Roasted Curry Fish Heads & Garlic Jasmine Rice.

In Nigerian culture, fish heads are often given to the head of household because  there is a belief that the head is the best part of the fish and consuming the eyes makes one wise. 

Growing up with these beliefs, I never shied away from fish heads like my more western counterparts.  Through my experiments with fish heads, my favorite way (second to deep frying it till it's irresistibly crispy) is curried and roasted atop a bed of garlicky jasmine rice. While this meal can be considered frugal because fish heads are very cheap (and can even be acquired for free at times), it tastes so damn decadent due to the fatty content of the fish head and the wonderful caramelization that occurs with roasting it.

I know most people are not crazy about eating fish heads because "ew, gross". but with this recipe, I'd like everyone to put that aside for a minute and embrace the unknown. I believe that we are socialized in the western world to not eat certain parts of animals but by missing out on the fish head, you're missing out on a ton of nutrients, yummy fish and you're wasting a large part of the fish. 

A big part of sustainable eating & living is wasting less. You want to utilize every part of the products you are consuming and eating fish heads is a great way to minimize the amount of industrial waste and pollution that is released back into the waters.

Honestly, just don't knock it till you try it!

I hope my rambling has been convincing and you're ready to cook some curry fish heads with me. 

The recipe

For this recipe, you'll need two medium fish heads that have been halved into four pieces, Jamaican Curry Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Smoked Paprika, Sesame oil and a hot oven.

Step 1: Rinse the fish heads under cold water and clean any remaining blood, debris etc.

Step 2: Pop/ cut out/ remove the fish eyeballs.

Step 3: Mix a paste of cayenne pepper, jamaican curry powder, smoked paprika, salt and sesame oil. The ratio of the seasonings can vary depending on how spicy and/or curried you like your fish. I did a 2 tablespoons : 1  tablespoon ratio of curry powder to cayenne and paprika, and mixed it together with 2 tablespoons of sesame oil. For every 2 tablespoons of curry, you'll add one tablespoon of everything else to make your spice rub.

Step 4: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Step 5: Smear the fish heads with the spice rub. You wanna cover every nock and cranny off that fish with the paste. With fish heads, there are lots of lil nooks and crannies so don't shy away from getting in there and give it it's best flavor.

Allow the fish to marinate for about 30 minutes ( or even longer, for a few hours) before roasting. 

Step 6: Roast the fish heads skin side down for 15 minutes.

Step 7: Flip the fish, place it skin side up and broil it on high for 5-10 minutes, depending on your liking. This step will allow the skin on the fish head to get crispy, reduce the fat on the fish and give it a distinctive roasted taste.

Step 8: Remove the fish meat from the head and flake the fish over a bed of rice (preferably a bed of garlic jasmine rice but, any rice will do) and serve. 

I hope this crash course into fish head dining has inspired you to take on a highly under-appreciated ingredient!

If you try it , and you love it, please leave a comment below.

I'd love to hear from you.

Happy Eating.

Rachel.