How Bengal perfected the art of eating fish, head to tail

Indian Express

30-05-2025

That fish is a staple in Bengal is stating the obvious. Across both West and East Bengal, we eat all kinds. Whether it be the tiny mourola or whitebait, sometimes fried crisp, sometimes in a spicy curry with brinjal and potato; the oily-skinned catfish or magur, often shunned in West Bengal, my grandfather included, because they burrow into muddy riverbeds and are considered unclean, and, of course, the king of them all – ilish or hilsa, packed with bones and even more flavour.
Small fish, or chhoto maach, are prized delicacies in Baangal (East Bengali) households, but often frowned upon in Ghoti (West Bengali) homes. Still, even in the poorest households, it's tradition to serve at least a small piece of fish to any guest. Simply put, Bengal loves fish, in every size, form, and flavour.
What few outside the region realise is that Bengal (and to be fair, much of the South too) has long practised what high-end, Michelin-starred restaurants now call 'nose-to-tail' cooking. In Bengal, no part of the fish goes to waste. In fact, being able to eat a bony fish without flinching is considered a mark of refinement in children. Which brings us to one of the cuisine's underrated superstars: the fish head.
Not to be exclusionary, coastal states in the South also make delicious fish head curry, but the repertoire of fish head recipes in Bengal is unmatched.
Now, this isn't everyone's cup of tea. I recall my mother's Punjabi friend ordering fish curry in a Bengali restaurant in Calcutta and looking aghast when an entire fish, head and tail included, was served in a gravy at the table. She claimed that the fish eye was looking at her. It's not that every Bengali loves eating fish head. My brother will not eat bony fish or touch a fish head, while I will relish both with equal gusto.
Fish head being a key component of many dishes is part of the waste-not-want-not culture in Bengal. After all, we also eat every part of the banana tree, and eat at least seven to eight types of spinach, and consider pumpkin flowers a delicacy.
There are countless ways to cook maacher matha or fish head. Unlike southern states, we mainly use the heads of freshwater fish, except for hilsa, which swims in salt and freshwater. Fish heads from larger fish, over a kilogram in weight, are often sold separately at markets.
One of my favourite dishes is maacher matha diye bandhakopi – fish head marinated in turmeric and salt, deep-fried, then broken up and cooked with cabbage and sometimes a little potato. You can add small chunks of fish as well. It's a dry, humble dish eaten with rice.
Muri ghonto is a delicacy served at feasts and weddings. Fish head is sprinkled with turmeric and salt, fried well, and then cooked along with short-grained rice, garam masala, dried fruits, and the final preparation has the consistency of a very rich pulao. In Bangladesh, though, muri ghonto is also made with moong dal.
This brings me to my personal favourite, and a weekly staple – maacher matha diye bhaja moong dal. The moong dal is roasted first, then cooked with spiced and fried fish head, making a dish that is hearty, comforting, and, for those willing to embrace it, truly exquisite.
I remember my first trip to Singapore as a pre-teen. Our host took us to Mutthu's Curry Shop in Little India. It served just one thing: fish head curry. The head must have weighed at least two to three kilograms, cooked whole in a thin, spicy tamarind and coconut gravy. And yes, my favourite parts of the head – if you are easily traumatised, I would not read the rest of this paragraph – are the eyes and the brain. If you're squeamish, skip ahead. You have to suck both out and bite into them, and I promise you the taste is as good as eating osso buco or caviar. Long live Mutthu and his legendary fish head. At the age of 12, I remember thinking that the peanut sauce served with Chicken Satay was an acquired taste, but not balking at digging into the fish head.
Unlike Bengalis, who eat it purely for flavour, let me quickly list the health perks. Fish heads are packed with Vitamin A, which improves eyesight, boosts immunity, and supports cellular health. They're rich in omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, which is great for brain function and heart health. And they're loaded with collagen, the miracle nutrient for skin, joints, and bones. In other words, all those collagen shots people are buying? You could just eat fish head.
I know some people might have choked while reading that I love fish brain and fish eyes, but I'll ask you to move past the exoticness of what I've described and give at least fish head, with dal, at least, a try. You might just be won over to the dark, but delicious nutrient-rich and tasty side.
Author of The Sweet Kitchen, and chef-owner of Food For Thought Catering ... Read More