BAKED SPINACH HILSA / SHAD FISH

Illish Mach (Hilsa/Shad fish) is a Bengali's cuisine delight. There is Hilsa Paturi (Baked) or Hilsa Fish Bhapa (steamed) in Bengali's kitchen. Here, I modify little bit Hilsa Paturi by baking with spinach. It is so flavourful, tasty and full of vitamins, but very easy to make. It consumes very less oil and spices, but assuredly delectable.

INGREDIENTS:
1lb/454 gm Hilsa Fish (cleaned and washed)
2 cups Baby Spinch (washed)
2 tbsps fresh Mustard paste
1 1/2 tbsps plain unflavoured Yogurt (curd)
1 tbsp Sour Cream
3 Green Chillies, cut in slits
1/3 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Black Pepper powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/2 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp Buter (for greasing)
1/2 tsp Salt


METHOD:

Put spinach leaves on warm water for 2 minutes. Then drain water and set aside.

Marinate the fish with yogurt, mustard paste, turmeric powder, black pepper powder, sour cream, oyster sauce, red chilli powder, salt and oil. Refrigerate the marinated fish for 3-4 hours.

Grease a baking tray with butter. Place half of the spinach on the bottom of tray.

Arrange marinated fish pieces and green chillies on the above of spinach layer and followed by another layer with remaining spinach leaves on the top.

Cover baking tray with alluminium foil and seal it tightly.

Now place it on the upper rack of the preheated oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes. Switch off oven, keep it inside for another 10 minutes.

Now Baked Hilsa is ready to serve with steamed rice.

"This recipe goes to Sara's Event Cooking with Love Series, hosted at Torviewtoronto".