MURI GHONTO (Fish Head Curry)
MURI GHONTO is an authentic fish dish for a Bengali. Being a Bengali, I have always loved fish and Muri Ghonto is among my favourite fish dishes. We grew up eating fish (maach in Bengali) almost everyday. Fish, meat and eggs (also onion and garlic) were only restricted on Thursdays due to religious reasons. When my younger sister and I were small, our father used to buy different kinds of fishes (mostly freshwater) on weekend mornings and my mother would do the dressing for each of the kinds and divide those fishes for the whole week by putting into neat plastic containers in the deep-freezer. Fish heads (called muroin Bengali) were kept separately for making a variety of authentic Bengali dishes (including the recipe shared today). My sister and I were very fond of eating the soft and juicy fish brain, so fish head curry was often in the menu. Sometimes my mother would cook the heads with lentils (muro diye dal), sometimes with green leaves, potatoes and mixed vegetables (pui shaak muro diye) and sometimes the Muri Ghonto was cooked with cabbage (muro diye badhakopir ghonto). The fish heads commonly used for all these Bengali dishes are those of Rohu (Latin name: Labeo rohita) or Catla (Latin name: Catla catla). Actually, you can pick up any big carp (or salmon) head for this. I generally prefer heads of fishes weighing 2–3 kg for this.
The recipe which I am going to share today is a heirloom Bengali recipe, and this dish is still made in Bengali weddings or other important occasions. Traditionally, a special kind of rice (called gobindo bhog or govind bhog) is added to the fried fish and everything is cooked together, along with assorted spices. Sometimes, good-quality (fragrant and long-grain) basmati rice can also be added. There is, however, no particular ratio of rice and fish and it depends on each family’s own preference: some like the amount of rice more than that of the fish heads, some like to use rice sparingly. I have not used rice at all in this recipe, as my kids don’t like rice incorporated into this curry. So the amount of rice is really a personal choice. However, for one fish head and a small piece of a 2-kg fish, you should add a little less than ½ cup of rice, if you wish to do so. Do not omit the potatoes.
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Bengali Muri Ghonto (Fish Head Curry)
[White Chinese onions should not be used for this recipe. Indian purple onions, which are less juicy and can be browned easily, should be used for best results. If you have an aluminium or iron kadai or skillet, use it for better browning, instead of the non-stick. Mustard oil can be replaced with any other light oil.]
Ingredients:
- One fish head and a small piece of a 2-kg fish
- Potatoes (medium-sized, cut into lengthwise pieces): 10–12 long pieces out of a single potato
- Onion (chopped into medium-sized pieces): 4 tbsp
- Onion (cut into very thin strips): ½ cup
- Ginger paste: ½ tsp
- Dried bay leaves: 1
- Cinnamon stick (one-inch stick): 1
- Green cardamoms: 3
- Cloves: 4
- Peppercorns: 6
- Mustard oil: 6 tbsp
- Salt: According to taste
- Slit green chillies: 4
- Cumin seeds: ¼ tsp
- Fenugreek seeds: 1/6 tsp
- Fennel seeds: ¼ tsp
- Turmeric powder: 1 tsp (divided)
- Cumin powder: ½ tsp
- Coriander powder: ½ tsp
- Water
Method:
Marinate the fish with ½ tsp turmeric powder and ½ tsp salt for atleast 20 min.
Heat the skillet. Add the mustard oil and heat it to the smoking point. Add the fish and cover immediately (oil sputters at this point, so be careful). The flame should be medium. Open the lid after 5 min and flip the fish heads.
After 5 min, break the fish heads (this is important) and add the chopped onions (4 tbsp). Continue to fry until the onions lose their purple colour and become very soft. Remove the onions and the fish from the oil with a perforated spoon.
In the same oil at medium flame, fry the potatoes, sprinkling a little salt, till the potatoes are well-browned and can be broken easily with a spoon. Remove the potatoes from the oil and keep aside.
In the same oil (if it looks very less, add some more), add the bay leaves, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, and fennel seeds. When the cumin seeds look light brown in colour, add the dried bay leaves, cinnamon stick, green cardamoms, cloves and peppercorns.
After these start sputtering, immediately add cumin powder, coriander powder and ½ tsp turmeric powder, mixed with a little water. Stir continuously.
When oil starts separating from the spices, add the thinly cut onions and sauté till the onions lose colour and become very soft. Add the ginger paste and ½ tsp salt.
Notice the change in the colour for the onions. The onions should turn very soft and lose their colour. Crunchy or raw onions are an absolute no-no in Bengali cooking.
The oil should separate from the spices (as shown in this picture). Only then you can add the fish heads, as shown in the next picture.
Add the slit, green chillies, fried potatoes and the fried fish heads. (If you wish to add rice to this, add pre-soaked rice at this stage.) Mix everything together and sauté for 10 min.
Add a little water (about ½ cup in case no rice is added and about 1 cup if rice is added). Cover and cook till the amount of water reduces to one-fourth (in case you add rice, continue cooking for a longer time, until the rice is cooked).
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January 16, 2013 @ 3:12 am
I LOVE fish…my dad would totally go for this, but I admit…fish brains aren’t something I would normally go for, but as usual, you make everything look great.
January 16, 2013 @ 3:28 am
Love the dish but have always been afraid of cooking it myself! First had it in the Indian quarter of Singapore, at Banana Leaf Apollo, where banana leaves were laid down in the middle of a table, followed by piles of rice and then the most fragrant fish head curry with all the ingredients! ‘Course it was finger food, and ‘course we stayed for hours and had the bestest fun . . . and now I do hope I can replicate myself!!!!
January 16, 2013 @ 3:59 am
I’ve had fish stocks that were made from fish heads, but never fish heads themselves. This sounds really interesting! Great flavors and a fun recipe. Good stuff – thanks.
January 16, 2013 @ 10:52 am
Purabi, this dish will get thumbs up from my father and 2 brothers. The men in the house love their fish curry 🙂 I do eat fish curry, but I prefer chicken or mutton. Mum loves fish curry too. So I’m going to bookmark this recipe and try it out and surprise the family 🙂
January 16, 2013 @ 4:35 pm
I love curry. Thanks for posting the recipe.
January 16, 2013 @ 10:16 pm
Love fish head curry! We can get it easily in S’pore but not in the US 🙁 Looking that the fish bones..and cooked into the curry….equals delicious flavors 🙂
January 17, 2013 @ 2:10 am
Well now this is quite different. I’ve made seafood stocks, but have never used a fish head in anything. At first I thought you weren’t going to remove the broken pieces of fish head. 🙂 I bet that stock makes this curry very rich tasting and make you think you are actually eating fish. Thanks for sharing such a traditional, family recipe!
January 17, 2013 @ 7:31 am
Love a good curry! Thanks for your lovely comment:)
~Anne
January 17, 2013 @ 7:40 am
Now that I have found your blog I am going to commit to attempting a curry dish! I will get back to you in a couple weeks and let you know how it goes!
xx Kelly
January 17, 2013 @ 11:44 am
The head is my fav too. Surprisingly my other half who can survive on fish everyday does not eat the head. The curry is very tempting and yes, a perfect and tasty pairing with rice.
January 17, 2013 @ 12:05 pm
What a beautiful recipe! Just fabulous.
January 17, 2013 @ 12:37 pm
I love these flavors! a beautiful gourmet platter! Yum ^^
January 17, 2013 @ 2:49 pm
The fish head is my family fav. Never tried this way will try soon dear.
First time ur blog am following u . Hope u will follow me back dear.
http://www.cookingatmayflower.blogspot.com
January 17, 2013 @ 4:40 pm
Love this recipe. I have not had fish head in ages. Would love to have some 🙂
January 17, 2013 @ 7:35 pm
nice recipe we to cook fish head but different recipe
January 17, 2013 @ 9:58 pm
I’d love to try this! I always enjoy fish and have never tried a curry like this.
January 18, 2013 @ 12:05 am
I love fish as well and am always happy to check new and interesting recipes. I’ve never had a fish head though…
January 18, 2013 @ 9:52 am
I haven’t tried this way…will try soon. BTW thanks for the recipe.
Helen
http://myworldmyhome2012.blogspot.in
January 18, 2013 @ 4:29 pm
It’s a treat to read about your favorite foods, Purabi. Admittedly, I’ve never eaten a fish head, but in my family’s heritage, nothing went to waste either. There was always a talented cook who could coax the flavor out of every last bit!
January 18, 2013 @ 10:54 pm
I love that I learn so much when I visit your site! I adore curry and have never cooked with fish heads. I think people tend to shy away from things that don’t come all wrapped up, pre-chopped in a pretty little package. Your sense of adventure is wonderful and contagious! I need to go get me a fish head!!
January 19, 2013 @ 5:41 pm
Oooooo I am one of those who shy away from fish heads. I don’t like it when my food looks at me. However, you speak so enthusiastically about this dish, I’ve got to try it my friend!
January 19, 2013 @ 6:39 pm
I admit to being a bit squeamish about fish heads though I imagine the flavor must be wonderful. My husband did eat quite a few in China and tells me the cheeks are quite good. He never did get used to the eyes even though he ate many! Go figure.
January 20, 2013 @ 4:48 am
I love fish…but fish head was always to my dad as I’m little scary to eat the weird looking cooked fish head…..but ur pictorial version sounds good…specially addition potatoes is awesome…I can’t wait to try fish with potatoes….ahhh…the thought itself is mouthwatering…..I will hav to try ASAP …:)
January 20, 2013 @ 11:06 am
It was nice to read about your family kitchen. My friend is a fish-head fan, he claims that the best fish meet is in cheeks 🙂
January 21, 2013 @ 3:51 am
My goshhh so yummyyy they say fish head is will improve our memoryy in schooldays before xams we used to ask to prepare such food for doing weel in xams 😉 How sillyy!!But this fish head tastesss so yummyyyyy
May 15, 2014 @ 7:22 am
I am currently cooking this one. 🙂
August 8, 2015 @ 11:17 am
Thanks Purabi, I just cooked the “MuRi Ghonto” based on your recipe using a tuna fish head, in my kitchen in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). And it has turned out great! Thanks again
April 21, 2016 @ 12:20 pm
Hi Purabi! I had this bookmarked for a long time. It’s what’s for dinner tonight!
April 28, 2016 @ 5:21 am
Thanks Anita. I hope it turned out well?
November 30, 2017 @ 3:44 pm
I liked this recipe. This is one of my favorite dish based on fish. A great traditional bengali dish. I always love to have this on various occasion or without any occasion.
January 13, 2018 @ 6:16 pm
Thanks Pradipta!