At the Corner of Happy and Harried

Fish Cutlets {Indian Fish Croquettes}

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30 mins Cook time
20 mins Total time
50 mins Crisp on the outside, spicy and juicy inside, these Indian style fish cutlets are a snap to make
15-18 You will need
filling
medium
Oil
2 tbsp Cumin seeds – ½ tsp Curry leaves - 3-4, chopped Onion – 1, finely chopped Ginger and garlic paste – 2 tsp Green chili – 1, finely chopped (optional, omit if serving to kids) Turmeric powder – ½ tsp Red chili powder – 1 tsp (or as per taste) Garam masala powder – ½ tsp Salmon filet – ½ lb, skinless and cut into small pieces Salt – to taste Black pepper powder – ¼ tsp Amchur powder – ½ tsp (or juice of half a lime) Cilantro leaves – 2 tbsp, finely chopped For the cutlets, Fish and potato filling – above quantity, cooled slightly Egg – 1, large Breadcrumbs – 1 cup Salt and pepper - for seasoning Oil – for frying How to: Fish Cutlet Filling: Boil, peel and mash the potatoes. Set aside. In a large pan or deep skillet, heat the oil. Add cumin seeds and curry leaves and allow them to crackle. Add onions and saute for a few minutes till soft and lightly golden in color. Add the ginger-garlic paste and chopped green chili and saute well till the raw smell is gone. Now add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, and garam masala powder and saute for a few seconds. Add the fish pieces and salt to taste. Cook the fish on all sides. When the fish is opaque (cooked), break it down or mash lightly with the spoon. You want a fairly smooth mixture. Sprinkle black pepper powder, aamchur powder and cilantro leaves, mix well and remove from heat. Let filling cool completely before forming the cutlets. Making Fish Cutlets: Set up your breading station. Whisk the egg, season lightly with salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Take breadcrumbs in another bowl. Pinch lime-sized balls of the fish filling, smoothen with your hands and flatten it slightly to a disk shape. Alternately, you can make oval or cylindrical shapes as well. Dip each patty in the egg, then roll generously in breadcrumbs. Transfer to a large tray or plate. Repeat till all the filling is used up. At this point, you can either freeze the patties for future use or fry them right away. Allow the coating to firm up slightly before frying them. You can refrigerate them for 10-15 minutes to speed up things. Heat oil in a frying pan. When the oil is hot, drop in a couple of patties, reduce heat to medium-high and fry till golden brown on all sides. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil. Increase the heat again before frying the next batch. Repeat till all cutlets/croquettes are done. Serve them hot along with some ketchup. Serve with tea, coffee or a cool glass of lemonade depending on your mood! Fish cutlets can also be served along with a main meal or as appetizers. It goes well with almost all kinds of rice dishes, flatbreads and can also be eaten as a slider sandwiched between lightly toasted buns. Notes: 1. You can use other fish like tuna, mahi-mahi, king fish, etc. The fish can be cooked separately, but I like to cook it in the masala to absorb maximum flavor. Cutting the fish into small pieces will make them cook really fast.2. You can shallow fry the cutlets in a pan or even bake them for a healthier version (at 400 deg.F for 15 minutes or till coating is browned).3. The oil must neither be too hot or not hot enough. If it is too hot, the cutlets will burn and if it is not hot enough, it has a tendency to absorb oil and turn soggy. Start with a hot pan of oil, then reduce the heat to medium and fry cutlets till evenly browned on both sides. Bring oil temperature up before dropping in the next batch of patties.4. Formed patties can be frozen for a few weeks. Flash-freeze the patties on a tray or baking sheet. Then place them in Ziploc bags or airtight freezer containers and store in the freezer till needed. To make cutlets, remove as many patties as required, thaw them slightly and fry/bake as usual. 3.5.3226