Muri Ghonto | Traditional Bengali Fish Head Curry
Muri Ghonto is a traditional Bengali dish which is almost cooked in every Bengali house for any special occasion or for any special meal. Its a unique rich combination of Gobindobhog rice(A special aromatic short grain rice available in Bengal), cubed potato and fish head with aroma of Bengali spices, Mustard oil & Desi Ghee(clarified butter). But if you don't have this rice, you can use any aromatic rice like Basmati rice. I have learnt this recipe from my mother. Being a Bengali, I think I should share this treasure Bengali recipe with the rest of the world.
So, Lets go to the recipe.
Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cook Time : 1 Hour
Serves : 6 people
Ingredients
- Gobindo Bhog Rice(Short Grain Aromatic Rice)- 1 cup
- Rohu fish head(cut into pieces)- 1 large
- Potato(Peeled & cubed)- 3 medium
- Onion(peeled & chopped)- 1 large
- Tomato(chopped)- 1 medium
- Green chilli (slit)- 4 whole
- Ginger paste- 1 tablespoon
- Garlic paste- 1 tablespoon
- Salt to taste
- Mustard oil- 1/3 cup
- Turmeric powder- 1/2 teaspoon(for fish head marination) + 1 teaspoon (for cooking)
- Red chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
- Cumin powder- 2 teaspoon
- Whole Spices,
- Green Cardamom- 8~10 pods
- Cinnamon stick- 3 pieces
- Dry Red Chilli- 1 piece
- Clove- 6 pieces
- Bay leaf- 2 pieces
- Cumin Seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
- Bengali Garam masala Powder- 1 teaspoon
- Sugar- 2 teaspoon
- Ghee- 1 teaspoon
How to Make:
- Wash the rice with normal running water. Then drain the excess water & keep aside.
- Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric powder. Keep aside.
- Now take a deep pan and heat oil.
- Add potato cube and fry until it gets golden.
- Once done, take out from oil. Keep aside.
- Add marinated fish head in leftover oil to fry.
- When one side is done, flip the fish to fry from other side.
- Fry the fish until golden & then take out from oil and keep aside.
- Add all whole spices and let it fry until nice aroma comes out.
- Then add onion and fry until it gets golden.
- Now add garlic paste followed by ginger paste.
- Fry until its raw flavour is gone.
- Add washed rice and saute for 4-5 minutes.
- Add green chilli slit(2 whole) followed by chopped tomato and saute until it gets bit soft.
- Season with salt as per taste.
- Its time to add all powder spices(turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder)except garam masala.
- Add required amount of hot water and cover it to cook in medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Then add all the fried fish head into the pan and stir lightly.
- Again cover and cook for 10 minutes in low heat.
- After that, add all fried potato followed by little hot water to get it bit gravy.[See My Tip]
- Cover and allow to cook for 7 minutes in low heat.
- Then add leftover green chilli slit.
- Finally add garam masala, ghee and sugar. Give a good stir & turn off the flame.
- Cover and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve it hot with steamed rice.
My Tip:
- Traditionally, Gobindobhog rice is used here. But if you don't have this rice, you can use any aromatic rice like Basmati rice.
- I have added little hot water again (2nd time) to make the dish bit gravy. Otherwise its texture will get dry & separated like Pulao/Pilaf which is not desired for it. Here Rice should be neither separated nor mashy. So water should be added very carefully.
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