Ingredients:
For the filling
- Potato – 2, medium-sized
- 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
- 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
Method:
- 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 cooked, break it down or mash lightly with the spoon. You want a fairly smooth mixture.
- Add the mashed potatoes and stir to combine well with the masala and fish. Cook together till mixture is fairly dry.
- 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 the 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.
Note:
- You can use other fish like tuna, mahi-mahi, king fish, etc.
- You can shallow fry the cutlets in a pan or even bake them
- Formed patties can be frozen for a few weeks.
