Shuchi Mittal reveals one of her favorite family recipes.
By Shuchi Mittal
This is a traditional recipe that has been in my husband’s family for years. After being in South Africa for four generations their home cuisine displays distinct Indian flavors with local influences. Spices that were available locally took over some of the traditional Indian spices, and fish and meat became a staple in all households. Like all Indian homes, food is still a sentiment used at every occasion- to celebrate, to grieve, to show love & concern and of course for Indian girls, to display skill. 
Far away from home, my husband often craved these savory snacks that his grandmother used to pamper him with. Giving in, I decided to try my hands at the recipe, and not to alter anything to the taste remains as close to home as possible. Was it a success? The smile on his face and that of his family (when they say the pics) says it all. A happy husband can go a long way- and this just took 30 mins of my time.
PrintSpicy Fishcakes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
A traditional recipe from my in-laws
Ingredients
For the cakes
- 1 Tin Mackerel fish in brine (approx 400gm)
- Handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 large potatoes, boiled and mashed
- 8 green chilies, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons bread crumbs (plus more for coating)
- Salt to taste
Others
- 1 egg
- Breadcrumbs
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Remove the middle bone from the tinned fish and squeeze out the excess water with your palm – fish must be dry.
- Flake the fish with your fingers till its broken into fine pieces.
- Mix in the remaining ingredients for the fishcakes and blend well (best to use your hands) till the mixture is firm enough to roll.
- Make 18-20 cylindrical patties out of the mixture and keep aside.
- Beat the other egg in a bowl
- Dip each fish cake in the egg, and then into breadcrumbs.
- Heat the oil in a pan and shallow fry till golden brown on each side.
- Serve hot with a cup of masala chai!
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
This sounds delicious. I have printed it to take shopping with me to see if I can find all the ingredients to try it out.
I was delighted to find the recipe and knew I wasn’t the only one who ate canned (or tinned) mackerel!
Currently in Tucson Arizona but resident of Colorado, I love creative recipes! In the US we would call these “Hush Puppies” meaning that they would be serverd be before a meal to quite a crowd.
A little too much chilis for my tastes and I don’t care for cilantro. I use other herbs, like parsley, and oregano.
But overall, very good!
I have to make these immediately if not sooner!