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Ilish dim bhuna

Name: Ilish dim bhuna
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Bangladeshi
Ingredients: 300 g hilsa roe (or other fish roe); 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp salt; 3 tbsp mustard oil; 2 onions; 2 cloves garlic; 1 /2 tsp red chilli powder; 3 green chillies; 2 tbsp fresh coriander

ইলিশ মাছের ডিম ভুনা (ilish macher dim bhuna): Barisal hilsa roe fried with onion, turmeric and chilli

Features:

High protein Quick Dairy free

Cuisine:

Bangladeshi

Early in the hilsa season the female fish carry a pair of large, golden roe sacs, and in Barisal kitchens nobody would dream of wasting them. Ilish dim bhuna is the quick and greedy way to cook them: the roe is fried with lots of onion, turmeric and green chilli until it breaks into soft, rich, slightly grainy crumbs, a little like a savoury fish scramble. It is eaten as a side dish with plain rice and dal, often on the same day the fish itself is cooked in mustard. Roe spoils quickly, so buy it bright and fresh-smelling with the fish and cook it the same day. Many cooks stir the roe too early and too hard, turning it into paste; let it set first. Chef's tip: steam the roe sacs for 3 minutes before frying, so they firm up and break into neat crumbs.

Total time: 25 min
Difficulty: easy
Serves: 4

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Ingredients

Serves4

For the roe

10 ½ oz hilsa roe (or other fish roe)membrane intact, rinsed
1 /2 tsp ground turmericdivided
1 tsp saltdivided
3 tbsp mustard oil
2 onionsfinely chopped
2 cloves garlicfinely chopped
1 /2 tsp red chilli powder
3 green chillieschopped
2 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped

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Method

0/7 done

Step 1: Toss 10 ½ oz hilsa roe (or other fish roe) with 0.5 /2 tsp ground turmeric and ½ tsp salt, then steam it on a plate over simmering water for 3 minutes until it firms and turns opaque on the outside.
3 min
Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat until it just smokes, then lower to medium.
2 min
Step 3: Add 2 onions and fry for 5–6 minutes until soft and pale gold, then add 2 cloves garlic and fry for 1 minute.
6 min
Step 4: Stir in 1 /2 tsp red chilli powder, the remaining 0.5 /2 tsp ground turmeric and the remaining ½ tsp salt.
1 min
Step 5: Add the roe in pieces and leave it for 2 minutes without stirring so it sets.
2 min
Step 6: Break it up gently with the spatula and fry for 3–4 minutes until it forms soft, golden crumbs and is firm and opaque all the way through.
4 min
Step 7: Stir in 3 green chillies and 2 tbsp fresh coriander and serve hot with rice and dal.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 230 kcal
Protein: 19 g
Carbs: 6 g
Fat: 15 g
Fibre: 1 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does ilish dim bhuna take?: About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?: 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it gluten free?: Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of ground turmeric?: Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
What can I use instead of onions?: 2 shallots per onion.

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