Photos: Passport & Plate - Gertie's Fish Cutlets

colombokiwi — Fri, 6 Mar 2015 11:59:00 GMT

Ingredients
4 medium potatoes
vegetable oil
handful of shallots (finely chopped)
1/2 tsp garlic paste
curry leaves ( finely chopped )
knob of ginger ( grated )
juice of two limes
1 teaspoon each of cumin and coriander lightly roasted and powdered
2 green chillies finely chopped (can make hotter depending on taste)
425g canned tuna or any soft white fish
2 eggs
flour to thicken egg batter
breadcrumbs to coat
oil for deep frying

How to prepare this recipe
Peel potatoes and boil in water until tender. Mash and set aside to cool.
Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan and crisp the curry leaves. Then add shallots and sauté until golden brown.
Add the rest of the spices and chilli.
Lower the heat and add the tuna and potatoes to onion spice mix and combine. Add salt and lime juice to taste. Set aside to cool.
Once fish filling is cooled, roll into 2 centimetre balls and slightly flatten with the palm of your hand.
Dip rolled cutlets in egg and flour batter and then coat in the breadcrumbs.
Heat oil in frying pan or deep fryer and add cutlets a few at a time.
Fry until golden brown.

The story behind this recipe
Sri Lankans are reputedly one of the most hospitable people in the world and much of the socialising centres around food.
"Short eats" are the staple treats offered to visitors at any occasion and this fish cutlet recipe is one of my earliest food memories. Perfect with a beer or a refreshing freshly-squeezed lime drink these delicious deep-fried delicacies are a crowd favourite.
My grandmother Gertrude was a great cook and when she'd visit us she would make the most mouth-watering Sri Lankan fare. I distinctly recall helping her coat the cutlets in breadcrumbs and remember her nimble fingers carefully rolling the fish mixture into delicate, bite-sized uniform balls, From her I learnt such tips as not mixing your egg batter fingers on the one hand with the crumbing fingers on the other so you didn't end up with an eggy mess!
It's been more than 20 years since Gertrude passed away, but the conversations we had while we made these golden morsels and her presence in the kitchen when I'm making these cutlets will never be forgotten.
This recipe is something very special to me and being able to share it with people who have never tasted Sri Lankan cuisine is a perfect entrée and starting point.

A Taste of Home

Photos: Passport & Plate - Gertie's Fish Cutlets