The Maldives – Traditional Reef Fish Cutlets

by Fariha Saeed

About the dish

Fish cutlets are one the yummiest and popular dishes in the Maldives. Fish cutlets are a bite-able snack that is served with some sauces. The taste of it is so good that you can stop yourself from eating it. This has a unique flavor that makes you droll. The texture of it is crispy from the outside and soft and juicy from the inside. The aroma of it is out of the world. You can have this as a snack, lunch, or dinner. You can also serve this to parties or gatherings to impress everyone. The outer layer of it is so crunchy. This dish is very popular in winters. Street vendors sell this dish the whole night. This dish prepared by adding fish, spices, flour, herbs, potatoes, etc. If you are a savory food lover this dish is for you. When you take a bite of it the first thing you taste is the juicy fish with some spices and fresh herbs in it. This is similar to bar b q but bar b q has a smoky flavor in it and fish cutlets are fried. This dish has a lot of different flavors. You can serve this with:

• Sliced coconut
• fresh herbs
• mint sauce
• yogurt dip
• apricot sauce
• tamarind sauce
• chili sauce
• ketchup

The fish is cut into small pieces so it is easy to eat. Some people like to eat it with tortilla or bread. When the fish cutlets are deep-fried it enhances the flavor. This dish is also known as street food. The fish goes very well with potatoes and spices. You can use any kind of fish but the real recipe includes tuna but some people do not like tuna so you replace it with another fish.

Nutrition list

• Protein 8 g
• calories 190
• carbs 6 g
• carbohydrates 150

Ingredients of fish cutlets

• 2 can tuna ( small pieces)
• 1/2 kg potato (boiled and chopped)
• 1 cup oil
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 2 cups yogurt
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 2 onions (sliced)

Cooking

Take a pan and add oil, onions and sauté it until the onions are caramelized. Then add the tuna in it and mix well for 5 minutes. Now keep it aside and let it cool for 2 hours. Now take a bowl and add yogurt, lemon juice and mix it and then keep it in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Now take a large mixing bowl and add the tuna mixture in it and then add the yogurt in it and then mix well. Now add salt, red chili powder, black pepper, and again mix well until all the things are fully combined.

Now take another bowl and whisk the eggs. Then take 2 more bowls and put the bread crumbs and flour in them. Now make bite-size balls of the mixture and then first dip it in the egg and then dip in the flour now again dip it in the egg and then dip in the bread crumbs.

Now take a large cooking pot and add oil in it and then deep fry the fish cutlets and serve with coconut and sauce.