First, start by cleaning the Catla fish head thoroughly.

Next, transfer it to a plate and add salt to taste and ½ tbsp of Turmeric powder.

Nicely rub them on the catla head so as to coat every crevice. Cover and keep them aside for about 20 minutes.

While the fish head is marinating, thinly chop the cabbage.

Peel and finely chop the onion. Grate the tomato and make a paste of the ginger, garlic, and one green chili. Keep all these aside.

Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut them into 1 ½ inch cubes.

Now take a kadhai and add around 3-4 tbsp of mustard oil.

Let the oil heat until it smokes a little.

Next, add the potatoes to the oil and fry them. Cover and let them cook.

Stir occasionally and add salt to taste.

Let the potatoes cook until the fork done.

Transfer them into a bowl and add 2 tbsp oil to the same kadhai (you can add less or more depending on the fish head). Let the oil heat properly.

To the heated oil, gently place the fish head. Keep the flame on medium.

Fry the fish head from all sides until it is cooked through and turns golden brown.

With the help of the spatula crush the fish head and make some small pieces out of the big chunks.

Stir and fry them nicely. Do not burn them.

When done, transfer them onto a plate and keep them aside. Keep the oil away to use it later.

Next, take a kadhai and add 2-3 tbsp of mustard oil.

Let the oil heat until it smokes a little.

To the oil, add the cumin seeds and bay leaves (tear them from the middle).

Stir them until the seeds crackle and then add the finely chopped onion. Keep the flame on medium.

Sauté the onion until it turns golden brown.

Next, add the ginger, garlic, and green chili paste.

Sauté and combine them nicely.

Cook until the rawness of the ginger and garlic is gone.

Now add the pieces of fish head into the kadhai.

Combine all the ingredients well and then add the grated tomato.

Stir them from all sides and let them cook. Keep the flame on low to medium.

To this, add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and red chili powder. Stir consistently.

Let the masala cook until the oil starts to separate from it.

Add the potatoes to the masala and combine well.

In the kadhai, add the thinly chopped cabbage and stir from all sides.

Add salt and sugar to taste and combine again.

Now, cover the kadhai and let the cabbage cook nicely.

Stir occasionally and cook the cabbage until soft.

While the cabbage is cooking, crush the cardamom, cloves, and the cinnamon stick with a little bit of water. Use a sil batta or a mortar and pestle. Keep it aside.

Remove the cover and check the cabbage. Combine all the ingredients and make sure they do not stick to the bottom of the kadhai.

When the cabbage is almost cooked through, add the green peas, one green chili (break it from the middle), and the crushed aromatics.

Stir and mix them well.

Keep the flame at low and let all the ingredients cook nicely for about 3-4 minutes.

Take a taste test. Add if anything is needed.

When everything comes together beautifully and there is almost no moisture left (it is ‘makha makha’ in Bengali), transfer the macher matha diye bandhakopi into a serving bowl

Garnish it by drizzling 1 ½ tsp of ghee on the top.