In West Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Bangladesh, fried fish or māchh bhājā is a common delicacy. Riverine fish like , , and (Ompok pābdā), and anadromous fish such as hilsa are commonly fried in Bengali cuisine, Odia cuisine and Assamese cuisine.
In the process of frying it in oil, a hilsa will release additional oil. The oil mixture is valued as a flavouring agent for rice or vegetables.
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