Feast

BANGLADESH

Here is another favorite fish head dish, from Bangladesh this time. It starts out as a curry, that is until you add the rice to cook it in the sauce, at which point you can consider the dish as the Bangladeshi equivalent of risotto. It is quite different from the Indonesian version (see Indonesian Fish Head Curry) in that the sauce is made with tomatoes rather than with coconut cream. The fish head used here comes from rui or rohu, a kind of carp found in Southeast Asia. I doubt you will be able to source it in the West, so ask your fishmonger for sea bass or hake heads, or even plain carp heads if he has any. You could also try to buy whole carp from an Asian supermarket, where they keep fish in tanks, and use the heads for this recipe while reserving the bodies for fish soup. I have adapted this recipe from one in Shawkat Osman’s Bangladeshi Cuisine.

SERVES 4

2 rui or rohu fish heads

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Sea salt

Vegetable oil, for shallow-frying

⅔ cup (160 ml) mustard oil

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

5 bay leaves

10 green cardamom pods, lightly smashed

2 cinnamon sticks

10 whole cloves

1 large onion (7 ounces/200 g), grated on the fine side of a grater

12 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste

2 inches (5 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and minced to a fine paste

10 medium firm-ripe tomatoes (2¼ pounds/1 kg total), peeled, seeded, and cut into wedges

2 tablespoons ground coriander

1 tablespoon red chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

Juice of 1 small lemon

1 cup (200 g) kalijira or Thai fragrant rice, soaked for 30 minutes in lightly salted water

A few sprigs cilantro, leaves only, for garnish

1. Pat the fish heads dry with paper towels and lightly rub with the turmeric and a little salt.

2. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Pour ½ inch (1 cm) vegetable oil into a large deep skillet and heat over medium heat until hot—test with a piece of bread; if the oil immediately bubbles around it, then it is ready. Add the fish heads and fry on both sides for 3 to 5 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Remove to the wire rack to drain off any excess oil.

3. Heat the mustard oil in a wok over high heat. Add the cumin seeds and stir for a few seconds, then add the bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves and let sizzle for a minute or so. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and stir with the spices until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and mix well.

4. Add the ground spices, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons water, and salt to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until the oil rises to the sides, about 10 minutes. Add the fried fish heads and stir into the sauce to coat them well. Drain the rice and add to the wok. Add enough water to just cover the rice. Reduce the heat to low. Cover the wok and let simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed the sauce and is tender. Remove from the heat. Wrap the lid with a clean kitchen towel and replace over the wok. Let sit for a few minutes.

5. Transfer the fish heads and rice to a serving platter, discarding both bay leaves and cinnamon sticks. Garnish with the cilantro and serve hot.