Ilish Maacher Tauk -- heady memories

Ilish Tauk | Ilish Machher Tok/Ambol | Hilsa Fish Chutney

Chutney, Ambol and Tok are the three different varieties of sour dishes in Bengal, the difference being in the sourness and thickness of the gravy in the dish. While Chutneys are the sweetest with a thick, sticky base, the ambol and tauk/tok are more sour and have a thinner gravy. Of all this, the Tauk(or Tok) is supposed to be the most sour. Since fish is abundant in Bengal, fish often features in a Tok or Ambol. Usually it's the tiny Mourala  which goes in a Tok or the fish head and tail of Hilsa (Ilish Macher Tok).  This tangy stew kinda dish is had as a last course, mixed with rice and supposed to have cooling effects in the hot summer.

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Update: This post was originally done in2012. I am updating with new photos and more precise recipe in 2021.

Amidst the umpteen other things that my Dida(maternal grandmother) cooked, there was an Ilish Macchher Tauk. Heads of ambrosial Ilish suspended in a thick, brown, sweet and syrupy liquid that was sweetened with jaggery and soured by ripe tamarind. To call it a "Hilsa Head Chutney" would be plain blasphemy.

It was a backstage kinda dish. I mean while the choicest pieces of Ilish were fried and served as is in a bhaja, the beautiful steak pieces steamed as a bhapa in clinging mustard sauce with fluffed white rice, the fish roe were fried and served with the tel and fresh green chili, the head and the tail led a sad life in waiting.

"Too many bones. Can't eat it", said the young girls in the family with a toss of freshly washed step-cut hair.

"Not enough meat in these pieces", said the grown up men who thought it beneath themselves to be served a lyaja -- a fish tail.

"Rohu heads are better. This has a strong smell", said the younger men, their faces till gentle, their opinion yet not chauvinistic.

And so the matha and the lyaja -- the fish head and the fish tail -- waited in my Dida's kitchen till she was done with the bhaja, the jhaal, the jhol. By then the sun was high up, the crows sitting on the Neem tree outside the kitchen were tired of all the cawing, the neighborhood cat had a princely meal of Ilish fish scales and was patiently waiting by the kaltala for the remains from the men's lunch plates who could never chew on the fish bones. The kaajer mashi--the house help-- Minoti'r Ma was hovering around the back door waiting to see which piece she would be taking home.

Ilish Mach er Tok/Ambol

It was then that my Dida opened up a green lidded plastic jar where lay a block of tamarind, brown, ripe and sticky wrapped in a piece of Bartaman.
The matha and the lyaja heaved relief. They loved the tauk. They loved being in that tangy, sweet liquid where they were the stars of the dish.

Minoti'r Ma stopped fretting and came to sit by the stove. I kept telling Ma that I would have lunch later with Dida and the older women. Dida put the kadahi back on the unoon and poured some more Mustard Oil in it. Minoti'r Ma rubbed the tamarind in a bowl full of water to take out the seeds and make the "kaath". The water slowly turned a deep burnt sienna and the kadhai hissed with scarlet red chili and mustard seeds. The matha and lyaja nudged each other and smiled. Their moment had come. As they bubbled in the tamarind gravy of the tauk sweetened by jaggery I waited patiently for the last course of my meal. The Ilish maacher Matha'r tauk.

My Mother made this tauk way back in March when she was visiting. I merely hovered around in anticipation. She and I are the only ones in the family who will eat this dish nowadays. So I wait for her--to visit us---and amidst many other things to cook me a Ilish Maacher tauk.

Chutney, Ambol and Tok are the three different varieties of sour dishes in Bengal, the difference being in the sourness and thickness of the gravy in the dish. While Chutneys are the sweetest with a thick, sticky base, the ambol and tauk/tok are more sour and have a thinner gravy. Of all this, the Tauk(or Tok) is supposed to be the most sour. Since fish is abundant in Bengal, fish often features in a Tok or Ambol. Usually it's the tiny Mourala  which goes in a Tok or the fish head and tail of Hilsa (Ilish Macher Tok).  This tangy stew kinda dish is had as a last course, mixed with rice and supposed to have cooling effects in the hot summer.

Different souring agents like dried mango, raw green mango or tamarind is sued as a souring agent. My grandmother always made this dish with Tamarind and I use the same. Since my grandmother's version has a beautiful sweet and sour balance, and is not very sour, some may also refer to this is Ilish Macher Ambol.

Ilish Maacher Matha'r Tauk -- Hilsa Head in a sweet-sour gravy

Head of Hilsa Fish/Ilish er Maatha - 1 fish head, cut into medium pieces

Tail of Hilsa Fish/Ilish er Lyaaj - 1 fish tail

Tamarind - 1 ball of tamarind about 1-2" diameter

Dry Red Chilli - 2

Mustard seeds for tempering - 1 tsp

You can also use Paanchphoron for tempering

Turmeric powder - 2 tsp

Salt - to taste (about 1 tsp)

Sugar - 3/4th Cup

Bhaja Masla - 1/2 tsp

Mustard Oil - for frying fish

Prep

Clean head and tail piece of Hilsa. Pat dry.

Rub with 1 tsp Turmeric powder, 1 tsp of Mustard Oil and salt and then keep aside for 20 mins. 

Soak a round ball of ripe tamarind in 1/2 Cup warm water for 10-15 minutes. Rub to take the pulp out. Alternatively use 2 Tbsp of tamarind paste and mix with 1/2 Cup Warm water.

Fry the fish pieces

Heat Mustard Oil for frying fish. Hilsa fish releases a lot of its own oil on frying so I start off with say  approx. 1/4th Cup of Mustard oil.

When the oil is hot, sprinkle a little turmeric powder on the hot oil. I have seen this reduces the splattering.

Now lower the heat and gently slide in the fish head and tail pieces. Once all the fish pieces are in teh oil, increase the heat.

Fry pieces of Ilish till it is golden brown on both sides. Remove the fried fish head and tail.

Make the Tok

In the same kadhai/wok that you fried the fish, take out the excess oil and leave about 3 Tbsp of Mustard Oil.

Note: The rest of the oil will be used for another fish dish.

Temper Oil with 1 tsp Black Mustard Seeds(or Paanchphoron) + 2 Dry red Chili

Add the Tamarind paste water. Next add the fried fish head and mix it in. Cook for 2-3 minutes. 

Add about 1.5 cup water and bring to a simmer.

Add salt to taste and 3/4th Cup of sugar.

Simmer for the next 4-5 minutes. Taste and adjust for sugar and salt.

Sprinkle with some bhaja masla.

The Tok or Sour should not be thick like a chutney, the gravy will be thin enough to sip. Mix it with rice and enjoy

Similar recipes:

 Ilish Maacher Matha diye Ambol at KichuKhonn