By now you know I love fish. I eat fish pretty much anyway you can cook them or uncooked as in the case of sashimi.  There is a particular fish that is found mostly in Bengal and Bengali’s are crazy for it. The fish is called Ilish by people of Bengal and Hilsha by everyone else. Well that fish is not always available to everyone outside. Plus it is difficult to fillet. The taste of Ilish is very similar to that of Salmon. So sometimes, Salmon is an acceptable substitute for those that just want a little taste of it.

The recipe I am sharing today is my take on a family recipe. My grandmother always used to steam the ilish fish in a similar sauce and it was the best. In the age of microwaves, the recipe has been adapted for microwave cooking too by my family. But the recipe I am sharing, I actually baked it. Although I love the original recipe, which I will post at a later time with actual Ilish fish, is absolutely divine, this particular recipe was loved by my family too.

Baked Salmon in Mustard Paste – Shorshe Salmon

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

350 gm Salmon Fillet (about 2-3 pieces)
1 tsp mustard paste (recipe follows)
2 tbsp coconut milk powder
salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp mustard oil
2-3 tbsp water

Pre-heat oven at 350F.

Wash and clean salmon and set aside.

Mix all the ingredients except salmon together in a small bowl to make a somewhat thick paste. Place each piece of salmon on aluminum foil. Now spread equal amount of the mustard mixture on each piece of salmon. Using the aluminum foil to make air tight pouches. Now bake the salmon pouches in the pre-heated oven until the fish is cooked – about 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. Serve hot with your choice of sides.

Mustard Paste

Ingredients:

1/2 cup black mustard seeds
1 green chili (you can add more if you like)
salt
water

Place ingredients in the blender and blend to a smooth paste. It should be a thick paste. You can store any excess in the freezer and use as required.