Fish parcels (Makes 10-12)

This tasty snack was something I used to munch atleast once a week during my vacation in India last year. What I have noticed is that, the local bakeries in cochin no longer sells, most of the old snacks like samosa, cutlets, puffs instead snacks from malabar like erachi pathiri, kozhi ada, aram number, ari pathiri etc have taken their places. The fish parcels were so yummy that I thought to give a try myself and I could make it pretty similar to what we get there. Hope you all will like them too…

Ingredients

For the dough:
1. Maida/All purpose flour 1 cup + more for dusting
2. Oil 1-2 TBSP
3. Salt as needed
4. Water

In a mixing bowl, combine together, maida/All purpose flour and salt. Add water little at a time and make a smooth dough as you do for chappathis. Keep covered for 15 minutes.

For the filling:
1. Any kind of fleshy fish ¼ kg (I used 2 Tilapia fillets)
    Salt as needed
    Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
    Black pepper powder ¼ tsp

Clean and cut the fish to small pieces. Cook fish with all other ingredients in a pan until completely dry. Slowly flake the fish using a fork and set aside.

2. Onion 1 small, finely chopped
    Ginger ½ inch piece, finely chopped
    Garlic 2 pods, finely chopped
    Green chilly 1 no, finely chopped
    Curry leaves a few, finely chopped
3. Red chilly powder ½ tsp
    Coriander powder ½ tsp
    Garam masala ½ tsp
4. Tamarind paste ½ tsp
5. Salt as needed
6. Oil 1 TBSP+ more for deep frying

Preparation

• In a non-stick pan, add oil and when hot add ingredients numbered 2 and saute until onions turn transparent.
• Now add ingredients numbered 3 and saute for another 3-4 minutes at medium heat or until raw smell from powders are all gone.
• Add the tamarind paste and salt. Mix well.
• Next add the cooked fish and mix well to combine. Cook this for 5 minutes (the mixture should be dry by now) and remove from flame. Set aside.
• Make lime sized balls out of the prepared dough. Now take each ball and dust with dry flour. Flatten between your palm and roll out into small rounds (like size of pooris). Place 1-2 TBSP of filling in the middle and fold from all sides like a parcel (refer to pictures). Continue making the parcels with all the dough balls.
• Now heat oil for deep frying and once hot slowly add the fish parcels and deep fry until golden brown in color. Make sure not to over crowd the oil and they enlarge in size while frying. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers!!!
Suji