My mom still raves about eating this fish at a restaurant on the Bay of Bengal many years ago. During my India 2023 trip I got the chance to eat it several times.

Ilish¹ can have A LOT of bones that don't appear to follow a certain pattern, but taking your time to dissect it and pluck the occasional escaped bones from your mouth is very rewarding.

In West Bengal, ilish mach is often served in a typical Bengali mustard sauce. Served this way, it is called Shorshe ilish².