Traditional Helencha Shak and Koi Fish Jugalbandi Recipe

Table of Contents

1. Helencha Shak Overview - Habitat
2. Climbing Perch (Gangetic Koi) Recipe 2
3. Recipe 1: Hinche Shaak Bhate
4. Recipe 2: Koi-Hinche Curry
5. Traditional Tribal Herbal Remedies

Helencha (হেলঞ্চ শাক) — Hinche Shak / Water Cress / Marsh Herb

Habitat: Hills of Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam.

Scientific name: Enhydra fluctuans Lour. | Family: Compositae, Asteraceae

Ayurvedic: Hil-mochikaa, Hurhul | Folk: Harakuch

Plant part(s) eaten: Leaves, new stems

Hilmochika or helencha is a bitter-tasting creeper that grows by ponds, swamps, and streams. Flowers are small and greenish in color. Intake of the cooked leafy vegetable reduces swelling of the body, treats various bile disorders, and acts as a gentle natural cleanser.

It is also named Chakrangi, a term derived from the Atharva Veda as it helps lock in the natural glow and brightness of the skin.

Contributed by Barnali Dutta and the Indian Cuisine and Traditional Bengali Recipes.

Hinche and Koi Fish Jugalbandi — a classic pairing from traditional Bengali kitchens.

"Koi Fish or Climbing Perch"

Anabas testudineus (Gangetic koi) possess a labyrinth organ. This bottom-dwelling insectivorous fish normally lives in slow-moving and often stagnant waters mostly in canals, lakes, ponds, ditches, floodplains, haors, baors, swamps, flooded paddy fields, or temporary pools that may dry up. When this happens, its "walking" skill allows the fish to move to other sources of water using its pectoral fins to keep upright while making snakelike wiggling movements.

Koi fish are very flavorful and were easily available in older times. Nowadays, like many indigenous fish varieties, they have become rarer in local markets due to availability and pricing factors. People often prefer rich solo fish dishes like Koi Paturi, Tel Koi, Ganga-Jamuna, or Koi Kamola over this traditional leafy-fish curry.

Preparation Tip: After thoroughly washing and cleaning with salted warm water, marinate the climbing perch (koi fish) with salt, turmeric, and 1 tsp mustard oil (to prevent oil splattering during frying). Calculate roughly 1 fish per person.

The plant itself is rich in protein and serves as an excellent source of β-carotene.

Hinche Shaak Bhate — a soothing marsh herb preparation.

Marsh Herb Boiled with Rice: "Hinche Shaak Bhate"

Total Time: 10 minutes | Category: Side Dish | Cuisine: Bengali

Ingredients

• Helencha leaves: 2 bunches (~300g)
• Mustard oil: 1 tbsp
• Salt: To taste
• Whole hot chili (roasted): 2

Instructions

1. Clean and Wash: Pick through the fresh Helencha leaves, discard coarse stems, and wash them thoroughly in clean water.
2. Boil with Rice: Place the clean greens inside a small bowl or wrap them cleanly to place directly inside the rice-cooking pot while your daily rice boils.
3. Mash and Season: Once boiled and softened, remove the greens, mash them by hand with salt, roasted whole red chilies, and a generous drizzle of raw mustard oil until well combined and fragrant. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Climbing Perch with Herbs: "Koi-Hinche" (from Mummy's Treasure Chest)

Total Time: 15 minutes | Category: Main Course | Cuisine: Bengali

Ingredients

• Helencha leaves: 2 bunches (~250g)
• Climbing perch (Koi fish): 1 per person
• Mustard oil: 2 tbsp
• Slit green chilies: 2
• Salt and sugar: To taste
• Tempering spices: 1 tbsp total (1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 bay leaves, and 2 whole red chilies)
• Gravy spice paste: 1 tbsp total (1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp turmeric, 2 red chilies, and 2 bay leaves blended into a paste)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Fish: Clean the climbing perch thoroughly with warm salted water. Marinate with salt, turmeric, and 1 tsp of mustard oil. Lightly fry them in a pan until golden, then set aside.
2. Temper Spices: Heat remaining mustard oil in the same pan, and add the whole tempering spices (cumin seeds, bay leaves, and red chilies) until they crackle.
3. Sauté Spice Paste: Add the prepared gravy spice paste, salt, and a pinch of sugar, sautéing until oil separates from the mix.
4. Simmer with Greens and Fish: Add the fresh Helencha greens and slit green chilies into the pan, pour in water for light gravy, and gently slide in the fried koi fish. Cover and simmer until the greens are tender and flavors meld together. Serve hot.

Traditional Herbal Remedies

• Boiling the whole plant to prepare a medicinal extract, taken twice daily, was traditionally used among Rakhine, Chakma, and Marma tribal communities to treat hand and leg swelling.
• This plant preparation is traditionally used in cases of ascites, dropsy, and anasarca, and is cooked with fish curry to help revive appetite following prolonged weakness from fever or typhoid.