Canned Tuna Spicy Fish Cutlets.

A few weeks ago I rambled about how Mangaloreans a fish loving breed cannot do without fish….well if you missed that post do head over here to learn more about our fish loving madness.

Well at times when our fresh and frozen fish supplies are low or when there is an urge to eat fish that is not curried or fried, then off we go rummaging through our stash of canned reserve. Fish stored in cans can be truly handy. Canned fish is available all year round, and is a must have stock cupboard ingredient. I stock up on canned tuna, sardines and salmon. These little canned treasures can be used to make a delicious fresh and tangy fish salad with chopped, onions, tomatoes loads of lemon juice and green chillies. At other times they can be converted into a batch of spicy, moist and delicious cutlets that can be quickly served up as nibbles, piping hot of the pan with some Maggi hot chilli sauce or as an accompaniment to a homely meal of plain rice, mangalore saar and vegetable sukke.

Well a couple of  months ago I  received a message from Joe D’Souza (a member of this blog, now  turned friend 🙂 who wrote to me saying:

Did some cooking on d weekend, tried fish cutlets,
Came out Yummee,
Just like my moms!
But this was a kinda diff recipe,
Given to me by my sisters colleague
.

……and share this wicked cutlets recipe with us, he did! Many thanks Joe!!
These cutlets will surely take you home…they are savoury, spicy and as you rightly put it… YUMMEE!!
 
I adapted the recipe a bit, and  included mashed potato to bind the cutlets, and pepper and green chillies to spice them up a notch, but you could use breadcrumbs and red chilli powder as Joe did for heat instead. They can be either deep fried or shallow fried, I shallow fried them.

I must say if you like canned tuna you will love these babies. Try them out.
 
Recipe for Canned Tuna Fish Cutlets
Recipe Contributed by: Joe Dsouza
Makes 12 -14 mini cutlets| Serves: 3-4 
Ingredients:
Canned Tuna Fish: 1 standard can
Onion(chopped): 1 large
Tomato: 1 small
Green chillies finely minced: 2-3 nos
Garlic cloves finely minced: 2 large or 4-5 small
Ginger finely minced: 1/2 inch
Potatoes: 1 large boiled and mashed
Black Pepper powder: 3/4 tsp
Coriander leaves finely minced:1 tbsp
Garam masala powder: 3/4 tsp
Oil: 2 tbsps
Bread crumbs to coat cutlets: 1/2 cup
Eggs:  2 nos for coating the
Oil for shallow frying
Method:
1. Carefully open the lid of the canned tuna and drain all the water or oil from the can.
If using regular fish: Clean and cut the fish. Cook it with 1/2 tsp of pepper powder and salt and and a pinch of turmeric. Shred the fish using your hands. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add the finely minced onion,  ginger, garlic and green chillies and fry till their raw smell goes then add the chopped tomato and fry for a further 4-5 minutes till the tomatoes softens and moisture dries out.
3. Add the flaked fish to the pan and toss well to mix. Continue to fry the fish till all the moisture in the fish dries out. Will take around 6-7 minute on a medium flame.
4. Next add the mashed potatoes. Mix well. Sprinkle over the pepper powder and garam masala powder. Mix well. Finally sprinkle over the chopped coriander leaves.
5. Take the pan off the fire. Check for seasonings and adjust. Be careful while adding salt as the canned fish can be quite salty. Using fingers mix the cutlets well for even distribution of ingredients.
6. Allow the mixture to cool.
7. Using a tablespoon measure for mini cutlets or a 2 tbsps measure for larger cutlets, roll the mixture in the palm of your hands to make small balls then shape them using your fingers to your desired shape.
8. Once all the balls are formed, cling film and keep them away in the fridge till ready to fry. Once ready to fry dip them in beaten egg and roll in bread crumbs
9. Deep or shallow fry the cutlets in hot oil till the breadcrumbs turn a nice golden brown. Drain onto a tissue paper and serve piping hot.


 

If you have not heard about the Mangalorean Cook Book I am giving away, then head over here and make sure you enter for the Giveaway

Also checkout the current entries for the Giveaway, vote for your favourite picture/dish by ‘liking’ or ‘sharing’ the picture/ pictures. Thank you !

Till my next post,

Have fun cooking and dont forget to soak up all the sun!!

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira

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