Ilish Polao (Hilsha Rice Polao)

Serves three to four people.

Ingredients:

• Medium sized Hilsha fish - 1
• Polao rice - 3 cups
• Chopped onions - 1 cup
• Ginger paste - 2 teaspoons
• Ground turmeric -1 teasooon
• Coriander powder - ½ teaspoon
• Yogurt - 4 tablespoons
• Green chili - 5 to 6
• Salt - 1 tablespoon
• Oil - ½ cup

Preparation:

• Clean the rice a few times, rinse and keep aside.
• Clean the Hilsha and cut into thick pieces. Rinse the pieces dry and marinate with turmeric, coriander, yogurt, and a little bit of salt for 5 minutes.

• Heat about ¼ cup of oil in a pan and brown the onions.
• Add the marinated fish pieces and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat.
• Pour in ½ cup of water, and add the green chili. Keep over low heat.
• Once the water dries up slightly and the gravy thickens, turn off the heat.

• Heat the rest of the oil in a separate pan, and fry the rice with ginger and the rest of the salt with 2 to 3 minutes.
• Cook the rice in 6 to 7 cups of water. When the water starts boiling, cover the pan and keep over medium heat.
• Wait for 5 to 7 minutes before stirring the rice again and putting the lid back on. Turn down the heat to low now.
• Turn off the heat when the rice is boiled and the water dries up.

• Take out approximately half of the cooked rice and pour in all the fish pieces and the gravy.
• Now cover the fish with the separated rice and cook over low heat for 3 to 4 more minutes.
• Turn off the heat completely when the mixture looks thoroughly cooked, having a characteristic fragrance.
• Serve hot.