Come monsoons and every Bengali home will be filled with the aroma of Hilsa or illish as it’s fondly called. Most Bengali swear by it and bigger the size it’s better in taste. Hilsa is not just a fish but an emotion in itself. There has always been a debate on the taste of the hilsa of Ganges and the Bhramaputra or the Padma, not to miss that they ultimately flow into the salty waters of the Bay of Bengal provide Bengal. It’s said the even world famous filmmaker Satyajit Ray too surrendered to the charms of Shorshe ilish (Hilsa cooked in spicy mustard gravy).

The charm of this fish that it can be cooked in various ways be it smoked, dried, fried, steamed or cooked in gravy using mustard paste or coconut milk and more.