Ilish/ Hilsa Pulao by Nusrat Farzana

Cut hilsa fish into pieces and wash properly. Use a clean cloth or napkin to soak excess water.

Take a pan, heat properly, and add oil to the pan. Now add chopped onion. Fry for some time till slightly golden. Then add ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder,cumin powder,coriander powder, beaten sour yoghurt, salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes till oil release. Now add fish and cook with the lid for 3-4 minutes.

Now flip the fish carefully and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Now add a little water and some fried onion. Cook fish for another few minutes. Then carefully take the fish out of the pan with some spices and let the other amount of spices remain in the pan. Keep the fish aside.

Now add bay leaf in the pan, stir for some minutes and add pre-washed & drained rice. Keep stirring and fry in medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes till the rice makes sound.Add green chilli. Then add water and double the amount of rice. Add salt and sugar as you need.Add 1 tsp lime juice. Cook in medium heat with the lid.When the rice is almost cooked then put some rice and keep aside.Now take you fish and lay out in the rice, add some dried onion and cover up with access rice.Add 2 tbsp ghee and spread it.Add some more crispy fried onions on the top.

Now cover with the lid and keep it for 5 minutes on a very low flame. After 5 minutes turn the flame off and leave it for another 5 minutes covered. Take the fish pieces out of the rice carefully and lift the rice up & down.

Now ready to serve this delicious "Ilish polao".Enjoy your food with salad or pickle as you like.