Fish cutlet (Indian fish cakes) - Master the art of making crispy fish cakes oozing with traditional Indian flavors. Serve with a side of simple onion salad and watch your guests tuck in. Simply sensational!
I
know, I’m not supposed to talk about fried party foods in January. But I think it’s okay to add a cheat day to your healthy eating plan, and make fish cutlet. Just because these fish cakes are oozing with deliciousness. In fact, I was planning to post this recipe prior to Christmas, but the festive preparations kept me super busy. And right now, I’m so excited to share this amazing recipe with you. At the same time, I’m also craving a day off from healthy eating.
Fish cutlets (or you can call them fish cakes or fish patties) made with fish, veggies and spices are coated in egg and breadcrumbs, and deep fried to golden perfection. These Kerala style cutlets are traditionally served as starters or appetizers along with this simple onion salad.
The entire process of making these cutlets is very similar to the chicken cutlets. The only difference is in the type of protein used in the recipe. If you love chicken cutlets, I’m pretty sure you’re going to fall head over heels with these easy fish appetizers. These cutlets are not only a great party starter but also highly addictive.
Crispy on the outside soft on the inside - that makes the best possible description of these delicious cutlets. Alright, to the recipe now.
To make cooking easier, I decided to go with canned tuna in this fish cutlet recipe. Of course, you could opt for your favorite fish like king fish, salmon or mackerel. The best way to cook them is obviously in a steamer so the fish will stay moist and soft. Again, make sure you remove all the bones before adding the fish to the rest of the ingredients. You know, most fish have tiny bones in their flesh which needs to be removed properly.
First, we’ll make the cutlet mixture. To add maximum flavor to the fish cutlet, we’ll sauté onions, ginger, ground turmeric and curry leaves. Next up, tuna goes into the mixture. Make sure you don’t sauté tuna too long so it’ll stay moist. A final touch of garam masala builds up the flavor.
Again, you’ll need a binding agent to hold everything together. The traditional way is mashed potatoes which are added to the tuna mixture in the final stage to absorb all the delicious flavors. If you’re looking for ideas that exclude potatoes, try adding an egg once the mixture is cooled down.
Finally, shape the tuna mixture into cutlets, dip in egg, roll in breadcrumbs and deep fry. If you want to add more greens to this recipe, why not serve this with a side of your favorite salad for a light lunch or dinner?
Honestly, I’m loving every delicious bite of these gorgeous fish cutlets.
More Fish Appetizers
Fish Cutlet | Indian Fish Cakes | fish cutlet kerala Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 and ½ cups onions finely chopped
- 2 inch ginger minced
- 2 green chilies chopped
- 2 sprig curry leaves chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric turmeric powder
- 425 g canned tuna drained
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper black pepper powder
- 3 large potatoes boiled and mashed
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 2 eggs lightly whisked
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- Oil to deep fry
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, ginger, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until onions start to brown. Add ground turmeric. Fry, stirring, for a few seconds.
- Add drained tuna. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Add ground black pepper and heat through. Remove from heat. Leave to cool.
- Add potatoes and garam masala to the cooled tuna mixture. Season with salt. Make 26 small balls out of the mixture and press down lightly to form round or oval shaped patties or cakes. Set aside.
- Place eggs and breadcrumbs in two separate bowls. Dip each cake or cutlet in the egg and then roll in breadcrumbs.
- Meanwhile heat oil for deep frying in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add cutlets (in batches) to the hot oil and deep fry. Flip over to cook both sides. When the cutlets turn golden, remove them from oil with a slotted spoon, and drain on an absorbent towel. Serve with onion salad (challas) and ketchup.
Video
Notes
- Add more or less ground black pepper depending on your taste
- Add more or less green chilies depending on your taste
- When frying, don’t let tuna dry too much.
- If you want to add coriander leaves, add it along with mashed potatoes
- To freeze patties after coating in breadcrumbs, arrange the cutlets on a tray in a single layer. Freeze for 4-5 hours. Then transfer to ziplock bags to save space. About 30 minutes prior to deep frying, remove from freezer and thaw. Uncooked cutlets can be frozen up to a month.
- If using fresh fish, steam the whole fish and separate into tiny pieces. If the fish has bone, debone them. Make sure you remove all the tiny bones
Nutrition
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