Begun diye macher matha is a traditional Bengali food and one of the most popular macher matha diye recipe among Bengalis. It is an exemplary semi-dry curry which is regularly prepared in every Bengali house. In this preparation, fried fish head aka macher matha is cooked with eggplant, onions, ginger-garlic, and tomatoes in some spices. This Bengali delicacy is always relished with steamed rice.
Bengalis are renowned for eating fish. 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 for it.
Table of Contents
About the recipe
How to make Macher matha diye Begun (step wise photos)
Recipe Card
Fish head recipe
In Bengali recipe, fish head recipes play a vital role. On every occasion or celebration, Bengalis 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 fulkopi, Macher Matha Diye Bandhakopi, Macher matha diye begun and many more dishes are prepared with fish head in Bengali Cuisine.
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 recipe. Fortunately, fish head and eggplant aka brinjal both were both available 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 begun is a simple and easy recipe. All the ingredients required to prepare the dish are easily available in any Bengali kitchen pantry. This recipe 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 begun 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 macher matha diye recipe. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share a 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 are 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 the inside or you need to pour a huge amount of oil to cook it properly.
- Always marinate the fish head with Turmeric powder, red Chilli powder and Salt for at least 10 minutes for the best result.
- Deep fry the fish head separately before adding it to the curry.
Secret behind the taste of Bengali Fish Head Curry
In Bengali recipe, mustard oil is always used to fry fishes and fish heads for any 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 begun?
For the macher matha diye begun, first clean the fish head (Macher Matha). You can use any big fish head too, like Rohu, Katla or aar macher matha aka fish head for the recipe. Then marinate the fish head and keep it aside for at least 20-30 minutes.
In the meantime, cut all the vegetables and keep them aside for later use.
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 on a separate plate. Break the fish head with the help of your hand after cooling down and keep them 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 thin-sliced onions into the pan and fry them on a medium flame for 7-8 minutes till translucent. Then add finely chopped ginger-garlic, green chillies and cook them over low flame until the raw smell disappears.
Add the brinjal aka eggplant pieces into the pan. Then add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder into the pan and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it on medium flame for 4-5 minutes.
Add tomato chunks and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it on the lowest flame until the tomatoes get mushy and the eggplants get cooked.
Add cumin powder, coriander powder and give a nice mix. Cook it on low flame for another couple of minutes.
Then add the fried fish head into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 4-5 minutes. Stir in between if required. Then switch off the flame and macher matha diye begun is ready to serve.
Many fish head recipes have already been shared in my previous post. You can check a 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 big fish head (Macher Matha), cut into pieces
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Other ingredients for macher matha diye begun
- 2 Eggplants, cut into medium strips
- 2 medium Onions, thin sliced
- 1 large Tomato, deseeded and chopped
- 1 tablespoon Ginger, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Garlic, finely chopped
- 2-3 green Chillies
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 3 Cardamoms (Elaichi)
- 3 Cloves (Laung)
- 1-inch Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
- 1 Bay leaf (Tejpatta)
- 2 dry red Chillies
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- Salt to taste
- ¼ cup Mustard oil for cooking
Instructions:
- Wash the fish head thoroughly and cut them into pieces.
- Marinate fish head with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder. Keep it aside for at least 20-30 minutes.
- In the meantime, cut all the vegetables and keep them aside for later use.
- Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 3 tablespoons of mustard oil into the pan and wait until the oil is hot.
- Deep fry the fish head over a 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 a splatter guard to avoid any accidents. - Strain the fish head pieces on a separate plate. Break them into pieces and keep them aside.
- In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of mustard oil. Once the oil is hot, add whole spices – 1 bay leaf, 1-2 dry red chillies, 3 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 a medium flame for 8-10 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger, 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic, 2-3 green chillies and cook over low flame for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Add the brinjal aka eggplant pieces into the pan.
- Add salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder into the pan and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it on a medium flame for 4-5 minutes.
- Add tomato chunks and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it on the lowest flame until the tomatoes get mushy and the eggplants get cooked.
- Add 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and give a nice mix. Cook it on low flame for another couple of minutes.
- Add the fried fish head into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 4-5 minutes. Stir in between if required.
- Switch off the flame and macher matha diye begun is ready to serve.
Serving Instruction
Transfer the macher matha diye begun 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 big fish head (Macher Matha), cut into pieces
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Other ingredients for macher matha diye begun
- 2 Eggplants, cut into medium strips
- 2 medium Onions, thin sliced
- 1 large Tomato, deseeded and chopped
- 1 tablespoon Ginger, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Garlic, finely chopped
- 2-3 green Chillies
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 3 Cardamoms (Elaichi)
- 3 Cloves (Laung)
- 1-inch Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
- 1 Bay leaf (Tejpatta)
- 2 dry red Chillies
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- Salt to taste
- ¼ cup Mustard oil for cooking
Instructions
- Wash the fish head thoroughly and cut them into pieces.
- Marinate fish head with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder. Keep it aside for at least 20-30 minutes.
- In the meantime, cut all the vegetables and keep them aside for later use.
- Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 3 tablespoons of mustard oil into the pan and wait until the oil is hot.
- Deep fry the fish head over a 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 a splatter guard to avoid any accidents.
- Strain the fish head pieces on a separate plate. Break them into pieces and keep them aside.
- In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of mustard oil. Once the oil is hot, add whole spices - 1 bay leaf, 1-2 dry red chillies, 3 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 a medium flame for 8-10 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger, 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic, 2-3 green chillies and cook over low flame for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Add the brinjal aka eggplant pieces into the pan.
- Add salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder into the pan and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it on a medium flame for 4-5 minutes.
- Add tomato chunks and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it on the lowest flame until the tomatoes get mushy and the eggplants get cooked.
- Add 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and give a nice mix. Cook it on low flame for another couple of minutes.
- Add the fried fish head into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 4-5 minutes. Stir in between if required.
- Switch off the flame and macher matha diye begun is ready to serve.
