Fish head cooked with rice in a single pot until the rice absorbs all the flavour — a zero-waste Tripuri village preparation that uses the most flavourful part of the fish.
Ingredients
2 large fish heads (rohu or catla) — cleaned and cut into halves
1/2 cup raw rice — washed
2 tbsp mustard oil
1/2 tsp panch phoron (five-spice blend: equal parts cumin, mustard, fenugreek, nigella and fennel seeds)
2 bay leaves
2 green chillies — slit
1 tsp ginger — grated
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
2 cups water
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander to garnish
Method
Season the fish heads with a pinch of turmeric, red chilli powder and salt.
Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil to smoking in a wide pan.
Reduce to medium-high. Fry the fish heads for 3 minutes on each side until golden and aromatic. Remove and keep aside.
In the same oil add panch phoron and bay leaves — they sizzle together.
Add grated ginger and slit green chillies. Stir 30 seconds.
Add washed rice. Toss in the spiced oil for 2 minutes to coat the grains.
Add 2 cups water. Add remaining turmeric, red chilli powder and salt. Bring to a boil.
Carefully place the fried fish heads back into the pot, pressing them gently into the rice.
Reduce to medium-low. Cover and cook 18 to 20 minutes until rice is completely cooked and has absorbed the cooking liquid.
The rice starch naturally thickens the preparation into a soft, cohesive one-pot meal with the fish flavour throughout.