Bengali’s craze
for fish is a well known fact. Fish is our passion, our food for thought and
occupies a unique place not only in our everyday menu, but is also intricately
woven into the Bengali culture and festivities.
The Bong’s obsession with fish
is overtly evident in every occasion or festival.
Be it puja, marriage or any
social event, fish is considered to be very auspicious for every occasion! Fish
is offered as Prasad during Durga
Puja , is exchanged between families of bride and groom during marriage, and
when someone dies in the family, the mourning period is concluded by consuming fish by
the bereaved family as a symbol of going back to normal life.
Fish curry,
Fish in mustard gravy, fish head pulao (muri ghonto), steamed fish, fish
cutlet.......the list is endless! Each recipe is unique in itself and in a
self-aggrandizing way articulates the never ending bong fishy fascination for
fish. My today’s recipe is a fish preparation loved by all....both Bengalis as
well as non-Bengalis. It’s called “macher chop” or fish chops. Few common ingredients
readily available in every kitchen are adequate to prepare this mouth watering
snack.
 |
| Before frying |
Serves: 6
pieces
Preparation
time: ½ hour (approximately)
Cooking
time: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1. Fish... 2
thick pieces of Rohu or Katla
2. Potato: 2
medium sized
3: Onion: 1
4. Ginger-garlic: 2
5. Green chilies: 3-4 or according to taste
6. Red chili powder: 1 tsp
7. Cumin
powder: 1 tsp
8. Garam
masala powder: 1 tsp
9. Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
10.
Cilantro: 2 tbsp
10. Salt: to
taste
11. Oil: 2
tbsp
MARINADE:
1. Lemon: 1
no
2. Salt: ¼
tsp
COATING:
1. Besan: 2
tbsp
2. Bread
crumbs: 200 gm
3. Salt: to
taste.
4. Water as
required.
Frying:
Oil for deep
frying.
METHOD:
1. Marinate
fish with lemon juice and salt for 15 minutes.
2. Steam in
pressure cooker with very less water for 5 minutes.
3. Debone
the fish fully.
4. Boil
potato. Mash it with a fork.
5. Chop
onion finely. Finely chop ginger garlic and green chilies. Chop cilantro.
6. In a wok,
put 2 tbsp of oil. Fry onions till translucent. Add ginger-garlic and
green chilies.
7. Add
turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder and
mix properly.
8. Add the
mashed potato and deboned fish and mix thoroughly.
9. Add salt
to taste and chopped cilantro.
10. Let it
co
11. Mix
besan with water and salt into a thin consistency. Put bread crumbs on a plate.
12. Take
potato fish mixture and shape it like cutlets according to your imagination.
13. Put them
in the batter of besan, coat it nicely and with other hand roll them in bread
crumbs.
14.
Refrigerate for at least an hour.
15. Deep fry
the cutlets in smoking hot oil. When one side gets brown, just turn once and
fry the other side. Take it out on absorbent kitchen napkin
.
16. Serve
hot with onion rings and green chutney or Bengali kasundi (mustard sauce).
 |
| Ready to be served |
Authors
Note:
1. I always
use either Rohu or Katla for making this cutlet. Vetki fillet can also be used by
those who are not confident enough to debone the fish properly.
2. The
cutlets can be prepared well in advance and can be kept in the fridge for good
7-8 hours before frying. I always make it in the morning and refrigerate it,
and serve either as evening snacks or in dinner.
3. While
making the filling I use mustard oil as the pungent smell of mustard oil goes
very well with fish.
4. Even
while deep frying mustard oil can be used which adds special flavor tothe
chop. The strong fragrance of mustard oil makes the cutlets yummy and delicious
no wonder. But if you are not comfortable with mustard oil, go ahead with any
other oil suitable for deep frying.
So do not wait for the perfect occasion to make this delicacy.....prepare it and the yummy taste of macher chop will make the occasion perfect!
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