu. Waldorf, a popular Chinese restaurant in Calcutta, is offering a special Chinese hilsa preparation. A fraction of the import is also being despatched to the Delhi market to the delight of the capital's substantial Bengali population.Steamed ('Bhapa') HilsaThe fish is equally delectable whether fried, steamed or smoked Ingredients: 12 pieces cut from a large hilsa fish (about 2kg); 100 gm mustard paste; 10 green chillies; half tea-spoon each of turmeric powder and chilli powder; 50 gm mustard oil; salt to taste. Preparation: Clean fish. In a bowl, mix ingredients and rub the mixture well on the fish pieces. Fill a pan with 14th water and dip into it contents of the bowl. Cover the pan tight and cook for 30 minutes. Serve piping hot. The Bangladesh hilsa has captured the Indian Bengalis' culinary imagination because of the vast superiority of its taste over the local catch. In the Indian rivers, the hilsa, which ascends the waters periodically to spawn, gets stuck in its journey up the polluted rivers, or against dams. The Bangladeshi hilsa enjoys a comparatively long run upstream Because of the length of the country's twisted and less polluted rivers. In recent years, the Gangetic catch has sharply dwindled. Until the arrival of the Bangladesh supplies, its prices had soared to the Rs 120-Rs 150 range.Despite its revered status in the two Bengals, the hilsa is largely unknown in other parts of India. Explains Chanchal Chakraborty, corporate manager of the Peerless Inn hotel of Calcutta whose restaurant, Aheli, is a visitor's best bet as a one-stop place for Bengali spread: "The best Bengali dishes are fresh water fish whose taste is not known to other Indians. Being perishable, they cannot be stored for too long either." Besides, Bengali fish preparations are challenging for their high bone content. That dilutes their inherent advantage of being almost cholesterol free.In volume terms, therefore, the fish does not find a huge market in India. The bulk of Bangladesh's fish export earning comes from prawn, the most global marine product. Experts are urging India and Bangladesh to explore opportunities of building the hilsa as a brand in the West because of its low cholesterol content. In taste too, it is a close cousin of the shad (Alosa sapidissina), widely accepted in the US as a healthy alternative to sea fish. That may pack more value into the hilsa but will drive up its price. Which is good economics but bad gastronomy.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Sep 15, 1997 00:00 IST--- ENDS ---

Download App

Get 37% off on an annual Print +Digital subscription of India Today Magazine

Bengalis relish hilsa fish as imports of the Bangladeshi delicacy grow

Bengalis relish hilsa as imports of the Bangladeshi delicacy grow.

PUBLICATIONS

TELEVISION

EVENTS

RADIO

GAMING

USEFUL LINKS

PRINTING

WELFARE

DISTRIBUTION

SYNDICATIONS

WEBSITES

EDUCATION