Muri Ghonto

Prep Time 30 min
Cook Time 35 min
Serving Size 6
Recipe Type Microwave Oven

Muri Ghonto is a traditional Bengali one-pot dish made with fish head, tail, and fragrant rice, gently cooked in mustard oil with whole spices. An early expression of nose-to-tail cooking, it lets the natural flavour of the fish lead, with the rice soaking up every bit of richness. Once a sustaining meal for coastal communities and seafarers, it has travelled from humble breakfasts to festive tables—proof of how Bengal’s kitchens turn resourcefulness into enduring comfort.

Ingredients

550 g machh'er matha (fish head)
10 g salt (to marinate fish head)
3 g turmeric (to marinate fish head)
300 g aged gobindobhog chaal (fragrant, short-grained, non-parboiled rice)
250 g potatoes (3-cm cubes)
50 g green peas
35 g cashew nuts
35 g raisins
55 g mustard oil
30 g ghee
2 pcs dried red chillies
2 pcs bay leaves
4 pcs cardamom
1 pc cinnamon
4 pcs cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp cumin powder
½ tsp red chilli powder
15 g ginger paste
6–8 pcs green chillies (slit)
750–800 ml hot water
12 g salt
30 g sugar
½ tsp gorom moshla

Method

Wash the fish head thoroughly, paying particular attention to the gills if you're using them. Drain the water completely and marinate with salt and turmeric for 30 minutes.
Wash the rice multiple times until water runs clear. Strain over a cloth to dry (30 minutes).
Heat 5g each of mustard oil and ghee in a kadai. Fry cashew nuts until lightly coloured, and then add raisins. Fry until they plump up, then add the washed and drained rice. Fry on low heat for about 10 mins until fragrant. Set aside.
Now heat mustard oil in the same kadai.
Fry potatoes (cut them into 3cm cubes) with some salt. Once they are half cooked, set aside.
Fry fish-head on medium low heat, until well browned (10 minutes). Set aside. Add ghee to the mustard oil remaining in the pan. Temper with dried red chillies, bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and cumin seeds. Add turmeric, cumin powder, and red chilli powder. Gently fry the spices on low heat taking care not to burn them; turn off the heat, if required.
Add green peas. Fry on low heat for 1 minute. Add ginger paste and gorom moshla. Fry on low heat for 2 minutes.
Add the rice, cashew, raisins, potatoes, and slit green chillies. Add hot water and the remaining salt. Stir gently to mix everything. Cover the pan and steam on the lowest possible heat for 10 minutes.
Open the lid and check if the rice is cooked. If it has, add sugar. Stir gently to avoid the rice breaking. Cover and steam again for 5 minutes.
Finish with a sprinkle of gorom moshla and ghee

Find out more about the history and tradition of the dish

In India, ragi has been found in archaeological excavations dating back to 1800 BC, and has been associated with honouring poets with a concoction of ragi, milk, and honey.

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