Macher matha die Moong daal/ Yellow daal with fish head

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Macher matha die moong daal is yet another traditional Bengali dish. Fish head is mostly used by bongs in their cuisine. Another popular and traditional dish using fish head is Muri ghonto. This daal along with steamed rice and a posto dish eg. Chichinga/ Snake gourd posto on the side is a perfect comfort meal.

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Course: Main course

Cuisine: Bengali (Indian)

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 fish head of Rohu or Katla
1 teaspoon of ginger paste
1 teaspoon of garlic paste
1 tomato finely chopped
½ inch cinnamon stick broken into pieces
3-4 cardamom pods
3-4 cloves
2 dry red chilies
2 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon of cumin seeds
3-4 green chilies slit
Salt to taste
1 ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder
1 teaspoon of cumin powder
3 tablespoons of oil
1 teaspoon of ghee
½ teaspoon of sugar(optional)

Directions

Dry roast the moong daal/yellow lentil in a pot. As the color of the lentil starts changing from yellow to golden brown, turn the flame off.
Now, wash the daal properly and add about 2-3 cups of water to the daal and cook the daal.
Wash, clean and pat dry the fish head. To the fish head add about ½ teaspoonful of turmeric powder and salt.
In a kadai, add oil. Once the oil is hot add the fish head. Fry the fish head properly on both the sides. Once done, keep the fish head aside on a plate.
To the same oil, add the bay leaves, dry red chilies, cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods and cloves.
As you start getting the aroma of the spices, add the chopped tomatoes, ginger, garlic, turmeric powder, cumin powder, green chilies and salt.
Saute them for around 2 minutes and add ¼ cup of water and continue cooking.
As you see oil leaving the sides of the pan, add the cooked daal and the fish head. You can either break the fish heads before adding to the daal or add them as it is and break them later with your ladle.
Add the amount of water necessary for the daal.
Now, let the daal simmer for about 10 minutes on medium flame. Once you reach the desired consistency of the daal, add sugar and ghee.
Turn off the flame and serve the daal with hot steamed rice.

Dry roast the moong daal/yellow lentil in a pot. As the color of the lentil starts changing from yellow to golden brown, turn the flame off.

Now, wash the daal properly and add about 2-3 cups of water to the daal and cook the daal.

Wash, clean and pat dry the fish head. To the fish head add about ½ teaspoonful of turmeric powder and salt.In a kadai, add oil. Once the oil is hot add the fish head. Fry the fish head properly on both the sides. Once done, keep the fish head aside on a plate.

To the same oil, add the bay leaves, dry red chilies, cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods and cloves.

As you start getting the aroma of the spices, add the chopped tomatoes, ginger, garlic, turmeric powder, cumin powder and salt.

Saute them for around 2 minutes and add ¼ cup of water and continue cooking till you see oil leaving the sides of the pan.

Now, add the cooked daal and the fish head. You can either break the fish heads before adding to the daal or add them as it is and break them later with your ladle.

Add the amount of water necessary for the daal.Now, let the daal simmer for about 10 minutes on medium flame. Once you reach the desired consistency of the daal, add sugar and ghee.