We had been waiting for this lunch for a long time. One of our annual gastronomic traditions is the Hilsa Festival at The Tollygunge Club in Kolkata—and, as always, it promised to be a celebration of our favourite fish, Ilish.
This year's feast began with a few starters and a beverage, but we all knew where the real excitement lay. What followed was quite possibly the biggest spread of Hilsa imaginable.
There was Hilsa Bhaja, Hilsa Bhapa, Hilsa Jhol, Hilsa Tok and Hilsa Murighoto, accompanied by all the Bengali essentials—steaming Bhaat, Bhaja Moonger Dal, Begun Bhaja, Alu Bhaja, Green Salad, Gondhoraj Lebu, Papad and Pineapple Chutney.
Course after course arrived, and every preparation brought its own character to the table. Crispy, steamed, rich, tangy, spicy and comforting—there seemed to be no end to the ways in which Ilish could be transformed into something delicious.
And then came dessert. Nolen Gurer Ice Cream, Rajbhog and Mishti Paan brought this magnificent feast to its sweet conclusion.
Did we have an Ilish Feast? Absolutely!
In fact, bets were laid on how many pieces of Ilish one could possibly manage. And believe you me, some of those bets were won!
We were the first people to arrive, settling in for a lunch that began at 12 noon, and somehow, we ended up being among the last to leave—walking out well past 3 in the afternoon.
Three hours of Ilish, conversation, laughter and an unapologetically indulgent Bengali feast.
Some lunches are simply meals. This one was an annual ritual, a gastronomic challenge and a celebration of Ilish all rolled into one.
Until next year's Hilsa Festival… Ilish, we shall meet again!
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