Is it really fishy?

Hi guys, writing after a long time. What could be more pleasing than writing about my favorite food after this big gap? That too suggested by one of my favorite people. Does it sound fishy? No, it's fish. Like any other Bengali, I love to eat fish. If you give me nothing other than 'fishes' to eat, albeit three times a day, I will still cherish them.

Ilish, made by my husband.           

Rice and fish curry are the most common staple food for Bengalis. I first tasted fish in my rice ceremony (on this event, a baby, roughly around 6/7 months old first tastes food that an adult eats). There was a time when I was privileged to get a few pieces of fish on a single meal, now this is past tense for me. This is mainly because I stay away from home, specifically out of Bengal. I wrote earlier in one of my blogs, how I made fish pickle. This time, I am not going to tell you any specific story of mine, rather I will tell you how many types of fishes I know. 

Last week, I had a conversation with one of my vegetarian (also non-Bengali) friends, who only knows of one type of fish Chingri (Prawn), although technically speaking it is not a real fish, rather an insect! She was taken aback when I told her that I am aware of at least 100 types of fish. Here I am going to list the edible fishes I know and successfully delivered them to my stomach,

1. Hilsa (Illish) (You are my first love, but lately we rarely see each other)   
2. Rohu (Rui) (You remind me of standard wedding food)                                         
3. Katla
4. Boal
5. Shingi (Ahhhhh!! I miss you)
6. Magur
7. Lyata (I like it with black pepper)
8. Shol
9. Vetki
10. Pomfret (I feel you are simply overhyped)
11. Pabda
12. Puti
13. Shor-Puti
14. Khoka-Ilish
15. Kholse
16. Fyasa (I used to hate you once, but now I miss you too)
17. Chanda
18. Mourala
19. Loita
20. Chitol
21. Rup Chanda
22. Bata (Don't like you that much)
23. Maya
24. Baspata (We met only once, ages ago at my maternal grandfather's place)
25. Pangash (We had too many encounters, now I hate you)
26. Kuche
27. Chingri (You are a sort of  - 'a friend in need, a friend indeed'. don't like you that much, but as you are available everywhere, you suffice my fish craving when nothing is around, though you are not a fish at all)
28. Bele
29. Aar
30. Pakal
31. Tyangra
32. Parshe
33. Folui 
34. Grass curp
35. Silver Curp
36. Mrigel
37. Kachki
38. Kajori (I tasted you only at my in-law's place)
39. Kalbosh
40. Koi (Love you)
41. Ban
42. Topse
43. Telapia
44. Gurjali
45. Bhangon
46. Khoira
47. Boroli
48. Basa (Ah! you are a savior to a person who does not know how to cut a fish, saved my life in Pune)
49. Salmon (You are tasty but very expensive)
50. Tuna (Same story with you)
51. Sardin (Again expensive!)
52. Pollock (Had only once at Nordsee restaurant and if I remember correctly in Zürich)

Damn, though I boasted to her that I knew 100 fishes, but could only jot down 52 names. I am sure my parents could have added a few more to this list. 

Dab chingri@Oh!Calcutta

It is quite surprising that one can prepare several types of dishes from a single type of fish. For say, Ilish, one can cook sorshe Ilish (curry with Mustard seeds paste), vapa Ilish (sort of baked), Dahi Ilish (prepared with curd), Ilish parturi (baked while wrapped in banana leaf), also simple curry with vegetables like eggplant. For chingri, you can prepare Malaikari (with coconut), dab chingri (cooked with tender coconut), chingri vapa. Vetki, on the other hand, is best in Paturi form. Pabda and Koi are best when cooked with mustard oil, mustard seed paste, Kalo jeera, and coriander leaf. 

Katla, cooked by me.

Most of these fishes taste the best when cooked with mustard oil and mustard seed paste (in German, Senf). Boroli fish is very special to me because I had it only once and that too on our honeymoon. It simply tastes heavenly.  The last four in the list, Salmon,  Tuna, Sardin, and Pollock I only had them when I visited Europe.

So, these are the fishes I tasted, liked, and also remembered. Please write in the comment box below if you have tasted anything else than those mentioned in the list above. I will try my best to first find them and then of course needless to mention taste them.