A Delicious Bengali Fish Head Curry with Vegetables and Greens
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr10 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr40 minutesmins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: bengali
Keyword: Bengali fish head curry, Bengali fish head recipe, Chhyachra recipe with fish head, Macher matha diye pui shaak, Malabar spinach curry with fish head
Servings: 4people
Author: Samrat Roy Chowdhuri
Cost: ₹ 100
Equipment
Knife
Preparation Bowls
Wok
Spatula
Serving Bowls
Ingredients
2pcwhole fish head cut into halves
100gmustard oiladjust the quantity of the oil according to the size of the wok
Vegetables
500gPui Shak or Malabar Spinach
2pcmedium-sized potatoes
150gpumpkin
1pclarge onionor 2 medium-sized onions
Spices & Others for Chyachra (Bengali Fish Head Curry with Malabar Spinach)
1tsppanch phoron
3pcdried red chilly
2inchginger
4pcgarlic cloves
2tspturmeric powder
salt to taste
1tbspsugar
1ltrwater for blancing the malabar spinach (pui shaak)
Instructions
Preparation for the Bengali Fish Head Curry (Macher Matha Diye Torkari) - 30 Minutes
Marinade the fish heads with turmeric and salt
From the 3 dried red chilies, take 2 and soak it in water
Chop the garlic and ginger
Separate the leaves from the stems of the pui shaak (malabar spinach). Chop the stems into pieces of 2-inch each
Take a wok and add water to it. Put on the flame and add the stems
After a couple of minutes, add the leaves of the malabar spinach
Allow to simmer and blanch for around 5 minutes. Discard the water and allow the leaves and stems to cool
Chop the leaves of the pui shaak
In a mixie, take the two red chilies and add the chopped ginger and garlic to it. Make it into a fine paste
Slice the onions
Cooking the Macher Matha with Pui Shaak (Fish Head Curry with Malabar Spinach)
Take a wok and add oil to it.
Once the oil starts to smoke, lower the flame and fry the fish heads in batches
Once you find that the fish heads are fried, use the sharp end of your spatula to break the head into multiple pieces and give it a nice stir to coat with the oil and spices (turmeric and salt). Take care to ensure that you do not end up splashing the hot oil over your face and eyes. Alternatively, you can break it with your palm once the fried fish heads cool down
In the same wok, check for the amount of oil. The left-over oil from frying the fish head has a lot of flavor in it, so do not discard or throw it away. If needed add more oil. We will need a total of 2 tbsp to cook the dish
Add the Panch Phoran and dried red chilly
Once the whole spices start spluttering and the red chilly appears dark, add the ginger-garlic-chilli paste to it
Stir and add the onions. Allow this to fry to for a couple of minutes
Add the potatoes and cook covered
After 10 minutes, add the pumpkins Cook covered
Once the potatoes and pumpkins are 90% done (takes another 10 minutes), add the stems of the Pui Shaak or Malabar Spinach. Give it a nice stir and cook for 5 minutes, covered
Add the leaves of the Pui Shaak and cook for another 5-10 minutes
Add salt and sugar
Add the fish head pieces and stir continuously over a high flame for 2-3 minutes
Reduce the flame to medium and cook covered for another 10 minutes
Check for seasonings. Adjust if required
Put off the flame and allow to rest for another 10 minutes
Serve hot with rice
Notes
Properly clean the malabar spinach to remove any dirt. I have included the steps to blanch the stems and leaves to ensure that the leaves are free from any dust
If malabar spinach isn't available you can use regular spinach available in the market
The best flavor comes from hilsa and betki. If you can avail, go ahead and use it
The recipe primarily uses malabar spinach and loads of fish head to provide the maximum flavor. You can reduce the quantity of both and add more vegetables, depending upon your personal choice
Do not use spice powders like cumin and coriander for this recipe, they cut down the flavors from the spinach and fish head