Chitol fish is supposedly extremely bony.... the front portion which is extremely rich, oily and has big bones (bengalis refer it as peti) is used to make curries. Whereas , the rear portion has extraordinary bones and hence , has to be artistically carved and scraped in such a way that the flesh comes out leaving thin bones behind ....it actually has to be scooped out with a blunt spoon moving carefully against the bone formation. Its a bit tricky !
Ingredients.....
1. 500 gms Fish
2. 2 medium potatoes
3.half tsp ground ginger
4 1 onion (finely chopped)
5.1 beaten egg
6.oil
7.salt to taste
To make the kopta/ fishballs....Boil and mash potatoes and mix it well with the fish lump. The lump is very sticky, but it still needs a binder . Add a beaten egg ,chopped onions , little bit of ginger and salt ; roll into small balls.Heat oil in a deep karai/ wok and deep fry the balls. These koptas can eaten as an appetiser or, they can be put in a thick gravy and served with hot rice.
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Hi MM,
My late mother in law had her own recipe of Chitol Machher MuiThya/ Muthi. I too make it whenever Chitol machh is available in C R Park markets in New Delhi...mostly in winter. It is slightly different than yours.
In my mom-in-law's recipe , the scraped chitol flesh is mixed with both mashed boiled potato and besan ( the binder). Turmeric, red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste and salt are added to that and mixed well, but no onion in the fish flesh as such. These are then rolled by hand in manageable 'roll size' and boiled in water. Because of unique congealing property of chiltol maachh, the more they boil the firmer the rolls become. Then of course the rolls are cut and fried to be eaten as snack, or made into proper muthya curry, with onion etc, for which the water in which the chitol rolls are boiled add taste to the dish, topped with little ghee and elaichi-dalchini- laung powder.
Will try your recipe too, :)
Aditi
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Yes Indeed ...this is chitol macher muithya....I got cheetal in khargarh market! And am told you get it in Vashi and chembur!
I use potatoes to make the muthias soft (that is my ma's recipe). Thanx for visiting my blog dada.
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Mrs.Muffet.
Where do you find "Cheetal" in Mumbai ? What you have described I am sure will taste very good - it is not really "Muittha" as a Bangal will call it. Secondly only a binder not so much Potato. It is to be steamed in to a slab and cut into cubes,deep fried and made into curry.
It is also eaten as you righly said but cut into thin but bigger slices and deep fried. Bangalis
now have forgotten these and eat only in Restaurants which offer only Bengali food.
Great initiative - keep the tradition alive.
God bless.
Ratan
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