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Bengal and its preoccupation with fishes are too well known. The Non-Bengalis also fondly relish this protein-rich non-fibrous white meat equally, although mostly in the form of fish curries. How about learning a vivacious chop version and a delicious Bengali avatar of rui Katla fish. Bringing to focus, Bengali Macher Chop is a chewy, meaty and amazing blast of spicy flavours cooked into one fish mixture. It can be surely called a one-pot dish for the non-fussy filling prepared with the continuous addition of ingredients starting from chopped onions, fish fat, skin and meat to the fish meat at last. The well-incorporated seasonings of ginger, garlic, Bengali bhaaj moshala and other flavourful powdered spices make it a fulfilling filling.
Bengali Fish Croquettes Or Macher Chop
The Bengali Macher Chop is a popular dish and an even more popular street food in Kolkata. These Fish Croquettes are typically made from Rui/Katla or Carp fish or Aar fish which is a large catfish that has more fats and fewer bones. Although it can be made from any fish and is commonly made with the trimmings of Bhetki fish fillets. The Bhaja masala used in Fish Croquettes is a Bengali concoction of cumin, coriander and dried red chillies.
Talking of the nutritional value of fish, they are low-fat and high in proteins. Commonly known to have omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins such as D and B2 also called riboflavin. Besides, it is rich in calcium and phosphorus and a great source of minerals, such as iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium, and potassium.
Preparation: 1 hour 10 minutes
Cooking: 52 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
600 gm aar machh (or rui/Katla)
350 gm onions (finely chopped)
20 gm ginger (finely chopped)
20 gm garlic (chopped)
10 gm green chillies (chopped)
70 gm mustard oil
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
2 tsp amchur (dried mango powder)
20 gm salt
20 gm sugar
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp bhaja masala
Breadcrumbs, maida/flour and eggs for coating
Vegetable oil
Method:
. Firstly, coat the fish pieces with oil, cover with cling film, and microwave for 4½ minutes.
. When the baked fish cools down, pick out all the fish bones carefully and separate the skin from the fat.
. In a pan, heat mustard oil and add chopped onions. Fry until they are golden.
. Optional: If one wants to include the skin and fat, then it can be added at this step to the pan so that it gets cooked well with the onions.
. Then add garlic to the pan, fry it for 3 minutes, and add ginger, and fry for another 3 minutes.
. Now add all the powdered spices. Then add salt and sugar.
. Saute everything well until the raw smell of the spices goes away.
. Add the chopped green chillies.
. Introduce the deboned fish meat, then add bhaja masala and garam masala. Mix everything thoroughly.
. Turn off the heat and set it to cool. When it cools down, mash the filling with your hands to get a uniform mixture.
. Divide this into about 50 g portions and shape it into logs.
. Coat these logs with flour, then dip them into eggs and finally roll with the breadcrumbs. The coating of eggs and flour should be seasoned with salt and pepper.
. Deep-fry these logs until brown.
The coating of flour, eggs and breadcrumbs gives the fish chop an extremely beautiful glazed golden colour finish and a super crunchy outside. Replace your regular potato cutlets and chops with Bengali Macher Chop and enjoy it with salads and green chutney.
