Macher Chop (Bengali Fish Croquettes / Fish Cutlets)

Off late I have been really enjoying Instagram, the other social networking platform, mainly for pictures. I have been actively sharing photos and videos about what’s happening in my kitchen. The good thing about this change is that I have started using my camera more frequently. After spending more time with photography, I am getting my blogging mojo back!  Last week when I invited some of the friends over dinner I made some Fish croquettes and while I was making those, shared the photos on my Instagram story. Some of my followers-friends made a request to post the recipe of Fish Croquette on the blog.

Croquette is a small deep fried food that generally contains mashed potatoes, ground meat, fish or vegetables as stuffing. In today’s recipe that I am sharing, I have used fish filling. To make Croquettes, first, you have to prepare the filling and dip the filling in egg wash. Then roll in bread crumbs and finally deep fry them in hot oil. The Croquette is mainly oval shaped. Once fried, they become quite crispy on the outside but remains soft inside. It’s very tempting as an appetizer or a party snack, commonly served with tomato ketchup. You can also serve with your choice of dip and with onion rings and some salads. 

 Earlier I have shared a couple of similar recipes like Dimer Devil, Fish Fry, Chicken Kabiraji and the Baked version of Fish Cutlets. There are lots of Cutlets/croquettes items available in Bengali cuisine. Each variety has a distinctive taste and texture. This culture came in Bengali cooking mainly from the kitchen of old British Clubs in Kolkata.

Recipe of Macher Chop ( Fish Croquettes / Fish Cutlets ) for 10 to 12 pieces 

Ingredients:

Fish fillet or boneless fish: 1 lb / 500 g

Onion: a big one, finely chopped 

Ginger paste or grated ginger: 1 teaspoon

Garlic paste or minced garlic: 1 tablespoon

Tomato: a small one chopped 

Green chilies: chopped, one teaspoon or as per your tolerance

Coriander powder: 1 teaspoon 

Red chili powder: 1/2 teaspoon

Potato: 1 or 2 medium sized, boiled 

Coriander leaves: half cup ( optional ) 

Raisins: 1 tablespoon ( optional )

Green Cardamoms: 2 

Cinnamon stick: 1 inch

Cloves: 2 

Salt: to taste

Egg: 1 

Breadcrumbs: 1 cup 

Oil: 3 tablespoons and for deep frying 

Method:

1. Boil or bake the fish until it is cooked.  Take a big pan, add 2-3 tablespoon oil to it and heat it up. Once the oil is hot, add cardamoms, cinnamon stick, cloves to it. Once they are fragrant, discard them from oil.

2. Add the chopped onion to the pan, saute it till it changes the color to light brown, add ginger and garlic. Stir it, cook until the raw smell goes off. Add the chopped tomato to the pan, sprinkle some salt. Cook it till the tomato becomes soft and smashed. 

3. Add coriander powder, red chili powder, and green chilies. Stir to mix it, till oil starts separating from the sides of the pan.

4. Break the fish pieces into small chunks with a fork and add it to the pan. Mix it nicely with the spices and keep stirring for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the potato or potatoes, smashed it with a spatula and mix well with fish-spice mixture. ( The potato will work here for binding the mixture. If you think the mixture is still watery or not holding the shape you can add one more potato or a cup of breadcrumbs. )

5. Give some stirs, until the mixture is well combined. Check the seasoning, add salt or chilies if needed. Add coriander leaves and raisins if you are using. Turn off the gas, now filling is ready. 

6. Divide the mixture into 10 to 12 equal balls, give them shape like a cylinder, disk or oval. 

7. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 2 tablespoons of water. Take a flat dish and spread the breadcrumbs on it. 

8. Take a ball first dip into the egg mixture, then roll it in the breadcrumbs until it gets a nice coat all over it. Do the same process for the rest of the balls. 

9. Now take a deep frying pan, add oil and heat it up. Once the oil is hot, deep fry the balls in two or three batches on medium-high heat till they are evenly golden brown on both sides. 

10. Take out them from oil and place it on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Bengali Fish Croquettes / Macher Chops are ready to serve. Serve hot with Kasundi or tomato ketchup or with your choice of dip and with onion rings and some salads. 

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Phulkopi r Singara ( Samosa filled with Cauliflower Mixture )

Probably you have already guessed from my video (posted in my FB account) what next I am going to share in my blog. Yes, I will tell you today about how we can make India’s most favorite snacks called Samosa. What is known as Samosa in rest of the India, called Singara in Bengal. Singara, chai and Muri are still the menu in many houses in the evenings, especially during rainy days. Even in abroad, Samosa is very well-known Indian dish among non-Indians. While I was searching about the origin of Samosa in India, got surprised to know that it came from middle east through the traders from this region. That’s why similar dish with different stuffing is available in middle eastern countries.  

Bengali Singara is little different from samosa. It uses potatoes, peas and cauliflower, sometimes peanuts for a little crunch. I think Singaras are easy to make, but some of my friends may not agree. To them the most difficult part is the folding of singara. That’s why I wanted to help you by posting the video online. What differentiates Singara from its siblings is flaky textures of the outer cover. It takes long hours of practice to get the perfect texture of Singara. After repeated attempts I have now started getting the texture as flaky as Kolkata's Singara.

Though there are different kinds of Singaras, the most common one is Fulkopir (cauliflower) Singara. Since Bengalis can never keep anything vegetarian, they made Singara also non-veg by putting chicken as stuffing. Surprisingly there is no fish Singara. In Kolkata's sweetshops, you also find a sweeter version, filled with khoya and dipped in sugar syrup.

I will share today the recipe of Fulkopir singara.  So friends, please try my version and let me know if you like it. 

Recipe of Aloo Phulkopi r Singara ( Samosa filled with Potato and Cauliflower Mixture ), makes around 10 Samosas

Ingredients :

For the filling :

Cauliflower florets : 3 cups 

Potatoes : 1 and 1 /2 cups, peeled and cubed 

Green peas : 1/2 cup

Roasted peanuts : 1/4 cup 

Vegetable oil : 2 tablespoons

Cumin seeds : 1/2 teaspoon 

Red whole chili : 1 

Grated ginger : 1 tablespoon 

Turmeric powder : 1/2 teaspoon 

Cumin powder : 1 teaspoon 

Salt : to taste 

Bhaja Masala : 2 teaspoon ( dry roast one whole red chili, 1 tablespoon of  the whole cumin seeds and 1/2 tablespoon of coriander seeds and grind them into a powder ) 

for the Samosa Shells 

Maida ( all purpose flour ) : 3 cups 

Ghee : 6 tablespoons 

Salt : 1 teaspoon 

Sugar : 1 teaspoon 

Cold water : 

Vegetable oil : for deep frying 

Method :

1. To make the filling, first , boil some water in a saucepan. Add the cauliflower florets and potatoes and peas to it. Cook them for 3 to 4 minutes. 

2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan, once oil is hot add cumin seeds and the whole red chili. When it starts to splutter, add the cauliflower florets , potato cubes, and peas. Add the roasted peanuts and stir it well. Add grated ginger, turmeric powder, cumin powder . Keep Stirring. Add salt. Once vegetables are well cooked, add the bhaja masla. Mix it well. Turn off the heat. 

3. Take a big mixing bowl, add the flour to it. Add ghee to flour and mix it nicely with your hand. Add salt and sugar and mix it again. Add cold water to the flour mixture, add little at a time and knead it into a stiff dough. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel and keep it in the refrigerator for an hour. 

4. Take the dough and knead it again for 2 to 3 minutes. Divide the dough into 12 to 15 big lemon sized balls. Apply oil on your clean kitchen counter top and start rolling it into an oblong shape.  

5. Cut each oval into two halves. 

6. ( the 6th step and the 7th step are how to fold the samosa , I have made a video of it , you can follow it)  Take half part of the oval and make it a cone. Seal the edges with water. 

7. Take a tablespoon stuffing and fill the cone. Seal all the edges by pressing it gently with your fingertips. The shape will look like a triangle. Repeat the process with the rest. 

this is the video link  https://www.instagram.com/p/BL1VFteDTGM/ 

8. Heat oil in a deep-frying pan, once oil is hot, turn off the heat and let it cool down. When oil is not too hot. Carefully add 3 to 4 samosas and fry it on low temperature until they become golden brown on both sides. ( Don't fry them on high heat, the crust will not be crispy ) 
Make sure the temperature of the oil is low enough when you add the next batches of samosas. 

9. Drain Samosas on a kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil. Serve hot with a cup of tea. 

( If you want, you can make it ahead of time. Keep them in the refrigerator in an airtight box. Bake it in the oven at 425 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes when you want to serve it.)

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Vegetable Chop ( Bengali Style Vegetable Cutlet )

Today I will share a mouthwatering street food of Kolkata called Vegetable Chop. The city of joy is known for its delicious street food like Jhal Muri (puffed rice mixed with other ingredients), Phuchka, Singara/Samosa and different kinds of deep fried cutlets. Vegetable chop belongs to the category of cutlets, a fusion of the British and Indian food styles.  Many of the snacks that you get in cities in Kolkata  like Cutlets and chops – crumbed and fried – are among the Anglo-Indian dishes that are now very much a part of our own cuisine.

Vegetable Chop is nothing but a vegetarian version of cutlet. The filling is a combination of mashed potato and some winter vegetables like, carrot, beetroot and peas.  In Indian cuisine, a cutlet specifically refers to cooked meat or vegetable stuffing that is fried with a batter/covering. At first vegetable itself is cooked with spices and then it’s dipped in an egg mix and then in breadcrumbs and fried in vegetable oil.

The Kolkata street food crossed boundaries and entered into regular party menus, starting from wedding to birthday parties. In our childhood days, we used to see that when there was a small gathering at home, the most common snack that used to be served with tea was vegetable chop. We knew that we would get at least half piece of the same once others are done. Being a non-resident Bengali, I miss these street foods a lot and try to make as regular as possible for different pot-luck parties with our close friends. Some of our family friends are very fond of my vegetable chops and sometimes I have to make some extra for them. Tomorrow we are going to have snacks party for the grand super bowl event in one of our friend’s home and I thought this would be the perfect crowd-pleasing finger food from my side.

Recipe of Vegetable Chop ( Bengali Style Vegetable Cutlet ) for 16 to 18 pieces Chops 

Ingredients :

For Stuffing :

Carrot : 3 medium 

Beetroot : 2 medium 

Potato : 3 large 

Peas (frozen or fresh ) : 1/2 cup 

Onion : 1 medium size, finely chopped 

Ginger : grated , 1 tablespoon 

Cumin powder : 1 teaspoon.

Green chillies : 2 or 3 chopped 

Roasted half peanuts : 2 tablespoon 

Golden Raisins : 2 tablespoons ( optional )

Salt : to taste 

For Roasted Spice powder ( Bhaja Masla ) :

Whole Cumin : 1 and half tablespoon 

Whole Red chili : 1 

For Coating :

Egg : one  

or 

Corn flour : 4 to 5 tablespoon (If you want to avoid egg use corn flour )

Breadcrumbs : 1 cup and more ( if needed ) 

Oil for deep frying 

Method :

1. Peel and cut the potato and beetroot in halves. Peel the carrot too and Wash everything. Cook the vegetables till they are tender. I used pressure cooker. If you are using pressure cooker, add all the vegetables, add one cup of water and salt to the pressure cooker. Cook on medium heat and wait for 3 whistles. Let the pressure cooker cool down, open the lid and drain the water. 

2. Mash the vegetables coarsely, add the peas to it and set it aside. 

3. For roasted spice powder, dry roast the cumin seeds and the red chili. Once nice aroma comes up, turn off the heat. Let it cool down and grind it to a powder. 

4. Take a pan, add 2 tablespoons of oil and heat it up. Add chopped onion and fry it till the color changes to golden brown. Add salt and add grated ginger. Keep stirring for couple of minutes. Add green chillies, add cumin powder and cook. 

5. Add the mashed vegetables. Stir and mix in everything. Add salt and saute the vegetable mixture till the excess water dries up and leaving the sides. If needed add one or two tablespoons of breadcrumbs for binding.

6. Add roasted spice powder, roasted half peanuts and raisins. Mix thoroughly. 

7. When the mixture cools down, divide it into 16 to 18 equal portions. Now give them oblong or oval shape. 

8. Make a thin batter with corn four and water.  ( Or make egg wash. )

9. Dip the chop / croquette in above mix, roll it in breadcrumbs, until it gets a nice coat all over it.

10. Take a dip frying pan, add enough oil for frying. When the oil is smoking hot, lower the flame to medium high and fry them in small batches till they are golden brown on the both sides. Remove with slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel to drain excess oil. 

11. Sprinkle some black salt ( beet nun ) and serve hot with some ketchup and a salad ( sliced cucumber and onion) . 

• If you want to bake your cutlet instead of deed frying, check the procedure here Baked Cutlet. 

Related Posts :

Baked Fish Chop

Chicken Croquette ( Mangsher Chop )

Bengali Fish Fry

Egg Devil ( Dimer Chop ) .. Click for recipe

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