Kolkata Fish Fry

 

Kolkata Fish Fry 

It is one of the Bengali Delicacy made during occasions and celebrations. Normally mostly at home fish fry / mach Bhaja is frying the fish with salt and turmeric, but the marinated fish that is crumb coated and deep fried is made very rarely at home. Bhetki or Telapia is used for this dish. This dish is served with Kasundi and Onion. 

Ingredients 

6 pieces of Boneless Fish Fillets cut into rectangular or square shapes

Juice of one small Onion Paste 

1 tsp Garlic paste

1/2 tsp Ginger Paste

1/2 tsp Chilli paste 

Juice of 1/2 Lemon 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder

1 Egg beaten with little salt 

3/4 cup Bread Crumbs

Oil to Fry 

Method

Marinate the fish with lime juice and salt, keep it aside for 15 minutes. Then add onion juice, ginger - garlic paste, chilli paste and pepper powder. Let it marinate for at least an hour. Take the bread crumbs on a plate. Take a marinated fish fillet, dip it in egg and coat the fish with bread crumbs, repeat the process by dipping the fish in egg and again coat it with bread crumbs. Shape the fish properly from the sides. Heat up the oil, on a medium low flame fry the fish until golden brown in colour. Remove the fish on a paper towel. Serve hot with onion and mustard sauce / Kasundi.

Macher Chop / Fish Chop

This is a popular dish of Bengal. It’s served during occasions / celebrations as starter or with evening tea / cha, when the family and friends comes together for an informal meeting / adda which is a quintessential part of Bengal. 

Macher chop is made with any big size fish like Rahu, Katla, Bhetki, Aar mach etc. the fish is boiled with salt and turmeric, deboned and mashed. Boiled potato is used for binding the mixture. Fish and the potato are cooked with spices and a lemon size portion of the mixture is taken, it’s given an oval shape, dipped in egg and coated with bread crumbs. It’s then fried until golden brown in colour. It’s served with mustard dip / Kasundi and tomato ketchup along with some sliced cucumber and onion. 

Ingredients 

250 grams Rahu or Katla or Bhetki or any big fish with less bones.. boiled with salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric. Debone the fish and mashed 

1 big size Potato boiled and mashed 

1 medium size Onion chopped 

2 Green Chillies chopped 

1 tsp chopped Coriander leaves - optional 

1/2 tsp Ginger paste 

3/4 tsp Garlic paste 

1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Sugar

1 tsp Chilli powder 

3/4 tsp Cumin powder 

3/4 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/4 tsp Chaat Masala 

1 Egg beaten with little salt

3/4 to a cup of Bread crumbs 

1 tbsp Mustard Oil 

Oil for frying

Method 

Take a pan, add mustard oil, add the cumin seeds, let it crackle. Add the onion, chopped greeen chillies, ginger paste, garlic paste, salt and sugar. Stir and sauté the ingredients for 2 minutes or until the onions become soft and translucent. 

Add the mashed fish, mashed potato, chilli powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder. Stir and cook the ingredients on low medium flame until all the ingredients bind together. We can add 1 tsp chopped coriander leaves - (optional). 

Take a small portion of the mixture, roll and check if it’s forming a ball. Remove the mixture from the flame and allow it to cool. 

Take 1/2 of the bread crumbs on a plate. 

Take lemon size portion from the fish mixture. Give it a oval shape, repeat the process. Now take a oval shape chop and dip it into the beaten egg, remove and coat the chop with the bread crumbs. Once when one round of coating is done, repeat the process of coating the chops with egg and bread crumbs again for the second time. Take oil in a kadai / wok. Let the oil heat up, on a low flame fry the chops until golden brown. Once the chops are fried, remove the chops on the paper towel. Sprinkle the Chaat masala on the chops. Serve the chops with cucumber, onion, mustard dip / Kasundi and tomato ketchup.

Bhetki Maacher Pulao / Bhetki Fish Pulao

Made this home style Bhetki Pulao which is very quick and easy to cook. This can be made with any boneless fish left in your freezer. 

Ingredients 

500 grams of Bhetki fish boneless cut into small chunks 

1 1/2 cup Basmati Rice washed and  soaked 

1 Big size Onion sliced 

1 tbsp Ginger and Garlic Paste

2 Green Chillies cut lengthwise 

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

2 Bay leaves 

2 Cloves 

2 Green Cardamoms 

1 small stick Cinnamon 

5 to 6 Pepper Corns

1/2 cup Whisked Curd 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder

1 tsp Cumin powder 

1 tsp Sugar

Salt to taste

3 tbsp Ghee 

Method 

Take a pot. Add ghee, let it heat up. Add the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, pepper corns and bay leaves. Let it crackle. Add the sliced onion and sauté till the onions are translucent. Add the ginger - garlic paste. Continue to sauté for a minute more. Add the curd, salt, sugar, turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin power and garam masala powder. Stir and cook for 2 minutes, add the fish pieces and the green chillies, continue to cook for 2 minutes more. Remove the fish pieces from the masala and keep it aside. Add 4 cups of water. Let it simmer. Add the rice. Let it continue to cook until the rice is almost done. Place the fish on the rice, gently stir the rice, cover and cook for another 2 minutes. Switch off the flame. Open the lid and gently stir it again. Garnish with coriander leaves.  Let the pulao stand for 15 minutes before serving, so that the excess vapour will evaporate. It goes well with salad and  curd.

Chilli Fish

The Chinese origins who have successfully settled in some parts of Kolkata have highly influenced the local community with their food. The early Chinese settlers adapted and cooked the dishes as per ingredients availabled in the local market which gave birth to Indian Chinese Cuisine. The Indian Chinese food which has less similarities with the original Chinese food is now very commonly sold at every corners of the street in Kolkata and spread across India.

Some of the common Indian Chinese dishes that are sold are chow mein,Hakka noodles, fried rice, chilli chicken or fish, manchurian,  Schezwan etc.

Last time when my husband and myself had been to the fish market, we had picked up various types of fish. After our trip back home, I found a packet of Bhetki fillets in the freezer.

My husband said, How about making Chilli Fish? - to which I agreed.

He too is a good cook, and loves to help me in the kitchen. He chopped all the vegetables required to make the dish and here is the recipe.....

For the Marinate and Fried Fish

Ingredients

400 grams Boneless Fish cubes

1 tbsp Garlic minced

Salt to taste

1/4 cup Cornflour

1/4 cup All Purpose Flour

1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

1 Egg beaten

1/2 cup Oil to fry

Method

Marinate the fish cubes with garlic, salt and soy sauce. Keep it aside for 15 minutes. Add the egg and mix well. Add corn flour and all purpose flour and mix well until all the fish cubes are coated well in the batter. Add oil in to a fry pan and heat it. Add the marinated fish cubes in batches and fry them until golden brown. Remove the fish on the paper towel. Keep it aside.

For the Chilli Fish

Ingredients

Fried Fish

1 Onion sliced or cubed

1 Green Capsicum sliced or cubed

8 to 10 Green Chillies cut into halves

1 tbsp Garlic minced

1 small piece Ginger cut into julienne

1 tbsp chopped Spring Onion

2 tbsp Soy Sauce

1 tbsp Green Chilli Sauce

2 tbsp White Vinegar

2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Cornflour

4 tbsp Same Oil in which the fish has been fried

Method

Take a pan, heat the oil. Add garlic and ginger, sauté for few seconds. Add the onions and capsicum and continue to sauté for a minute. Add 3/4 cup water and let it simmer for a minute. Meanwhile take the corn flour in a small bowl, add 2 tbsp water and mix it. Now add the salt, soy sauce, vinegar, chilli sauce and tomato ketchup into the gravy and stir. Let it simmer for a minute. Add the fish and let simmer for few seconds. Add the green chillies and stir. Add the corn flour mix into the gravy, continue to cook till the gravy thickens up. Switch off the flame. Garnish it with chopped spring onions. Serve it hot with  noodles or fried rice.

Macher Kochuri

Since it is rainy season .... normally we feel like having fried stuff... and we associate fried dishes with this season... it was long in my bucket list to make Macher Kochuri... In Bengal since fish is the staple food.. we make various types of dishes with fish. My Ma use to make this... but since she is no more... I am making this after many years.. Here I have just rolled the dough and made simple kachoris, but my mother use to make 2 small disc out of the dough balls, then place the stuffing in the center of one disc. Then take the other rolled disc and place it over the other rolled disc. Then curl the edges of the disc, sealing both the disc together and then deep fry it. You can use prawns for stuffing too .... 

For the Stuffing

Ingredients 

• 250 grams of Rohu / Bhetki Fish -  Boil the fish with little salt, debone the fish and mash the  fish....
• 2 medium size Onion chopped 
• 5 Garlic Cloves minced 
• 1 inch Ginger minced
• 2 Green Chillies minced 
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp Bengali Garam Masala powder 
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
• Salt to taste 
• 1/4 tsp Sugar
• 2 tbsp Mustard Oil

Method 

Take oil in a pan, heat the oil. Add the cumin seeds and bay leaf. Let the cumin seeds crackle. Add the onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies. Stir and cook for a minute. Add the sugar and continue to cook till the onions have become light brown in colour. Add the fish, salt, turmeric powder and chilli powder. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garam masala powder and stir for few more seconds. Switch off the flame. Let the stuffing cool down. 

For the Kochuri

Ingredients 

• 3 cups All Purpose Flour / Maida
• Salt to taste 
• 3 tbps Ghee
• Stuffing 
• Oil for deep Frying 

Method 

To make the dough for the Kochuri, take all purpose flour in a bowl. Add salt and ghee. Rub and mix the flour together. Add little water at a time and make a semi hard dough. Knead it well. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes. Divide the dough into big lime sized balls. With the help of your palms flatten the dough and create a cavity in between the center of the dough. Add 1 tbsp of the stuffing in between the cavity.  Seal the sides of the dough together, make a ball and roll the ball into a medium size round disc. Heat oil in a wok, deep fry the kachoris one at a time. Once done remove the Kochuris on a paper towel. Serve it hot with aloor tarkari or enjoy it just like that... 

Macher Bhappa Cake / Fish Cake Steamed.....

This is an excellent recipe to have with evening tea or as a starter. The fish is boiled and mashed with boiled potatoes and vegetables and then set in a steamer or steamed in any vessel till it sets. This recipe is a heirloom recipe from my aunty’s kitchen and recreated in my kitchen. It has a touch of Bengal as Kasundi is used in it.  It's a very healthy recipe as there is very less oil content which has come from Kasundi and greased container. For the bread crumbs, I have used whole wheat bread crumbs, you can also roast or crisp the leftover rotis to make the breadcrumbs.
For people who eats egg... you can substitute the fish with soya granules.
I am sure you will love my recipe as much as I did making it. I am sure you will try it out.

Ingredients
1 cup / 250 grams  Any Fish boiled, deboned and mashed ( Bhetki, Prawns, Kathla)
1 big size Potato boiled and mashed
1/2 cup finely chopped any colour capsicum
1 small Onion finely chopped
1 tsp Garlic minced
1/2 tsp Ginger minced
1/2 to 1 tsp Green chillies minced
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Pepper crushed
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/4 tsp Baking powder
1/4 cup Bread Crumbs
2 Eggs beaten
2 tbsp Kasundi ( Mustard Sauce )
1 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
1/4  tsp Mustard oil just to grease the container

Method
Take a mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients together very well, except for the oil. Take a greased baking pan. Pour the mixture in to the container and spread it. You can steam it in a steamer or take a wok, add water, place a napkin at the base. Place the container with the lid on. Cover the wok and steam it for 20 to 30 minutes or till the mixture has set. To check, insert a tooth pick. Cool it down. Cut it into pieces and serve it with more Kasundi.

Bhetki Macher Kanta Chorchori...

Bhetki or (Barramundi) is quite a popular fish. We Bengalis have many preparations made from Bhetki. The small size is used to make jhol or jhal. And the big size ones are cut into fillets and made into cutlets, paturi, chops, fish fingers etc. Moreover even the remaining bone along with some flesh and head are also not wasted and it is made into Kanta Chorchori. You will not find this delectable dish in any of the restaurants. It is a very simple traditional dish cooked at home. Simply have it with hot steaming rice and it is divine... 

Ingredients 

Bhetki head and bones cut into pieces marinated for 5 minutes with 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder and salt.

1 tsp Garlic and Ginger paste 

2 Green chillies slit 

2 big size Onions sliced 

2 big size Potatoes cut into wedges 

1 Tomato cut into wedges 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Coriander powder 

1/4 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/2 tsp Sugar 

Salt to taste

1 small stick Cinnamon 

1 Green Cardomom

2 Cloves

1 Bay leaf 

1/4 cup Mustard Oil 

Method 

Take a wok. Add mustard oil. Heat it till the smoking point.  Reduce the flame. Fry the bone and the head till golden brown in colour. Remove it from the wok and keep it aside. In the same oil add the cinnamon, green cardomom and cloves. Let it crackle. Add the bay leaf and the green chillies. Add the onions and sauté it till light brown in colour. Add the ginger - garlic paste. Sauté for a minute. Add the potatoes. Stir fry the potatoes for a minute. Add the tomato. Stir it. Add the salt, sugar, turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder. Stir it and add the fish bones. Stir and add 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook till the potatoes are cooked and the water has evaporated. Server it hot with hot steaming rice.