Green Banana and Fish Kebabs (Cutlet or Burger)
Kachche Kele ke aur Machli ke Kabab
Mamta Gupta
This recipe is based on younger sister Reetas's Green Banana Kebab recipe. It uses a mix of green, raw bananas (not plantain), potatoes and cooked, mashed or flaked fish. Tinned or fresh smoked mackerel is very nice, giving it a gentle, smoky flavour. These kebabs can be served as a starter or as part of a buffet or as burgers, placed between sliced bread rolls. Instead of making burger shaped kebabs, you can make them into small ball shapes (koftas) and put in a curry sauce.
Do not be put off by the long list of ingredients, they are easy to make. Makes approximately 15-16. If you keep the size smaller for starters, numbers will be more.
Serves 7-8
Ingredients
6 (1/2 kg.) green bananas (not plantain)
1/2 kg. Potatoes
2 smoked mackerel fillets (Bangra or Bangda Machli)
1 medium to large onion*, peeled and finely chopped.
1 inch piece ginger*, peeled and grated
2 cloves garlic*, peeled and shredded (optional)
2 green chillies*, finely shredded
A handful of coriander leaves*
2 tsp. coriander powder or dhania
Red chilli powder to taste
Bread crumbs, made from 2-3 slices of bread (blitz bread in a food processor). Also see notes.
1 -2 tbsp. besan/Bengal gram flour or white flour/maida. Both are binding agents
Salt to taste
Oil for shallow frying
*All these can be chopped together in an electric chopper/food processor.
Instructions
Boil bananas and potatoes in their skin until tender. You can cook them either in a pressure cooker for approximately 7 minutes or in a microwave. For microwave, place in a sandwich bag with 3 tablespoons water, or in a microwave steamer. Cook on high for 6-7 minutes.
Place onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies, coriander leaves in a food processor and chop finely.
Cool and peel bananas and potatoes.
Remove skin off the fish and flake or mash it.
Place bananas, potatoes and fish in a bowl, add onion, ginger, garlic, chilli mix and all the spices, besan/flour and salt. Mix/mash together by hand or a masher. Do not use food processor or the mix may get too smooth and slimy! Some texture is nice.
Mix in bread crumbs.
Make into small kebabs; shapes can be round or burger shape, like small sausages or oblong-like a flat pear shape.
Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. Fry kebabs slowly on medium heat on both sides, until crisp and golden brown. You may need to drizzle more oil, as they will absorb it to some extent. I use a non-stick frying pan, that way you use less oil.
Serve hot with Green Mango/Apple Chutney or tomato ketchup or chilli sauce.
Notes
Notes from Mamta:
If the mix becomes too stiff, add a tablespoon or two of water to get the right consistency, which should be like a dough, not firm, not runny.
If you cannot find green bananas, use potatoes only.
If made in advance you can keep them in the fridge or even a freezer. Defrost fully. Then place on a lined baking tray and reheat in a medium hot oven, at 170Ëš C for 10-15 minutes.
If made into ball shapes and deep fried, they can be added to a simmering Curry Sauce. Turn heat off immediately after adding the balls, or they will break. Garnish with green coriander leaves and serve hot with Boiled Rice and Chapatties.
