Bengalis and their obsession with fish is well-known. But even among Bengalis, the scale of love for fish differs from region to region. People from 'East Bengal' or the natives of present-day Bangaladesh, and those who have migrated from this region to other parts of the world are notorious for their love for different kinds of fish in the Bengali community. Chittal Maacher Muitha is also a typical 'East Bengal' preparation. Since the preparation of the dish demands true labour of love, the dish is prepared only on special ocassions. The word Muitha is derived from Bengali words 'mutho' in Bengali or 'Mutthi' in Hindi, which means a closed fist. In this recipe, fish is first deboned and then moulded into balls using hands, pressing it firmly using palms. These balls are then boiled and fried. Finally they are cooked in a gravy.