Ilish macher matha diye pui shak/ilish fish head mismatch with Malabar spinach is a very popular dish in West Bengal. If you buy ilish, then this will be the last recipe of ilish after ilisher jhal, jhol and paturi. Because we are keeping the ilish head separate to make chanchera, tok or with pui shaker chorchori. The marinated ilish fish head are fried and then cook with Malabar spinach, taro, pumpkin and ginger and sometimes added with potatoes and this is How to make ilish macher matha diye pui shak/ilish fish head mismatch with Malabar spinach.
| Author: Abhijit Mukhopadhyay |
| Course: Side dish |
| Cuisine: Bengali |
| Level of cooking: Medium |
| Preparation time: 15 minutes |
| Cooking time: 25 minutes |
| Total time: 40 minutes |
| Servings:3-4 |
Ingredients
- Ilish macher matha 1, (cut into – 2 pieces)
- Pumpkin (cut into big cube) – 200 gm
- Mustard oil – 4 table spoons
- Panch phoron-1/2 t spoon (It comprises mouri (fennel seeds), methi (fenugreek seeds), kaalo jeere (black cumin seeds), zeera(cumin seeds), and a typically Bengali spice, called radhuni)
- Whole red chili – 2
- Ginger grated- 1 tsp
- Taro peeled and chopped – 200 gm
- Malabar spinach or pui shaak – 2 bunch, (stem and leaves are separated)
- Salt to taste
- Sugar -1/4 tsp
- Turmeric powder – 1teaspoon
- cumin powder-1/2 tsp
- Green chili paste – 1/2 teaspoon, adjust to taste
How to make ilish macher matha diye pui shak
Take the fish head, clean and wash and rub with turmeric powder & salt and keep it aside for 10 minutes.
Now heat oil in a pan or kadai, fry the marinated fish heads till golden brown and keep aside.
In the same oil, add panch foron and whole red chili for tempering.
As they splutter and sizzle, add taro and sauté for one minute.
Now add the pumpkin and sauté for 2 minutes.
In the meantime rinse the malabar spinah or pui shaak. Discard the soaked water and separate the leaves from stem.
Add the stem of pui shaak and again cook for 2 minutes then add ginger, turmeric powder, cumin powder salt and a pinch of sugar (1/4 tsp).
Now cover the pan, let it cook for 5 minutes, don’t add water to the mishmash.
After 5 minutes open the lid and add the fried fish head and break it with the help of spatula and mix it well then add the leaves of pui shak. Cover again for 2 minutes.
If the vegetables are not cooked enough, then add little water and cover the pan for another 3 to 4 minutes.
After 3 to 4 minutes open the lid, cook and let all the excess water evaporate.
Turn off the flame and take it out from the oven.
Serve it with steam rice and dal.