Best Bengali Fish Types
Ilish (Tenualosa ilisha) is a fish that is mostly found in the coastal waters of the Bay of Bengal. During the monsoon season, it moves upstream to the rivers of Padma and Ganga to sprawl. It may reach the size of 50cm, and it can weigh up to three kilograms.
The fish is appreciated for its tender flesh and its roe, which is often named as the caviar of the tropics. Ilish is an incredibly important ingredient for Bengali, both in Bangladesh and West Bengal. It is used in a variety of ways, from simple frying to steaming and simmering in thick, flavorful sauces, as well as in the classic fish stew macher jhol.
Rohu (lat. Labeo rohita) is a species of freshwater fish of the carp family native to South East Asia that populates the rivers of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal. It has a streamlined body with a slightly arched head and a small mouth.
The color is a bright silver with a bluish-green tint with a distinctive black patch on its tail fin. Mature rohu fish can grow up to 2 meters (6.4 ft) in length and weigh up to 20 kilograms (44 lbs), although most commonly, they average around 0.5 meters (1.6 ft).
Catla (lat. Labeo catla) is a freshwater fish species of the carp family, found in the rivers and lakes of South East Asia, most commonly in India, Bangladesh, Nepal (where it's called bhakura), and Pakistan. It has an elongated body with a large head and a slightly flattened belly.
It can grow up to 2 meters (6.4 ft) in length and can weigh up to 38 kilograms (85 lb). The fish has a silvery color with a slightly greenish tint on its back, and a whitish belly. It is highly regarded in the cuisines of South East Asian countries because of its tender and succulent flesh which has a mild, sweet flavor.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.