Komro Pata Diye Ilish Macher Bhorta

 Komro Pata Diye Ilish Macher Bhorta 

Ilish Macher Bhorta is one of the favourite in our house… from the time my husband visited Bangladesh… mostly head and tail of the fish is used… one of the dish made with the head of the fish is chorchori… 

We had some pumpkin leaves growing in our balcony pot… we have used pumpkin leaves to make Macher paturi.. and chorchori… but the leaves weren’t enough to make either of the dishes… since Bhorta is one of our favourite.. used the pumpkin leaves in the Bhorta… 

Patients is the key word for Bhorta… as lots of fine fish bones  have to be removed .. but once made.. it will just vanish from your plate…: 

To marinate the Fish 

Ingredients 

Head and Tail of Ilish/ Hilsa fish 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/4 tsp Chilli powder 

Salt to taste 

Method 

Apply salt, turmeric powder and chilli powder on the fish head and tail.. 

To make the Bhorta 

Ingredients 

Marinated Fish head and tail 

Handful of Pumpkin leaves (can add more)

2 medium size Onion sliced 

2 or more Green Chillies 

2 Garlic cloves

2 Dry Red Chillies 

1/4 tsp Nigella seeds

Salt to taste

2 to 3 tbsp of Mustard oil

Method 

Take oil in a pan.. let it heat, fry the fish head and tail.. until golden brown in colour… remove the fish head and tail and keep it aside. Add sliced onion, garlic, green chillies and dried red chillies into the remaining oil in the pan. Sauté until light brown in colour, add the pumpkin leaves.. stir once.. move the sautéed onions and the leaves on one side of the pan, add the Nigella seeds, spread the onions in the pan, place the fish head and tail over the sautéed onions… cover and cook for a minute, open the lid and turn the fish and cook for another minute. Switch off the flame, let it cool a bit, take a grinding jar, add the head, tail, garlic cloves, green chillies, one dried red chilli, pumpkin leaves into the grinding jar. Don’t add any water.. use the pulse button and grind the ingredients coarsely… 

Remove the Bhorta on the plate.. here comes the test of your patients… time to remove the bones… once done add the sautéed onions and salt.. mix all the ingredients together.. the Bhorta is ready to be savoured with some hot rice…