Macher matha diye fulkopi is a traditional Bengali food which is immensely popular during winter season. It is an exemplary semi dry curry which is regularly prepared in every Bengali house. In this preparation, cauliflower florets and potato chunks are cooked with fried fish head in spicy onion-tomato gravy. This Bengali delicacy is mostly relished with steamed rice.
Bengalis are renowned for eating fishes. Normally, in Bengali houses, they purchase whole fish and prepare different types of fish curries. They don’t even waste the fish head. In fact, fish head recipe is also as tasty as the fish if you know the correct recipes with it.
Table of Contents
About the recipe
How to make Macher matha diye Fulkopi (step wise photos)
Recipe Card
Fish head recipe
In Bengali recipe, fish head recipes play a vital role. On every occasion or celebration Bangalis always make sure to prepare a fish curry with the body and a separate side with the fish heads. Muri Ghonto, Macher Matha diye Kochu Shak, Macher Matha Diye Moong Dal, Macher Matha Diye Begun, Macher Matha Diye Bandhakopi, Macher matha diye fulkopi and many more dishes are prepared with fish head in Bengali Cuisine.
Macher matha diye fulkopi is one of my Dad’s most favourites. Since my childhood, I have seen my mom to prepare the recipe with fish head frequently during winter when fresh cauliflower is easily available in market. Whenever she used to prepare this delish, me and my brother eagerly waited for the lunch to be served.
Honestly, I had never prepared any recipe for fish head before my marriage. One day, I suddenly recalled my golden childhood memories and craved for Macher matha diye fulkopi. Fortunately, fish head and cauliflower both were avaliable in my fridge. I called my mom over the phone and got the recipe from her. It turned out very good. My husband loved the preparation. Now whenever we have fish head in the fridge, it is one of the most frequently prepared recipes at our home.
Macher matha diye fulkopi is a simple and easy recipe. All the ingredients required to prepare the dish are easily available in any Bengali kitchen pantry. Though it takes longer to get cooked but it’s completely worth spending each minute for the recipe. Rui macher matha diye fulkopi has its own strong flavour, so it does not go well with any flavoured rice item and is always served with plain rice.
Macher matha diye fulkopi recipe with step by step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section. If you follow the steps carefully, you will get the perfect flavoured and non-mushy rui macher matha diye fulkopi. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share few interesting facts about the recipe.
How to cook big fish head for the Bengali recipe fish?
- Make sure scaling, cleaning and washing of the fish head is done properly.
- Always cut the fish head at least into four pieces. It is very tough to cook the whole fish head. Either it may not get cooked from inside or you need to pour huge amount of Oil to cook it properly.
- Always marinate the fish head with Turmeric powder, red Chilli powder and Salt at least for 10 minutes for best result.
- Deep fry the fish head separately before adding into the curry.
Secret behind the taste of Bengali Fish Head Curry
In Bengali Recipe, Mustard Oil is always used to fry fishes, fish heads or to cook any fish preparation. This is the ancient secret behind the outstanding taste of Bengali fish preparations. You can never get the same taste with any other Oil other than Mustard Oil.
How to make macher matha diye fulkopi?
For the macher matha diye fulkopi, first clean the Rohu fish head (Rui Macher Matha). You can use other big fish head, but Rohu or Katla fish head works best for the recipe. Then marinate the fish head and keep it aside for at least 20-30 minutes.
Cauliflower florets and potato chunks are the other most important components of this recipe. So first cut the cauliflower florets into medium pieces and the potatoes into medium even pieces. Marinate the potatoes and cauliflower florets with salt and turmeric powder.
Take a pan and allow it to become completely dry. Then add mustard oil and wait until the oil is hot. Add the marinated fish head into the pan and fry them evenly. Strain the fish head pieces and keep them aside.
In the same pan, add potatoes and fry them till crispy and golden in colour. Then keep them aside on a separate plate.
Then in the same pan, add cauliflower florets and fry them over medium flame for 10-12 minutes until it loses its crunch and brown spots occur on it. After this, strain the cauliflower florets out and keep it aside.
In the same pan, add some oil if required. Once the oil is hot, add whole spices – bay leaf, dry red chillies, cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamoms, cumin seeds and let them crackle.
Add chopped onions into the pan and fry them on medium flame for 7-8 minutes. Then add finely chopped ginger and garlic and cook them over low flame until the raw smell disappears.
Add tomato chunks and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it in lowest flame until the tomatoes get mushy.
In the meantime, take a bowl and add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and some water into it. Make a paste of the spices and add it into the pan. Cook it in low flame for another couple of minutes. Add salt into the pan and give a nice mix.
Add the fried potato chunks, fried cauliflower florets into the pan and mix it with the masala. Then add salt, green chillies into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for 7-8 minutes. Stir in between if required.
Then add water into the pan and give a nice stir. Cover the pan and put the flame in high until the gravy starts boiling. After this, put the flame in low and add fried fish head and boiled green peas into the pan. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 10 minutes.
The consistency of macher matha diye fulkopi gravy is moderate but you can adjust it according to your own preference.
At the final stage of cooking, add sugar, bengali garam masala powder (a ground spice mixture which contains equal portion of cardamom, cinnamon and cloves) and ghee (Clarified butter), one by one into the pan. These spices complement the flavour of the dish very well.
Cook it in medium flame for another minute and then switch off the flame.
Many fish head recipes have already been shared in my previous post. You can check few of them like
Muri Ghonto
Macher matha diye bandhakopi
Aar macher matha diye begun
Ilish macher matha diye kochu shaak
..And Many more…
Ingredients:
1 cup = 250 ml
To marinate the fish head
- 1 Rohu or Katla fish head (Macher Matha), cut into 4 pieces
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon red Chilli powder
To marinate the cauliflower
- 1 medium Cauliflower (Phulkopi), cut into medium florets
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
To marinate the potato
- 2 large Potatoes, cut into medium pieces
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
For the spice paste
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ¾ teaspoon red Chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 2 tablespoons Water
Other ingredients for macher matha diye fulkopi
- 2 medium Onions, finely chopped
- 2 Tomatoes, deseeded and diced
- ¼ cup boiled green Peas (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Ginger, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Garlic, finely chopped
- 2-3 green Chillies
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 3 Cardamoms (Elaichi)
- 4 Cloves (Laung)
- 1-inch Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
- 1 Bay leaf (Tejpatta)
- 2 dry red Chillies
- 1 teaspoon Bengali garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon Ghee (Clarified butter)
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1¼ cups Water for gravy
- ¼ cup Mustard oil for cooking
Instructions:
- Wash the fish head thoroughly and cut them into four pieces. Marinate fish head with 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder. Keep it aside for at least 20-30 minutes.
- Wash and cut the cauliflower florets into medium size even pieces. Add ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and mix it evenly so that each cauliflower floret gets coated. Keep it aside.
- Cut each potato into medium size pieces. Add ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and mix it nicely to coat each potato piece. Keep it aside.
- Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 3 tablespoons mustard oil into the pan and wait until the oil is hot.
- Deep fry the fish head over medium flame from each side evenly until the fish head becomes crispy and golden brown in colour. It takes around 10-12 minutes to fry the fish head pieces.
Tip: Fish heads have the tendency to splatter Oil while frying. I would recommend using splatter guard to avoid any accidents. - Strain the fish head pieces on a separate plate. Break them into pieces keep it aside.
- Now in the same pan, add the marinated potato chunk and fry them evenly over medium to medium high flame for 7-8 minutes till crispy and golden brown in colour. Then keep them aside on a separate plate.
- In the same pan, add cauliflower florets and fry them over medium-to-medium high flame for 10-12 minutes until it loses its crunch and brown spots occur on it. Then strain the cauliflower florets out and keep them aside.
- In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon mustard oil. Once the oil is hot, add whole spices – 1 bay leaf, 2 dry red chillies, 4 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 3 cardamoms, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and let them crackle.
- Add chopped onions into the pan and fry them on medium flame for 8-10 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger and 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic and cook over low flame for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Add tomato chunks and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame 5-6 minutes until the tomatoes get mushy.
- In the meantime, take a bowl and add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, ¾ teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and 2 tablespoons of water into it. Mix it thoroughly and make a paste of the spices.
- Add the masala paste into the pan and mix it well. Cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes so that the masala can get cooked properly.
- Add the fried potato chunks, fried cauliflower florets into the pan and mix it with the masala.
- Add salt, 2-3 green chillies into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for 7-8 minutes until all the veggies get tender. Stir in between if required.
- Add 1¼ cups of water into the pan and give a nice stir. Cover the pan and put the flame in high until the gravy starts boiling.
- Put the flame in low and add fried fish head, boiled green peas into the pan. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 10 minutes.
- Add 1 teaspoon bengali garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon ghee (Clarified butter), one by one into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in medium flame for another minute.
- Switch off the flame and put the pan down.
Serving Instruction
Transfer the macher matha diye fulkopi into a serving bowl or on a serving plate. Serve hot or warm to enjoy its best taste. Pair up the comfort food with rice and enjoy the classic Bengali delight.
Ingredients
1 cup = 250 ml To marinate the fish head
- 1 Rohu or Katla fish head (Macher Matha), cut into 4 pieces
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon red Chilli powder
To marinate the cauliflower
- 1 medium Cauliflower (Phulkopi), cut into medium florets
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
To marinate the potato
- 2 large Potatoes, cut into medium pieces
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
For the spice paste
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ¾ teaspoon red Chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 2 tablespoons Water
Other ingredients for macher matha diye fulkopi
- 2 medium Onions, finely chopped
- 2 Tomatoes, deseeded and diced
- ¼ cup boiled green Peas (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Ginger, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Garlic, finely chopped
- 2-3 green Chillies
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 3 Cardamoms (Elaichi)
- 4 Cloves (Laung)
- 1-inch Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
- 1 Bay leaf (Tejpatta)
- 2 dry red Chillies
- 1 teaspoon Bengali garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon Ghee (Clarified butter)
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1¼ cups Water for gravy
- ¼ cup Mustard oil for cooking
Instructions
- Wash the fish head thoroughly and cut them into four pieces. Marinate fish head with 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder. Keep it aside for at least 20-30 minutes.
- Wash and cut the cauliflower florets into medium size even pieces. Add ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and mix it evenly so that each cauliflower floret gets coated. Keep it aside.
- Cut each potato into medium size pieces. Add ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and mix it nicely to coat each potato piece. Keep it aside.
- Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 3 tablespoons mustard oil into the pan and wait until the oil is hot.
- Deep fry the fish head over medium flame from each side evenly until the fish head becomes crispy and golden brown in colour. It takes around 10-12 minutes to fry the fish head pieces.
Tip: Fish heads have the tendency to splatter Oil while frying. I would recommend using splatter guard to avoid any accidents.
- Strain the fish head pieces on a separate plate. Break them into pieces keep it aside.
- Now in the same pan, add the marinated potato chunk and fry them evenly over medium to medium high flame for 7-8 minutes till crispy and golden brown in colour. Then keep them aside on a separate plate.
- In the same pan, add cauliflower florets and fry them over medium-to-medium high flame for 10-12 minutes until it loses its crunch and brown spots occur on it. Then strain the cauliflower florets out and keep them aside.
- In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon mustard oil. Once the oil is hot, add whole spices - 1 bay leaf, 2 dry red chillies, 4 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 3 cardamoms, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and let them crackle.
- Add chopped onions into the pan and fry them on medium flame for 8-10 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger and 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic and cook over low flame for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Add tomato chunks and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame 5-6 minutes until the tomatoes get mushy.
- In the meantime, take a bowl and add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, ¾ teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and 2 tablespoons of water into it. Mix it thoroughly and make a paste of the spices.
- Add the masala paste into the pan and mix it well. Cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes so that the masala can get cooked properly.
- Add the fried potato chunks, fried cauliflower florets into the pan and mix it with the masala.
- Add salt, 2-3 green chillies into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for 7-8 minutes until all the veggies get tender. Stir in between if required.
- Add 1¼ cups of water into the pan and give a nice stir. Cover the pan and put the flame in high until the gravy starts boiling.
- Put the flame in low and add fried fish head, boiled green peas into the pan. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 10 minutes.
- Add 1 teaspoon bengali garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon ghee (Clarified butter), one by one into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in medium flame for another minute.
- Switch off the flame and put the pan down.
KITCHEN TOOLS for the recipe:
Kadai
Wooden Spatula
