Muri Ghonto

Name: Muri Ghonto
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian (Westbengal)
Ingredients: Large fish head (rui/katla): 500g, halved; Gobindobhog or short-grain rice: 100g, soaked 20 min; Masoor dal (red lentils): 50g; Potato: 150g, cubed; Onion: 100g, finely chopped; Ginger paste: 1 tsp; Turmeric: 1 tsp; Red chilli powder: 1 tsp; Coriander powder: ½ tsp; Bay leaf: 2; Whole garam masala: cardamom 2, clove 2, cinnamon 1-inch; Ghee: 2 tbsp; Mustard oil: 3 tbsp; Salt: 1½ tsp; Sugar: ½ tsp; Hot water: 600ml; Use the whole fish head including cheeks, eyes and collar — all parts add flavour; Gobindobhog rice (Bengali aromatic short-grain) makes this authentically fragrant; Stir frequently in final stage or rice sticks to bottom; Can be made a day ahead — it thickens further overnight

🍗 Non-veg🌾 Gluten-free📊 Medium

Fish head (usually rui or katla) slow-cooked with rice, lentils, spices and ghee into a thick, starchy, intensely flavoured khichdi-like dish.

⏱️15 minPrep

🔥40 minCook

🕒55 minTotal

🍽️4Serves

🧺 Ingredients

👩‍🍳 How to make Muri Ghonto

Season fish head; fry in mustard oil until golden all over.
Remove and roughly break into pieces.
In same oil, add whole garam masala and bay leaf; fry 30 sec.
Add onion; fry to golden.
Add ginger paste, turmeric, chilli, coriander; fry 3 min.
Add soaked rice, dal, potato and hot water; stir well.
Add salt, sugar, fried fish head.
Cook covered on low heat, stirring every 5 min, until rice and dal are completely soft and mixture is thick like porridge, about 25–30 min.
Add ghee; stir through.
The consistency should be between khichdi and thick stew — muri ghonto should mound on a spoon.

📖 Cultural notes

|---|---|---|---|---| | 370 kcal | 28g | 32g | 14g | 4g | Muri Ghonto is proof that Bengali cuisine wastes nothing — the fish head, normally discarded, becomes the star. It is a deeply nostalgic dish for urban Bengalis who grew up watching grandmothers make it on Sundays. The dish appears at shraadh ceremonies (memorial meals) as a traditional offering, and at village feasts where whole fish are purchased and every part is used. ---

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