Cabbage with Hilsa

Chhyanchra is a very popular delicacy from the Bengali cuisine made with mixed vegetable and fish head.  Chhyanchra is also popularly known as Chancharika is various other places. It is a authentic Bengali recipe that can be very lucidly described as a curry made of one or different types of herbs put together along with vegetables (mainly potatoes and pumpkin) and fish head. For more info click here.

Ingredients

half of bandhakopi \ cabbage

2 potatoes

1 tsp of turmeric powder

2 tsp of red pepper powder

2 tsp of coriander powder

1 bay leaf

½ tsp of panch phoron

1/2 tsp sugar

Salt as per taste

1 Head of Ilish (you can use other Big fishes)

For Ilish fish head:

1 tsp of Turmeric powder +some salt

Method:

1. Finely chop cabbage, cut potatoes in medium cube shapes and clean in water.

2. In a separate saucepan ,heat some oil, and fry marinated the fish head uniformly. Take out the fried ilish fish head, and take some of the cooking oil to add later in preparing chhyanchra.

3. Now in the cooking oil which comes out after frying ilish head , add some more oil 2-3 tbs , add panch phoron and bay leaf , let it splutter.

5. Now add potato pieces, fry them well , add all the masala ingredients, sugar and salt.

6. Add cabbage. Fry for 4-5mins.

7. At this moment add the ilish fish head and water/fish stalk if any (if you don’t feel like adding the  gravy, don’t add it , the chhyachra will be a bit dry).

8. Cover the pan & let it cook for 8-9mins. Do not forget to toss after every 2-3mins.

9. Turn off the flame and let it cool and serve with steamed rice or roti.