Sorshe Bata Diye Ilisher Jhaal served with Gobindo Bhog: Pan-fried hilsa is simmered in the gravy so that it soaks in all the spices. The regular sorshe bata gets a twist with the addition of tomato and onion, just enough to add some body to the gravy. Rs 2,200-plus
Ilish Maachher Paturi: This steamed paturi preparation is a classic. Steaming allows the pores of the fish to open up faster and absorb the raw flavours of the sorshe bata. Rs 2,200-plus
Ginger, Spring Onion, Pickled Vegetables Salad: Deboned pieces of hilsa with a light coating of soya are glazed and served with pickled vegetables of different taste and texture like cucumber, Japanese ginger, onions and wakame (edible brown seaweed) to balance the strong taste of hilsa. A little fresh cream cheese and a poached egg enhance the flavour. Rs 1,800-plus
Mango Wood Essence, Baby Vegetables and Lemon Mustard Sauce: Smoked with mango wood, the deboned fish has a light marination of anchovy and kasundi. The dish dates back to more than 40 years in The Oberoi Grand kitchen and is thought to have been conceived to make it palatable to foreigners, who would otherwise stay away from the fish because of the bones. This is served with vegetables and a lemon-mustard sauce. Rs 2,750-plus
Ilish Pulao: After deboning the hilsa and removing the fillets, the rest of the body of the fish is chopped and then boiled with a mix of spices like bay leaf, ginger and cinnamon. The stock, with its fish flavour and gelatinous texture, is used as the base for the pulao, which is cooked with garam masala, fried onions, cashews and raisins. The fish and the pulao are then cooked in dum in a sealed handi. Rs 2,200-plus
What: Hilsar Jalsa Where: Threesixtythree°, The Oberoi Grand On till: July 31, 12.30pm to 3pm and 7pm to 11.30pm Meal for two: Rs 4,000-plus
With the season’s catch — ilish — swimming into the city markets, Threesixtythree° at The Oberoi Grand has laid out Hilsar Jalsa, a fish feast with the traditional Bengali jhaal and sorshe preparations as well as fusion flavours like a salad and a deboned, smoked dish.
“Ilish is a fish with such character that one does not want to mess with it too much. So all the dishes in the a la carte menu have been prepared to work with and enhance the flavour of the fish,” said Saurav Banerjee, executive chef, The Oberoi Grand.
Starting from a glazed preparation to steamed, deep-fried, simmered, under pressure and smoked, each of the six dishes on the menu is a plate full of flavours cooked using different techniques.
