Muri Ghonto

Memories of Muri Ghonto date back to my  school summer vacations. We used to visit our maternal grandparents in this small town in Bihar, Purnea. My Nini(dida/granny) used to make the most delicious Ghonto which I used to gorge on guilt free for lunch and the leftovers for breakfast or any time of the day which suited me.
When I got back home I always complained Ma of not being up to the mark with her Muri Ghonto skills.
Those who are clueless as to what I'm referring as Muri Ghonto, apart from being my personal favorite, "Muri" is fish head and "ghonto" is a mixture. It's a delicacy with rice and the right spices and obviously Fish head (bengalis savor every part of fish).

What we need:
2-3 fish head
Turmeric
Whole garam masala (2 cloves, 2 sticks of cinnamon, 2-3 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom, 3-4 whole pepper, 1 bay leaf)

Shahi Zeera (you can replace with Zeera)
Powdered garam masala
Ambemohar Rice soaked in water with 1 teaspoon of turmeric for at least half n hour.
1 cup cashew and raisins soaked in water for 20-30 mins
1 large potato diced and marinaded with salt and turmeric

1 onion sliced

1 tomato diced

1/2 cup ginger garlic and chill paste

How we do it:
*Marinade the cut peices of fish head with salt and turmeric and a teaspoon of Mustard Oil. The mustard oil helps to bind the salt and turmeric together with the fish. Shallow fry till golden brown. The crispier the merrier.

*Heat mustard oil/ghee in a kadhai, fry the cashew and raisins till light brown. Remove and keep aside. Similarly fry the cubed potatoes till golden brown and keep aside.

*In the same oil add whole garam masala, shahi zeera and wait till they splutter. Add the sliced onions, tomatoes and ginger garlic chilli paste and fry till the onions become soft. Add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chili powder and 1 teaspoon zeera powder and saute for 5 more mins. 

*Drain the water from the soaked rice and save for later. Add the rice to the cooked masala and saute till the rice starts to become transparent. Add salt and sugar as per your taste, bengalis prefer it on the sweeter side. 

*It's time to add in the water we kept aside while soaking rice. Simmer and cook till the rice is 90% done. The amount of water you add has to be accurate for the right consistently of rice. Easiest way to assure that is to add exactly double the water to rice while soaking. The tough way around is to add water in your cooking vessel till it just dips the first two lines of your index finger (this one's tricky best left to Moms and Grannys).

*When the rice is almost cooked add the fried fish heads, fried potatoes, cashews and raisins and powdered garam masala, cover and cook till done.

We'll finish off by adding some(or more) ghee and garam maslala for the aroma.

Enjoy hot.