Fish Fingers

My dad got posted to Barrackpore, near Kolkata, the oldest cantonment of India. I was in Mumbai to complete my graduation. Whenever he would visit me he would get Fish fingers made by his cook. At that time I wasn’t too much of a fish eater. When he got it for the first time I was wondering why he would carry fish fingers all the way from Kolkata! But one bite and I was telling him already that he must get it next time 😊

This recipe is very different than the continental cheesy version of fish fingers. I have experimented with it a lot, Air fried/Baked/Without egg/ High on chilli but nothing beats the original recipe by dad’s cook!

Serves – 4 Time – 60 mins marination time and 30 minutes preparation & cooking time

Ingredients

1. Fish Fillets- 500 gm (Bhetki/Basa/Any white fish)
2. Lemon Juice – 1 tsp
3. Onion – 1 small/ 2 tbsp paste
4. Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
5. Ginger paste – 1 tbsp
6. Green Chillies  – 2
7. Green Coriander  – 10 gm / 1 tbsp paste
8. Garam Masala powder – 1 tsp
9. Black Mustard – 1 tbsp
10. Salt to taste
11. Tomato ketchup – 1 tbsp
12. Oil – 2 cups
13. Eggs – 2
14. Bread crumbs – 2cups
15. All purpose Flour/maida  -2 cups

Method

1. Wash & pat dry the fillets
2. Cut the fish into thin strips like finger
3. Add salt and lemon juice, mix well and keep them aside for 30 minutes
4. Soak mustard in ½ cup of water
5. Blend coriander, green chillies, mustard, onion, garlic, ginger, mustard, tomato ketchup to a fine paste. Use very little water
6. Add fish fillets in this mixture and apply on the each of the fillet evenly and refrigerate it for another 30 minutes.
7. Beat the eggs and mix with little salt
8. Take flour and little bit salt in a plate and mix
9. Coat the fish piece with flour, then dip into egg mixture. And then coat with bread crumbs
10. Place oil in a non-stick frying pan to cover the base. Heat over medium heat. Add pinch of salt (for less oil absorption)
11. Add fish pieces in oil and deep fry on medium flame until golden brown. Turn the fish pieces and fry the other side until golden brown .
12. Serve with tartar sauce or mayonnaise or kasundi

Note:

1. Keep the flame on medium throughout
2. If you want to air fry it instead of deep frying, preheat the air fryer at 200 C and then cook for 12-15 mins at 170 C