Badhakopi Diye Macher Matha is a Bengali specialty that warms the heart and satisfies the taste buds with its combination of tender cabbage, potatoes, spices, and fried fish head. I am fond of such dishes because cabbage slowly absorbs the flavors of other ingredients and becomes tender. This dish is substantial but not rich and goes well with the simplest side dish of plain boiled rice. It is an old recipe that is perfectly at home on the table for a casual family dinner.
Quick Facts:
- Serve Badhakopi Diye Macher Matha hot with steamed rice or roti for a satisfying and wholesome meal.
- It takes under an hour to make this dish in my kitchen, including preparation, marination and cooking time.
- Badhakopi Diye Macher Matha tastes savory, umami and spicy.
- A few specific alternatives to this dish include Macher Matha Chorchori, Macher Matha Curry, Macher Matha Kalia, Macher Matha Shorshe Jhal, and Muri Ghonto.
The Ingredients:
- Rohu fish head: 3 pieces of heads (cut and cleaned)
- Cabbage: 1 large sized (shredded and half boiled)
- Potato: 1 large sized (cut into small cube pieces)
- Onion: 1 large piece (chopped)
- Tomato: 1 large piece (chopped)
- Onion, garlic, ginger paste: (1 large sized onion, 1 medium sized garlic and 2-inch ginger)
- Turmeric powder: 1 tbsp
- Red chili powder: 1 tbsp
- Kashmiri red chili powder: 1 tbsp
- Coriander powder: 1 tbsp
- Roasted cumin powder: 1 tbsp
- Cumin seeds: 1 tbsp
- Bay leaves: 2 pieces
- Red dried chilies: 2 pieces
- Mustard oil: 3 tbsp
- Salt: As per taste
- Water: As much as required
How to Cook Badhakopi Diye Macher Matha (Step by Step Images)?
1. Marinate the fish heads with a little salt and turmeric powder. Set them aside for 10 minutes.
2. Fire up the earthen stove. Place a deep-frying pan (kadai) on the stove.
3. Pour the mustard oil into the kadai.
4. Add the fish heads to the hot oil.
5. After one side is done, flip them upside down.
(Pro Tip: Fry the fish heads patiently. Rushing this stage can leave them fragile when added back later.)
6. Take them out onto a bowl.
7. Add potatoes to the same oil. Sauté them with a little salt and turmeric powder. Once lightly fried, take them out.
8. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves, and red chilies.
9. Add the chopped onions. Once the onions turn light brown, add the tomatoes and a little bit of salt.
10. When the tomatoes are cooked, add the onion-ginger-garlic paste. Mix well and sauté for a few minutes or until it thickens.
11. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder. Keep stirring so that the spices mix well with the paste. Add a little bit of water.
(Pro Tip: Add water gradually while stirring, so the spices cook evenly without turning watery.)
12. Once the spices start releasing oil, add the lightly fried potatoes and sauté for a few minutes.
13. Add the half-boiled shredded cabbage and mix everything well.
14. Add a small amount of water and some salt.
15. Add the fried fish head pieces. Cover the pan with a lid and allow it to cook for 10 minutes.
16. Remove the lid and add roasted cumin powder. Mix well.
17. Meanwhile, the water will evaporate, and a thick texture will form.
18. Badhakopi Diye Macher Matha is ready.
Recipe Variations
- While experimenting I found that peas add a pleasant seasonal sweetness to the dish.
- When available, I sometimes use Katla head instead of the Rohu head. It tastes equally good.
- I have also used Ilish head here a couple of times, which gives the cabbage a richer depth.
- On days when I want more heat, I add two slit green chilies.
Badhakopi Diye Macher Matha Recipe Problem Solvers
Q: Why is my cabbage a little raw after cooking?
A: Let it cook covered for a little longer than said in Step 15 so that the half-cooked cabbage can soften up with the fish-head flavors.
Q: The potatoes broke down before the dish is ready. What to do?
A: I faced this before. Handle the potatoes gently after frying them. Over-mixing can also break the small cubes.
Q: The fish head sticks to the pan during Step 5. Why?
A: The oil is not sufficiently hot for sure. Let it smoke before you add the fish head.
Q: The spices burnt quickly. How to prevent it?
A: Simple. Remove the pan from the flame before adding the spices in Step 11. Once they are mixed nicely, put it back on the flame and follow the rest of the process.
Recipe Card:
Badhakopi Diye Macher Matha (Fish Head With Cabbage)
Ingredients
- Rohu fish head: 3 pieces of heads cut and cleaned
- Cabbage: 1 large sized shredded and half boiled
- Potato: 1 large sized cut into small cube pieces
- Onion: 1 large piece chopped
- Tomato: 1 large piece chopped
- Onion garlic, ginger paste: (1 large sized onion, 1 medium sized garlic and 2-inch ginger)
- Turmeric powder: 1 tbsp
- Red chili powder: 1 tbsp
- Kashmiri red chili powder: 1 tbsp
- Coriander powder: 1 tbsp
- Roasted cumin powder: 1 tbsp
- Cumin seeds: 1 tbsp
- Bay leaves: 2 pieces
- Red dried chilies: 2 pieces
- Mustard oil: 3 tbsp
- Salt: As per taste
- Water: As much as required
Instructions
- Marinate the fish heads with a little salt and turmeric powder. Set them aside for 10 minutes.
- Fire up the earthen stove. Place a deep-frying pan (kadai) on the stove.
- Pour the mustard oil into the kadai.
- Add the fish heads to the hot oil.
- After one side is done, flip them upside down.
- (Pro Tip: Fry the fish heads patiently. Rushing this stage can leave them fragile when added back later.)
- Take them out onto a bowl.
- Add potatoes to the same oil. Sauté them with a little salt and turmeric powder. Once lightly fried, take them out.
- Add cumin seeds, bay leaves, and red chilies.
- Add the chopped onions. Once the onions turn light brown, add the tomatoes and a little bit of salt.
- When the tomatoes are cooked, add the onion-ginger-garlic paste. Mix well and sauté for a few minutes or until it thickens.
- Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder. Keep stirring so that the spices mix well with the paste. Add a little bit of water.
- (Pro Tip: Add water gradually while stirring, so the spices cook evenly without turning watery.)
- Once the spices start releasing oil, add the lightly fried potatoes and sauté for a few minutes.
- Add the half-boiled shredded cabbage and mix everything well.
- Add a small amount of water and some salt.
- Add the fried fish head pieces. Cover the pan with a lid and allow it to cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid and add roasted cumin powder. Mix well.
- Meanwhile, the water will evaporate, and a thick texture will form.
- Badhakopi Diye Macher Matha is ready.
