Macher Matha Die Kumror Tarkari / Bengali Dry Pumpkin Curry with Fish Heads

There is something very fishy with being a Bengali. They just can't get over with fish...but what can I say??When I myself is lamenting over Hilsa and Bhetki!!! We get to eat some nice sea fishes and lobsters and oyesters....but non be least, leave equally satisying as Mourala (very small fishes of sweet pond water) or Rui (Rohu) or Ilish (Hilsa). If you want to learn to cook fish....Bengal should be your ultimate destination. None can cook or eat fish the way Bengalis do..and you should see our preprations with fish heads. Yes we throw none, we use everything. Even the gills of the fishes..we have preparations with them too. But okay..lets come to the fish heads.

Jamai Soshthi (a bengai traditional celebration of son in laws) is coming and a dish pepared with much delicacy with fish heads should be on the platter. As for me I am just as much happy to include fish heads in my everyday menus. Fish heads like mutton or chicken just spike up the entire menu with ease. Make Rosa or Muri Ghonto or Mug Dal or Badha Kopir Tarkari or Kumror Tarkari....fish heads go with almost everything.

I hate to eat simple pumpin dishes...I don't know why..but it gives me shivers!!! So I prepare them with a lot of care and scrumptious and luscious add ons, like prawns or Black Chickpeas or Fish Heads. And the entire dish gets an 180 degree makeover. And the revamped curry smells and looks delicious. As for any dish with fish heads, choose a large and rich fish heads, which has much oil and flesh of its own. Bengalis generally use Boal Macher Matha (fish head of a particular cat fish of bengal, called wallago attu), as it is immensely tasty. And also since Boal Mach is a large fish, its head is huge.

Macher Matha Die Kumror Tarkari / Bengali Dry Pumpkin Curry with Fish Heads
Serves 4

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Ingredients

• 250gm pumpkin - peeled and cubed
• 1 large fleshy fish head / 2 medium fish heads
• 1 tsp panch foron / mixture of cumin seeds, mustard seeds, nigella seeds, fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 2 green chilies - silted
• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp corainder powder
• salt

Method:

• Take 1 tsp turmeric powder and salt and lather generously on the fish heads. Keep it aside for 15 minutes.
• Heat oil in a kadai / pan and fry the fish heads, until they are starting to get browned on both sides.
• Take them off the pan/kadai and keep aside.
• Now take away as much oil as you want keeping the amount of oil required for your further cooking.
• In the same oil put the panch foron / five spices.
• As they splutter and sizzle add the cubed pumpkin and salt.
• Mix everyting properly and put cover.
• Let it cook for 5-7 minutes in this way. Stir in between to prevent sticking to the pan.
• Now take off the cover and add turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder and coriander powder.
• Add the fried fish heads also and smash then using a spatula.
• Add a little water, like less than 1/4th cup and mix everything good.
• Put cover and let them cook again. Stir in between to avoid sticking to the pan.
• After 5-7 minutes, or until the fish and punpking is cooked properly. The pumpkin should be a little messy and should look mashed. Uncover, add 1 tsp mustard oil, silted green chilies, put off the flame and put cover.
• Let it stay like this for another 5 minutes and then serve hot with some rice and lentils.