Hilsa, (Ilish) is no longer just the Bengali gourmet’s delight.

You could have knocked me down with a feather, albeit an iron one. I was sitting with my Punjabi friends and talking about some good gourmet experiences we had. Their reactions amazed me, “ Have the hilsa, and not with the bones”. For long years, it was a fish that only easterners talked about. East India was passionate about the hilsa fish, but the rest of India had no idea what it was all about. But, that, as I can see now, is no longer the case. The Hilsa has been co-opted --- it’s no longer the secret closely guarded by the east. Those who had never eaten a hilsa are doing so with a real vengeance these days.

I know the passionate hilsa lover would rather go on a fast than eat boneless hilsa. I have friends and relatives who tell me that half the fun of eating a hilsa lies in talking the bones in and out. I, however, have large legion of friends who love their fish, but have been avoiding the hilsa because of its bones. And many of them think the boneless hilsa is the best discovery after the remote.

In the age of entrepreneurship, I suppose the hilsa has found new avatars. In restaurants where the hilsa is served, they are looking at novel ways of preparing the fish. Hilsa prepared with pumpkin leaves, coconut, mustard and mango pickle is one of the wonderful recipes. The fish is sometimes wrapped in a nice and leafy bottle gourd leaf and steamed along with rice. The fish is then served with the leaf, which is great to eat, especially when the plant is a young one.

The hilsa , truly, is a wonderful fish. The sea fish goes to the river to spawn ------- and the taste changes radically. It’s the queen of fish. In fact, if you take all the different ways of cooking the fish into account, it’s an entire house of royals all by itself.

Delights of Indian Cooking

India is a complex country, rich and fascinating, just like its food. The cuisine can be as simple as a one dish meal or a sumptuous feast with courses and condiment after condiment arranged like jewels on a tray.

Most people unfamiliar with the cuisine expect it to be very spicy, with overwhelming lists of ingredients and unfamiliar words. The ingredient lists may be long, but usually the length is made up of spices you can just line up on the counter and add as you cook. Indian cooking tries to incorporate sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent, and spicy into all meals; this balance of flavors has spiritual meaning as well.

The most important advice is to relax and have fun. You are broadening your horizons and adding zip to your life by trying Indian recipes. I believe that food defines us as a culture and brings us together as people. And the more you know about other cuisines, the more you will understand the world.

This simple microwave recipe is very easy to make, and so delicious.

Sprinkle Fish Fillets

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. fish fillets, in serving size pieces,
2 Tbsp. lemon juice,
1/4 tsp. salt,
1 Tbsp. butter,
1 Tbsp. flour,
1/2 tsp. curry powder,
1/2 cup milk,
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley,
Mango chutney,
Toasted coconut or chopped peanuts.


Method:


Arrange fish in 12 x 8" microwave safe dish, with thickest parts to outside. Sprinkle with lemon juice and salt. Cover with microwave safe plastic wrap and microwave on high power for 3 minutes. Rotate dish and microwave 2-4 minutes longer, until fish flakes with fork.

Remove, cover, and let stand 3 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare sauce.
In 2 cup microwave safe glass measuring cup, melt butter. Add flour, salt and curry powder and blend well. Add milk and stir to blend with wire whisk. Microwave uncovered on high power, stirring every minute, until sauce is thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Pour sauce over fish, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with chutney and coconut or peanuts.

4-6 servings.
Cook Time : 10min.

Choose Indian Cuisine

The Wonderland of Indian Cuisine


That is how Shakespeare would have undoubtedly put it…..talking about Indian Cuisine, which, with its immense variety, has carved a niche for itself internationally. People from other parts of the world, especially in the West, simply adore Indian cuisine, despite the fact that a majority of its dishes are spicy, tangy and hot ! Indeed Continental as well as American cuisine (save Mexican) is rather bland when compared to their Indian counterpart. Down the centuries, Indian spices have always lured the adventurous, sea-farers and explorers to come to India and carry away bulk quantities to their native lands. All that is a part of our history now.


Food, glorious food...The way to a man's heart is through his stomach...An army marches on its stomach....and so many other cliches that all centre around one of life's necessities - eating. Without exception we aim to ensnure you into a truly unique, unforgettable cuisine experience. We combine the ancient with the modern and take you down the path to losing yourself in the exotic flavours of INDIA.


Indian cuisine is gaining popularity around the globe. Easy to prepare, tasty and it's mainstay grains, lentils and vegetable dishes is allowing Indian cuisine to gain popularity all over the world. Today, many people want a balance of both protein and carbohydrates. Indian cuisine offers the health promoting properties of various herbs, ginger and spices, as well as a well-balanced diet. Yogurt, an accompaniment to Indian meals, introduces good flora into the digestive system.


Many of our menus are vegetarian, which tend to be more alkaline than non-vegetarian menus. Fresh fruit follows Indian meals, which also contributes to an alkaline balance. meals are easy to prepare, taking about 20 to 30 minutes to prepare at an averga. Many foods can be cooked in crockpots, pressure cooker or in pans. Beans/lentils can be soaked overnight. Whole wheat dough for chappatis and rotis can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for later use. Tortillas and pita breads may be substitued for Indian flat breads.