Ilish Macher Matha diye Kochur Loti (Hilsa Fish Head & Taro Stems Curry - Bong style)

          This a traditional Bong style recipe of Taro stems cooked with Hilsa fish head. It is a very yummy recipe that can be prepared both in the veg. and non-veg. form. This is the latter version where I cooked these Taro / Colocasia stems with Hilsa fish head. 

          Very few ingredients are required for this recipe. Drizzle the final product with some raw mustard oil and enjoy with hot steamed rice for a great Sunday lunch. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional delicacy. 

          It is a lost recipe, prepared only in few Bengali homes and not much found in restaurants. However, in rural areas it is commonly prepared as these taro stems are seen grown in abundance near ponds and lakes.

          This dish is considered to be a delicacy on the Bengali menu platter. Apart from Hilsa fish head, even Rohu fish head, prawns or any other small variety of fish can be added. 

          In the veg. version, you can make use of bori (dried lentil dumplings), grated / small pieces of fried coconut or boiled black chickpeas. It tastes equally yummy.

• 3 cups of Kochur Loti (Taro Stems), peeled & chopped into 2" long
• 1 Hilsa Fish Head
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 3 tbsp. + 1 tsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds
• 3-4 green chilies, slit
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder

          Wash the chopped Kochur Loti thoroughly. Then pressure cook them in sufficient water along with a pinch of salt, turmeric and lime juice for 1 whistle. Drain and keep aside. 

          Marinate the fish head with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 5 minutes.

          Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a pan / kadai and fry the fish head till golden in colour. Simultaneously, keep breaking it into few pieces. Drain and keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with nigella seeds and slit green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Now add the boiled taro stems and all the dry spices. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.

          Add the fried head pieces and mix well. Then add 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook till all the moisture has been absorbed. 

          Switch off the flame and drizzle the remaining 1 tsp. oil. Enjoy with hot steamed rice for a great comfort meal.

Note - 

          These Taro stems sometimes have a tendency of generating itchiness in the throat. So to avoid it, be sure to add the lime juice or some tamarind water while pressure cooking / or boiling it. 

          Alternately, you can also boil it in a saucepan with required quantity of water on a stove top for 2-3 minutes. 

                                   The peeled & chopped Kochur Loti. 

                       Pressure cook in sufficient water along with a pinch of salt, turmeric

                       and lime juice for 1 whistle. Drain and keep aside. 

                       

                        Heat 3 tbsp. oil & fry the marinated fish head till golden in colour. 

                      Simultaneously, keep breaking it into few pieces. Drain & keep aside.

                           Temper the same oil with nigella seeds & slit green chilies. Sauté 

                           for a few seconds. 

                        Add the boiled taro stems & all the dry spices. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.

 

                                  Add the fried head pieces and mix well.

                    Add 1/2 cup water. Cover & cook till all the moisture has been absorbed. 

                                 Switch off the flame and drizzle the remaining 1 tsp. oil. 

                                 Enjoy with hot steamed rice for a great comfort meal.

Ilish Macher Matha / Muro diye Ole Torkari (Elephant Yam cooked with Hilsa Fish Head - Bong style)

 

          This is a traditional Bong style curry where Elephant Yam is cooked with Hilsa fish head. It is had with hot steamed rice and is considered a delicacy on a Bengali platter. Apart from Hilsa fish, you can also substitute it with Rohu or Indian carp fish.

          This dish is usually a Sunday lunch menu in most of the Bengali homes and it is also prepared on special occasions. It is a very simple dish, that is light on the tummy. Very few basic ingredients goes into preparing this curry. A tsp. of raw mustard oil to the end product gives an authentic touch and flavour to this dish. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this delicacy. 

• 1 Hilsa fish head, marinated with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder & deep fried
• 250-300 gms. ole Elephant Yam), into into cubes
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 dry red chilies
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 cup water
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1 tsp. mustard oil to garnish
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

Bhaja Masala (dry roasted spices)

• 1 tbsp. cumin seeds
• 3-4 bay leaves, broken
• 3-4 dry red chilies

          For Bhaja Masala - Dry roast the cumin seeds, dry red chilies and bay leaves for a minute or till you get a nice aroma. Keep aside to cool and then grind into a fine powder. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a kadai / pan and temper with dry red chilies, bay leaves and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Now add the fried fish head and break into few pieces. Then add the cubed (Ole) Elephant Yam and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. 

          Add 1 cup water, salt and turmeric powder. Bring it to a boil and then simmer, covered, till almost done. 

          Add the grated ginger and slit green chilies. Cook further for a minute and switch off the flame. 

          Add the mustard oil and garnish with a tsp. of the ground spice mix. Enjoy with hot steamed rice. 

 

                     Bhaja Masala - Dry roast the cumin seeds, dry red chilies & bay leaves

                     for a minute or till you get a nice aroma. Keep aside to cool & then grind

                     into a fine powder. Keep aside. 

                      Heat oil in a kadai / pan & temper with dry red chilies, bay leaves &

                      cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                                   Add the fried fish head & break into few pieces. 

                                Add the cubed (Ole) Elephant Yam & stir fry for 2-3 minutes. 

                       Add 1 cup water, salt & turmeric powder. Bring it to a boil and then 

                       simmer, covered, till almost done. 

                       Add the grated ginger & slit green chilies. Cook for a minute more.

 

                                 Add the mustard oil.

                                  Garnish with a tsp. of the ground spice mix. 

                                  Enjoy with hot steamed rice. 

Ilish Macher Shukto

          Ah!! My favourite Shukto in a new avatar - a non-veg version cooked with Ilish Macher Matha (Hilsa Fish Head). So here is my version and my first try at preparing this traditional Bengali delicacy with Hilsa Fish Head. You may add any other pieces too. It is a yummy dish that is tempered with Bengali five spice - panch phoron and finished off with some kasundi, milk and ghee. It is simply divine and a must try recipe for all fish lovers. 

          Shukto in general is a traditional Bengali cuisine and a great comfort food for most Bengalis. It is prepared with a medley of mixed veggies in many ways. No menu is complete without this dish. Each household has their own secret way of preparing it and is served with hot steamed rice at the beginning of a full course meal. 

• 1 Hilsa fish head, cut into half
• 2 cups mixed veggies, cut lengthwise (raw papaya, potato, radish, carrot, raw banana)
• 1 small bitter gourd, cut lengthwise
• 8-10 bori / vadi (dried lentil dumplings)
• 3-4 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 bay leaves 
• 1-2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (five spice)
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, slit
• salt to taste 
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder 
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbsp. kasundi / mustard paste
• 1 tbsp. ghee

           Marinate the fish head with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes.

          Heat oil in a pan and fry the fish head till light brown in colour. Drain and keep aside. Fry the bitter gourd till light golden and keep aside. 

          Temper the same oil with bay leaves, red chilies and panch phoron. Sauté for a few seconds. Add the ginger and bori and fry till light brown.

           Add the chopped veggies and all the dry spices. Mix everything well and stir fry on a high flame for 2-3 minutes. 

          Add 2 cups water, fried bitter gourd and green chilies. Simmer, covered on a low flame till the veggies are half done. Now add the fried fish head and cook further till done. 

          Add the milk, kasundi and ghee. Give it a stir and simmer for a minute. Serve  with hot steamed rice. 

                         Panch Phoron Spice (mustard, cumin, fenugreek, nigella & fennel)

                        Bay leaves, Bori (dried lentil dumplings), dry red chilies & ginger.