Yellow lentils with Hilsa Fish Head
Ilish Macher Matha Diye Muger Dal is a recipe that most Bengalis prepare whenever they buy Hilsa fish. The delicious aroma of fried moong dal and Hilsa fish mixed with fragrant spices not only engulfs your kitchen but your whole house and even it will reach your neighbor’s house also.
The marinated Hilsa fish head is fried and then simmered in thick boiled yellow lentils and mixed with other spices, finished with an unconquerable flavor with an ultra-fine taste.
The types of equipment required for this recipe are
- Mixing Bowl
- Pressure cooker
- Kadai/ Frying pan with lid
- Spatula
The Ingredients required for Ilish Macher Matha Diye Muger Dal Recipe are
For marinating
- Turmeric powder-1/2 tbsp
- Salt
- Hilsa fish head / Ilish macher matha -1/2
To boil the lentil
- Yellow lentils/ Moong dal-100 gm
- Salt
- Sugar-1/2 tbsp
- Bay leaf-1
- Water-2 cups
To make the Muger Dal Recipe
- Coconut (cut into small pieces)-1/2 cup
- Cardamom-2
- Cinnamon-1/2 inch stick
- Cloves-4
- Cumin seeds-1/2 tbsp
- Turmeric powder-1/2 tbsp
- Cumin powder- 1/2 tbsp
- Coriander powder- 1/2 tbsp
- Red chili powder-1/2 tbsp
- Bay leaf-1
- Chopped coriander leaves-2 tbsp
- Mustard oil-3 tbsp
- Salt
How to make Ilish Macher Matha Diye Muger Dal
Fry and boil the dal
Take a pan and add a bay leaf and moong dal and dry roast it, until the color changes to light brown. (Here I am using the pressure cooker pan for my convenience, you can use any pan)
Take out the dal from the flame, and wash it thoroughly, for hygienic purposes (as it is coming from different places and markets)
Now take a pressure cooker; add water, bay leaf, salt, and sugar with the fried moong dal, and go for 2 whistles; once done keep them aside
To marinate the Ilish mach/Hilsa fish
Clean and wash the fish head; add salt and turmeric powder, rub them well, and keep aside to rest for 10-15 minutes
(Note: you can marinate the fish before making the dal, at your convenience)
To make the Muger Dal Recipe
Heat oil in a pan, let it come to a smoky point, then add the fish head and fry well on both sides take it out from the oil and keep it aside
In the same oil add coconut pieces, cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, and cumin seeds to temper
Once they start spluttering, add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and cumin-coriander powder, and sauté them for 4-5 seconds, otherwise, they will burn (do this step very fast to prevent them from burning)
Now add the boiled dal and mix them well (you could add the spices after adding the dal, but in that case, it would be difficult to eradicate the raw smell of the spices)
Add the fried Ilish macher matha, and cook /boil for 3-4 minutes on high flame( you can break the fish head, if you have more than 1 person to eat)
Turn off the flame, and add chopped coriander leaves
Transfer them to a serving plate and serve them with hot rice
My other related posts are
- Macher Matha Diye Khero Ghonto
- Ilish macher matha diye chal kumro
- How to make ilish macher matha diye pui shak
- how to prepare Macher matha diye bandhacopi
- How to make macher mathar chorchori
Ilish Macher Matha Diye Muger Dal
Equipment
- pressure cooker
- A kadai or a fry pan
- Spatula
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
For marinating
- 1/2 Hilsafish head / Ilish macher matha
- salt
- 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
To boil the lentil
- 100 Yellowlentils/ Moong dal
- salt
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 bay leaf
To make the Muger DalRecipe
- 1/2 cup Coconut(cut into small pieces)
- 2 Cardamom
- 1/2 inch cinamom stick
- 4 Cloves
- 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tbsp red chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin- coriander powder
- 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
- 3 tbsp Mustard oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp Chopped coriander leaves
- salt
Instructions
Fry and boil the dal
- Take a pan and add a bay leaf and moong dal and dry roastit, until the color changes to light brown. (Here I am using the pressurecooker pan for my convenience, you can use any pan)
- Take out the dal from the flame, and wash it thoroughly, forhygienic purpose (as it is coming from the different places and markets)
- Now take a pressure cooker; add water, bay leaf, salt andsugar with the fried moong dal, and go for 2 whistles; once done keep themaside
To marinate the Ilishmach/Hilsa fish
- Clean and wash the fish head; add salt and turmeric powder,and rub them well, and keep aside to rest for 10-15 minutes(Note: you can marinate the fish before making the dal, asper your convenience)
To make the Muger DalRecipe
- Heat oil in a pan, let it come to a smoky point, then addthe fish head and fry well on both the sides, and take it out from the oil andkeep it aside
- In the same oil add coconut pieces, cardamoms, cinnamon,cloves and cumin seeds to temper
- Once they start spluttering, add turmeric powder, red chilipowder and cumin-coriander powder, and sauté them for 4-5 seconds, otherwisethey will burn (do this step very fast to prevent from burning)
- Now add the boiled dal and mix them well (you could add thespices after adding the dal, but in that case, it would be difficult toeradicate the raw smell of the spices)
- Add the fried Ilish macher matha, and cook /boil for 3-4minutes on high flame( you can break the fish head, if you have more than 1person to eat)
- Turn off the flame, and add chopped coriander leaves
- Transfer them to serving plate and serve with hot rice