Bangladeshi shorshe ilish (hilsa in mustard)

A Bangladeshi seafood dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 4
Active time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h

Organic sourcing

Hilsa fish is wild-caught, so organic is not applicable. Mustard seeds can be affected by pesticides; organic is a better choice here. Green chilies are also worth sourcing organic as they are on the dirty list.

Ingredients

• 4 pieces hilsa fish steaks
• 2 tbsp mustard seeds
• 2 tbsp poppy seeds
• 4 green chilies
• 1/4 cup mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• to taste sea salt
• 1/4 cup water

Method

1. Soak the mustard and poppy seeds in water for 15 minutes, then drain.
2. Grind the soaked seeds into a smooth paste with 2 green chilies and a small amount of water.
3. Rub the fish steaks with turmeric and sea salt. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
4. In a pan, heat mustard oil until it starts to smoke lightly.
5. Add the ground paste to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously.
6. Add the fish steaks to the pan and pour in 1/4 cup of water.
7. Cover the pan and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the fish is cooked through.
8. Finish with the remaining green chilies, slit lengthwise, and cook for 1-2 more minutes.

Notes

• If hilsa is unavailable, substitute with a fatty fish like shad or mackerel.
• Serve shorshe ilish with steamed white rice for a traditional pairing.

Source

Paraphrased from the culinary canon by Organic.is editors, 2026. Classic Bangladeshi recipe. If you'd like a specific source for further reading, ask Tinni (bottom-right) for a book recommendation.