Bengali Home Cooking
MungDaal with Fish Head
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As rice and fish are main staples in Bangladesh and east India, the people in this region have developed
effective ways to use the different parts of a fish in their culinary delicacies. The fish in Mung daal is one
such preparation, where the fish bones and head are used for a surprising result. With its earthy aroma and
mouth watering taste, sometimes referred to as Moori-ghonto, this dish is usually cooked during festive
occasions. Large mature fishes, called paka maach in Bengali, are usually selected for cooking. The bones
and fat in the developed fish add to the flavor. For this recipe, we have used a head of a Salmon.
Recipe:
Serves 4-6 people
Preparation time : about 10 minutes
Cooking time: about 1 hour.
Ingredients:
Principle:
The preparation consists of 4 steps
1. In step one, the roasted Mung bean will be half boiled
2. The fish head will be marinated with salt and turmeric powder and then shallow fried in oil
3. Next, the onion will be sautéed with spices and fried fish bones
4. And finally, the fried spicy fish bone will be added to the Mung daal and cooked to completion
Procedure:
1. Sprinkle turmeric and salt on the fish head and marinate uniformly all over
2. Leave aside the marinade for about 5-10 minutes
3. Measure 2 cups of split Mung bean in a moderately hot pan, and roast it till it becomes golden yellow in
color.
4. Then carefully add 4 cups of water. Take precaution as the water will create lots of steam.
5. Boil the mixture for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the Mung bean becomes half-cooked or semi-soft
6. Set it aside
7. Add 2-3 table spoon of oil into a moderately hot pan
8. When the oil is hot to touch, add the fish head and fry on all sides for about 3-4 minutes.
9. You may want to cover the pan if it splatters
10. Break the fried piece into smaller parts
11. And fry uniformly all over
12. Remove the fish from the frying pan and keep aside
13. Heat about 2-3 table spoons of fresh oil (or use the left over oil from frying the fish)
14. Add the chopped onion and grated ginger to the oil; if you so wish, you may add the ginger after the
onion is half fried
15. Fry the mixture till the onion become golden yellow
16. Add a spoon of turmeric powder
17. Add a table spoon salt
18. And fry the mixture till the onion becomes yellow brown
19. Add the fried fish bone
20. Stir for another minute or so
21. Then add the mixture to the half boiled Mung daal completed previously
22. Boil for the next 25 to 30 minutes or until the Mung bean is soft
23. In a separate moderately hot pan add one table spoon of oil
24. When it is hot to the touch, add one long Indian bay leaf
25. Stir
26. Then add 1 dry red chili
27. And 1 table spoon of the cumin seed
28. Stir
29. When the cumin seed starts sizzling, add this spice mixture to Mung daal pot as well
30. Bring the whole mixture to a boil and boil it till it becomes of right consistency
31. Remove it from the heat
32. Add 1 tea spoon of garam masala
33. Stir
34. Then 1 tea spoon of the ghee or clarified butter. This will add a unique buttery taste to the daal
35. This completes the Mung daal with fish bone.
36. Serve the daal with rice or chapatti. Or by itself as a delicious soup.
effective ways to use the different parts of a fish in their culinary delicacies. The fish in Mung daal is one
such preparation, where the fish bones and head are used for a surprising result. With its earthy aroma and
mouth watering taste, sometimes referred to as Moori-ghonto, this dish is usually cooked during festive
occasions. Large mature fishes, called paka maach in Bengali, are usually selected for cooking. The bones
and fat in the developed fish add to the flavor. For this recipe, we have used a head of a Salmon.
Recipe:
Serves 4-6 people
Preparation time : about 10 minutes
Cooking time: about 1 hour.
Ingredients:
Principle:
The preparation consists of 4 steps
1. In step one, the roasted Mung bean will be half boiled
2. The fish head will be marinated with salt and turmeric powder and then shallow fried in oil
3. Next, the onion will be sautéed with spices and fried fish bones
4. And finally, the fried spicy fish bone will be added to the Mung daal and cooked to completion
Procedure:
1. Sprinkle turmeric and salt on the fish head and marinate uniformly all over
2. Leave aside the marinade for about 5-10 minutes
3. Measure 2 cups of split Mung bean in a moderately hot pan, and roast it till it becomes golden yellow in
color.
4. Then carefully add 4 cups of water. Take precaution as the water will create lots of steam.
5. Boil the mixture for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the Mung bean becomes half-cooked or semi-soft
6. Set it aside
7. Add 2-3 table spoon of oil into a moderately hot pan
8. When the oil is hot to touch, add the fish head and fry on all sides for about 3-4 minutes.
9. You may want to cover the pan if it splatters
10. Break the fried piece into smaller parts
11. And fry uniformly all over
12. Remove the fish from the frying pan and keep aside
13. Heat about 2-3 table spoons of fresh oil (or use the left over oil from frying the fish)
14. Add the chopped onion and grated ginger to the oil; if you so wish, you may add the ginger after the
onion is half fried
15. Fry the mixture till the onion become golden yellow
16. Add a spoon of turmeric powder
17. Add a table spoon salt
18. And fry the mixture till the onion becomes yellow brown
19. Add the fried fish bone
20. Stir for another minute or so
21. Then add the mixture to the half boiled Mung daal completed previously
22. Boil for the next 25 to 30 minutes or until the Mung bean is soft
23. In a separate moderately hot pan add one table spoon of oil
24. When it is hot to the touch, add one long Indian bay leaf
25. Stir
26. Then add 1 dry red chili
27. And 1 table spoon of the cumin seed
28. Stir
29. When the cumin seed starts sizzling, add this spice mixture to Mung daal pot as well
30. Bring the whole mixture to a boil and boil it till it becomes of right consistency
31. Remove it from the heat
32. Add 1 tea spoon of garam masala
33. Stir
34. Then 1 tea spoon of the ghee or clarified butter. This will add a unique buttery taste to the daal
35. This completes the Mung daal with fish bone.
36. Serve the daal with rice or chapatti. Or by itself as a delicious soup.
