If you love the street foods of Kolkata then you know what a Chop is. We Bengalis love our Chop, that comes in many forms and made into different varieties. Go to any roadside snack stall in Kolkata (of course, who keeps chop) and ask the shop owner that how many varieties of chop (croquettes) he has. You’ll hear a few names like Aloor Chop, Vegetable Chop, Mochar Chop, Mutton Chop, Fish Chop, Chicken Chop, etc. These are usual varieties, and if it’s summer, you can get lucky to have Enchorer Chop (jackfruit croquettes) because it’s seasonal and made with tender jackfruits only. Then there is Chingrir Chop (prawn croquettes), which is another delicious varieties of chop, but sells by a few seller.
Bengali Macher Chop/Fish Croquette is one of the popular varieties among all of these. With a little time and effort, it can be made easily at home. Crispy croquettes with a spicy fish filling inside, Fish Chop is pure nostalgia.
Any fresh water fish can be used to make these Chop/Croquettes. I’m sharing here the way I love to make Macher Chop at home. And it tastes the same which you’d get on the streets of Kolkata. 🙂
Bengali Macher Chop/Fish Croquettes
Bengali Macher Chop is a popular street food of Kolkata. Crisp coated croquettes with a spicy fish filling inside, Macher Chop is an addictive snack to eat.
Ingredients
- 500g- Fish fillet (if using with bone, try to use fish with one main bone)
For boiling the fish pieces
- 1- Onion medium-sized (peel and cut into cubes)
- 2 cloves- Garlic
- ½” piece Ginger
- 4- Cloves
- 4- Green cardamoms
- ½ tsp- Black peppercorn
- 1″- Cinnamon (2 pieces)
- ½ tsp- Salt
For making the chop/croquettes
- 3- Boiled potatoes medium-sized
- 1- Onion large (chopped)
- 1½ tbsp- Garlic paste
- 1 tbsp- Ginger paste
- 1 tbsp- Cumin powder
- 1 tbsp- Coriander powder
- 1 tsp- Kashmiri mirch powder
- ½ tsp- Turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 4-5 tbsp- Mustard oil
- 5- Green chilies chopped (adjust as per your tolerance)
- ¼ tsp- Garam masala powder
- ½ tsp- Sugar
- 2 tbsp- Freshly chopped coriander leaves
For coating & frying
- 2- Egg
- Breadcrumb for coating
- Vegetable oil as required
Instructions
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Take a deep bottomed pan. Add water, fish pieces and all the ingredients mentioned for boiling the fish pieces. Cover and give this a quick boil over high heat. Once boiled, lower the heat and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, with a slotted spoon gently take out the fish pieces from the stock.
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You can use this stock later for cooking soups or fish curry. For easy handling let the fish pieces cooled a little bit. Now discard the skin and bones. Mash the fish flesh using a fork keep aside.
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Mash the boiled potatoes and keep aside.
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Heat oil in a frying pan (nonstick preferably). Add chopped onion, fry over medium heat until light brown in colour. Add ginger-garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, kashmiri mirch powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix well and fry for a minute or until oil separates from the masala.
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Add mashed fish and chopped green chilies. Mix well and cook for 5-6 minutes over medium heat. Keep stirring in between. Now add the mashed potatoes, garam masala powder, chopped coriander leaves, and sugar. Mix well, cook this for 2-3 minutes over low heat. Remove from the heat.
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Meanwhile, in a bowl whisk 2 eggs.
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Now start making chop from the warm mixture by using your fingers and palms. You can give the chop any shape. I made mine cylinder-shaped just like the way I used to get them from the local snacks shop in Kolkata.
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Dip the chop in whisked egg and then coat them with breadcrumbs. Do this for all the chop and repeat the process of dipping in egg & then rolling onto breadcrumbs once again. This two round of coating is a very important part of chop making. A perfect coating gives chop a crispy outer surface and a neat look after frying.
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Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan/kadai. Over medium heat start frying the chop until golden brown in colour. Drain over paper napkin. Serve Macher Chop immediately with tomato ketchup or kasundi, Enjoy!
