How to pick fresh fish

Fish is part of almost every Bangladeshi meal, and fresh fish makes all the difference to the taste of a jhol or bhuna. Use this checklist at the market or when your order arrives.

Look at the eyes

Fresh fish has clear, bright and slightly bulging eyes. Cloudy, grey or sunken eyes mean the fish has been sitting for a long time.

Check the gills

Lift the gill cover. The gills should be bright red or pink and moist. Brown, grey or sticky gills are a warning sign.

Smell it

Fresh fish smells clean, like river or sea water. A strong, sour or ammonia smell means it is not fresh — no amount of spice will fix that.

Press the flesh

Press the body gently with a finger. Fresh flesh is firm and springs back. If the mark stays, or the flesh feels soft, choose another fish.

Scales and skin

The skin should be shiny and the scales tight. Ilish should have a bright silver shine; rui and katla should not have loose, falling scales.

Prawns and shrimp

Good prawns have firm shells, heads that are still attached and no black spots or dark ring where the head meets the body.

Store it the right way

Cook fresh fish the same day if you can. Otherwise clean it, pat it dry, and keep it in an airtight box in the coldest part of the fridge for up to a day, or in the freezer for longer. Thaw frozen fish in the fridge, not on the counter.