Muri ghonto/Bengali fish head with rice

Muri ghonto is a traditional dish of Bengali cuisine. Muri or muro stands for head. Muri ghonto is a mishmash of rice, potatoes, cauliflower, fish head (mostly katla/rohu head). You can have the muri ghonto with hot steamed rice or as it is.

Course: Side dish

Cuisine: Bengali(Indian)

Preparation time: 20 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• Fish head of 1 katla fish
• 1/4 cup of gobindobhog/basmati rice
• 1 big potato cut into cubes
• 1 cup of cauliflower  florets
• 3-4 green chilies
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5-6 elaichi/cardamom
• 8-10 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• ¼ teaspoon of whole cumin
• 2 onions thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons of garlic paste
• 2 teaspoons of ginger paste
• 1 tomato finely chopped
• 1+1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
• Salt to taste
• 6 tablespoons of mustard oil or any cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon of ghee
• 1 teaspoon of red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon of Bengali garam masala powder

Directions

1. Wash the fish head thoroughly and rub 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and salt and keep aside.
2. In another vessel, wash the rice and keep aside.
3. Take a kadai/pan, add four tablespoons of oil and heat it. To the hot oil add the fish head and fry them properly till the raw smell is gone.
4. Remove the fish head and keep them aside.
5. Now, add the potatoes and cauliflower florets to the hot oil and fry. Keep them aside.
6. Add the remaining oil to the kadai and heat it. To the oil add whole cumin, bay leaves, elaichi, cinnamon stick, cloves and saute for a minute till you get the aroma of the spices.
7. Now, add the sliced onions and fry till they become translucent and slightly golden. Also add the tomatoes to the kadai.
8. Add the ginger, garlic paste, green chilies and tomatoes. Stir till the raw smell of tomatoes goes away.
9. Add the turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and salt.
10. Now, add the soaked rice and stir for 1 minute.
11.  Stir till oil comes out of the mixture.
12.  Now, add the fried potatoes, cauliflower and fried fish head to the kadai.
13. Add about 2 cups of water to the kadai and cover and cook till all the veggies and rice are cooked properly.
14. Reduce the flame of the gas. Add the ghee and garam masala to the kadai and mix everything properly.
15. Turn off the flame and serve hot with steamed rice.

Step by step instructions to prepare muri ghonto

Wash the fish head thoroughly and rub 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and salt and keep aside. In another vessel, was the rice and keep aside.

Take a kadai/pan, add four tablespoons of oil and heat it. To the hot oil add the fish head and fry them properly till the raw smell is gone. Remove the fish head and keep them aside.

Now, add the potatoes and cauliflower florets to the hot oil and fry. Keep them aside.

Add the remaining oil to the kadai and heat it. To the oil add whole cumin, bay leaves, elaichi, cinnamon stick, cloves and saute for a minute till you get the aroma of the spices.

Now, add the sliced onions and fry till they become translucent and slightly golden. Also add the tomatoes to the kadai.

Add the ginger, garlic paste, green chilies and tomatoes. Stir till the raw smell of tomatoes goes away.

Add the turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and salt .

Now, add the soaked rice and stir for 1 minute.

Stir till oil comes out of the mixture.

Now, add the fried potatoes, cauliflower and fried fish head to the kadai.

Add about 2 cups of water to the kadai and cover and cook till all the veggies and rice are cooked properly.

Reduce the flame of the gas. Add the ghee and garam masala to the kadai and mix everything properly.

Turn off the flame and serve hot with steamed rice.

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