Panta Bhat (পান্তা ভাত) — Overnight Fermented Rice with Fried Ilish

• 900 gcooked parboiled rice (preferably day-old and fully cooled)
• 1.2 lfiltered water
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 4 tspmustard oil
• 1red onion (thinly sliced, about 120 g)
• 4green chiles (slit lengthwise)
• 1lime (cut into wedges)
• 4hilsa steaks (about 100 g each)
• 1 tspground turmeric

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the fully cooled cooked parboiled rice in a clean earthenware, glass, or ceramic bowl. Pour in the filtered water and stir in 1 tsp fine sea salt until the rice is loosened and completely submerged.

2. 2

   Cover the bowl with a clean lid or plate, leaving it loosely covered rather than airtight. Let the rice stand at cool room temperature, ideally 20 to 24 C, for 8 to 12 hours until the water tastes gently tangy and the rice has softened.

3. 3

   If your kitchen is warmer than 24 C, ferment the rice for 4 hours at room temperature and then refrigerate it overnight to keep the flavor clean. Before serving, stir the panta bhat well so the starchy fermented water and rice are evenly combined.

4. 4

   Pat the hilsa steaks dry with paper towel, then rub them evenly with the ground turmeric and 0.5 tsp fine sea salt. Rest the fish for 10 minutes while you slice the onion, slit the green chiles, and cut the lime into wedges.

5. 5

   Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and just begins to smoke lightly. Fry the ilish steaks for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once, until the surface is golden and the fish is cooked through but still moist.

6. 6

   Spoon the panta bhat into bowls with enough of the fermented soaking liquid to make it loose and refreshing. Drizzle each serving with 1 tsp mustard oil, then serve with sliced red onion, green chile, lime wedges, and one piece of fried ilish.