Introduction: Enjoying Delicious Fish Cutlets at Any Occasion
Origin and history of the dish
About the Recipe: Easy and Quick Preparation
Ingredients for This Recipe
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Fish Cutlets (Make it Points Points Sections so its very easy to read )
Tips for Making Perfectly Crispy and Tasty Fish Cutlets
Serving Suggestions for Delicious Fish Cutlets
Conclusion: Enjoying a Delicious Meal with Minimal Effort
Extra Notes
Who doesn’t like fish cutlets? With their tantalising aroma, tender and flavourful interior, and crispy exterior, they form the essence of every starter meal. I have explained the recipe for fish cutlets in my Kalavara Youtube Channel.
One of my fond memories of having guests during holidays was the particular aroma of the fish cutlets. Once again, it was my mother with her culinary delights, and she never failed to surprise us with her special recipes. However simple the dish may seem, she always managed to make it special. We always had cutlets for different occasions at our house, be it Onam, Christmas, a birthday party or a family gathering. Sometimes, it would be chicken cutlets, sometimes beef and very often fish cutlets. Especially when my mother gets hold of very good salmon, kingfish or mackerel.
In this blog, I would like to revisit those memories as we journey through the art of making fish cutlets and regale you with stories on the origin and history of the dish, followed by cooking videos Malayalam recipe on how you can prepare this lip-smacking side dish. Enjoy your run through this blog, and make sure to try this recipe next time you buy fish.
The art of making fish cutlets
Most of us love eating cutlets, and fish cutlets do have their own special place in the hearts of fish connoisseurs. The art of making the perfect fish cutlets involves the right selection of ingredients and precise cooking style. And of course, the addition of the aromatic spices and other ingredients add to the delectability of the snack, elevating your culinary experience. The symphony of taste is because of the right mix of all these ingredients in a perfect rhythm.
You can watch the recipe on my Kalavara Youtube Channel.
These crispy golden brown delicacies have a rich and ‘tasty’ history that makes it the perfect snack beyond global boundaries.
Origin of fish cutlets
The fish cutlets have made their mark in various forms, shapes and textures from Mediterranean fish cakes to Japanese fish patties and Indian fish tikkis. It is said that the cutlet or the croquette originated in France, meaning ‘to form, coat and fry’. This sums up the fish cutlet recipe in three short words, right?
It was the British who brought the idea of cutlets to India, mainly Bengal. It was easily acceptable, because the Benaglis were always fans of fried stuff. The cutlets were popular in the Indian Coffee House in Kolkatta and eventually its delectable taste and popularity spread to other parts of the country. Now you will find them in every bakery or corner shop all over India. However, you might not find fish cutlets everywhere, so learn to make them, by watching my cooking videos Malayalam.
Fish cutlets were popular in Sri Lanka too as they prepared these round pieces of tasty snack for the road. They are quite addictive, and Sri Lankans add this to their starter packs. Of course, the Sri Lankan fish cutlets or croquettes are made in a different manner and are quite distinctive with their perfect round shape. It looks almost like ladoos, but spicy, with plenty of spices.
It’s so simple to make fish cutlets
You love fish cutlets, but think that it is a messy and time-consuming dish to prepare, I have simplified the process for you with some interesting tips and tricks. You can easily make them on your own, it is so easy and simple.
While making these cutlets now as an adult, I am often taken back in time to the carefree days when my mother used to prepare them. I usually sit by the countertop watching her make them, followed by the pleasant anticipation of having these cutlets with my regular cup of milk in the evenings. And during vacations or festivals, there is this added thrill and excitement of playing with my cousins and munching on an endless supply of cutlets.
If I was a good girl, my mother allowed me to dip a couple of cutlets into the egg mix and then the breadcrumbs. That was really exciting because I could make my own shape and then dip them into the egg mix. And the breadcrumbs. That was fun!
So you see, once you get all the ingredients all ready to mixed, the process becomes so simple and easy for anyone.
About the Recipe: Easy and Quick Preparation
In this recipe, I have just deboned the fish, cooked the onions with the necessary spices and soya sauce. I then added the boiled and mashed potatoes and mixed them all well.
Then I made them into small round balls, shape them, dip them into the egg mix, and then into the breadcrumbs. We can shape the cutlets at this point, and then deep fry them. See, it’s that simple. We will go into the step-by-step preparation of the cutlets in down below, hang on!
Ingredients for This Recipe
Here is a list of ingredients that I used to make my fish cutlets. You can substitute the KingFish for Mackerel, Salmon or even tinned Tuna. Some people even use fish fillets, which is also equally good. You can watch the making of this recipe in Kalavara, the best cooking channel for foodies.
Ingredient’s List
Kingfish – 250 grams
Oil – 1 ½ tablespoons
Ginger, nicely cut – 1 teaspoon
Green chillies, nicely cut – 2
Curry leaves – 5-6 leaves
Onions, nicely cut – 2
Turmeric powder
Fennel seeds – ½ teaspoon
Soya sauce – 1 ¼ teaspoon
Garam masala powder – ¾ teaspoon
Pepper powder – a bit
Potato, cooked – 1 and ½ cups
Egg – 1
Bread crumbs
Oil for frying
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Fish Cutlets
This is an excerpt of my recipe posted on YouTube. You can have a quick look here of all the major steps of making the fish cutlets:
Take 250 grams of Neimeen or Kingfish. I cooked the fish with water, salt and half teaspoon of pepper.
Heat a pan, pour oil over it. Once the oil is hot, add one and a half teaspoons of nicely cut ginger, two green chillies, 5-6 curry leaves (leaves only), two onions, also nicely cut. Saute them well. The onions have to become tender and translucent.
Once the onions are cooked well, we can add enough masala powders. Lower the flame, add one-fourth teaspoon of turmeric powder, half teaspoon of crushed pepper powder, half a teaspoon of fennel seeds, three-fourth teaspoon of garam masala powder, one teaspoon of soya sauce.
Add one and a half cups of cooked and thoroughly mashed potato. Make sure the potatoes are mashed well, with no pieces.
Taste and add salt, sauce or spice, if needed
Take an egg and separate the egg white and yellow. The white you can use for dipping the cutlets and frying. The yellow can be added to the cutlet mix.
Shape the cutlets. You can decide whichever shape you want, or use a mould.
Now dip the cutlet in egg white and in the bread crumbs before frying. The egg white and breadcrumbs must be evenly coated before they are fried.
Fry on medium flame.
Tips for Making Perfectly Crispy and Tasty Fish Cutlets
I am sure that you are now convinced that it is easy to make yummy, crispy fish cutlets. Sharing some tips that I have observed through my own experimenting and watching Malayalam cooking videos. Check them out:
If you have ever experienced the ‘cracking of cutlets’ when you fry them in oil, then you are not alone. I made my first fish cutlets as a teenager, and when I did it, the cutlets just exploded in the oil. The egg coating wasn’t enough and it was not spread evenly around the cutlet. It was when I noticed the disapproval on my mother’s face that I remembered she had warned me to dip the cutlets evenly before dipping it carefully in the hot oil. Well, I did neither. I had to sieve the oil in a strainer before frying again because the tiny pieces just kept floating around. That was a hassle, but I learnt my lesson.
And another thing to remember while mashing the potatoes is that you can mash with a masher, the back of a spoon or a fork, remember to check with hand, because small pieces of potato can break open the cutlets when it’s frying in hot oil.
Dipping the cutlets in the egg and coating them with breadcrumbs will give them a rugged texture and make them crsipy when deep fried or shallow fried.
You can store the cutlets after coating them in egg and breadcrumbs if you wish to prepare them in large quantities. Remember to bring them to room temperature before frying them.
If you prefer to shallow fry, then fry on low to medium flame, and then flip them over only when they change colour. This can make the cutlets crispy on the outside.
Freeze the cutlets in ziplock bags so there will be no water content in the cutlets.
I would also like to remind you once again to make sure it is covered evenly in the breadcrumbs. This was indeed a delicate task, but I mastered it quickly, and glowed in my mother’s praises, finally!
Serving Suggestions for Delicious Fish Cutlets
I make these fish cutlets to take to a party or potluck. And quite often for my children as an evening snack post school time. These cutlets are just perfect with tomato sauce, mint chutney or mayo. You can have these cutlets as starters when you have guests over, and prepare an onion-cucumber-tomato salad to go along with it.
Conclusion: Enjoying a Delicious Meal with Minimal Effort
From this blog, I am sure you are assured that making fish cutlets is too simple and easy. Just remember the tips I shared, and you don’t have to make any newbie mistakes. Go pro on your first try by watching the detailed recipe on my Kalavara Youtube Channel. I have explained the process of making these fish cutlets in detail. Fish cutlets are so easy to make, and you can make yummy homemade cutlets with fresh ingredients.
You can make them in about 20-30 minutes for a small quantity, so no more excuses of ‘no time’, ‘I am in a rush’ or ‘I am busy’. To make things easier for you remember to get fish that you can debone easily. Picking on the bones can take time, so get fish with good meat on them.
Extra Notes
When you debone the fish, make sure all the bones are removed. Even small bones can get stuck in the throat, especially for children.
Thaw frozen fish completely, because water might get into the mix, and that can really mess with the mixing and shaping of cutlets
If you have problems holding the shape of the cutlets, then add a bit of bread crumbs, wetted ever so slightly.
You can mince the fish in a mixer grinder or food processor for a fine and even mince.
These cutlets have a medium level spice, you can add or decrease the spiciness according to your interest.
