Like the start-and-stop showers this monsoon, sizeable hilsa is also being available in the market only in spurts. The wait for the right size has only increased the craving for the season’s finest crop. 

With monsoon in its final lap, De Sovrani hotel in DD Block is starting a hilsa festival at its restaurant Sand. “We are procuring fish only 900g and above in size. That is why we have started stocking up in advance so that people are happy with the size of individual pieces,” said executive chef Barid Baran Sau, pointing to two sumptuous pieces being served for every order of hilsa. 

With the chosen dish comes a bowl of steamed rice, vegetable fries, daal and a dessert item. “It will be a full meal for the price of the hilsa dish.”

For the festival the hotel has chosen recipes popular in erstwhile East Bengal. “We are calling the festival Dhakar swadey Ilish patey. Take, for instance, taro stolons (kochur loti). It is a popular item across the border. They cook it with mustard seeds and grated coconut. We have added hilsa to the preparation,” he said. Named Lotika Ilish, it costs Rs 898, all inclusive.

The richest of the 15 hilsa special dishes on offer at the festival are Ilisher Korma and Ilisher Tel Jhaal (both priced Rs 874). “But we are mostly keeping all the other dishes light, keeping people’s health concerns in mind.”

There are also perennial favourites like Muri Ghonto and Paturi. 

The chef has innovated with Bhapa Potol, using a stuffing of hilsa with poppy seed paste tempered with garlic and chilli (priced Rs 842). “This dish and Ilish kofta will have four pieces per serving,” Sau said.

For those wanting to avoid steamed rice, there is Ilisher Kofta Polau and Ilish Biryani (both priced Rs 874). The festival is on till August 14.