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kolkata style fish fry with cheese 5

Kolkata style Fish Fry

Madhushree Basu Roy
Bhekti mach or Kolkata Beckti has a special place in the hearts of Bengalis. This is the classic fish fry made with Kolkata Beckti with a breaded batter. The twist here is that there is a layer of cheese in between two thin fillets and the resulting fry is soft and pure indulgence.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Appetizers
Cuisine Bengali, Indian
Servings 6 nos

Ingredients
  

  • 12 nos Beckti fillet cut into 3 by 2 inches and as less thickness as possible The size of the fillet will also depend on the size of the fish. It is important to keep the fillet as thin as possible.
  • 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • 1 no Maggi chicken cube or any other seasoning if you have or else just add salt as required
  • 1 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 tbsp paste of coriander leaves
  • 1 tbsp onion juice
  • 1/2 cup cheese spread or any other cheese **
  • 2 cups bread crumbs
  • 2 nos Eggs
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • salt as required
  • oil for deep frying

Instructions
 

  • Make sure that the fillet of fish are completely dry after being washed.
  • Then make a mix of ginger garlic paste, chicken cube, lemon juice, onion juice, coriander leaf paste and salt (if required) and then rub it on the fillet and leave it for fifteen to twenty minutes.
  • Then take 6 of the fillets on a plate and smear cheese spread over one side of each fillet, generous layer. If you are using cheese slice, then cut the cheese slice in the size of the fillet and place it on the fillets. You can use any herbs of your choice here or even a chili pickle.
  • Then with the other 6 fillets, cover them. So now you have 6 fish fillet sandwiches.
  • Then beat the eggs in a little flattened large bowl, where the fillet can be dipped.
  • Spread the flour on a plate and also spread the breadcrumbs on another plate.
  • Sprinkle a little bit of salt in the breadcrumbs too.
  • Now take each sandwich and first dust them with the flour, dip in the egg and finally coat with the breadcrumbs. Basically, right after taking it out from the egg, place it on the breadcrumbs. Use your hand to cover the fillet sandwich with the breadcrumbs making sure the even the edges and the sides are well coated.
  • Then place them neatly on a separate plate.
  • Heat oil in a frying pan and when the oil is hot, carefully slide the fish fillet sandwiches into the frying pan. Now keep the temperature at a medium and if its burns up fast, you have to lower the heat.
  • It takes about 5 to 6 minutes for the fish to cook. Actually the amount of time taken for the fish to cook all the way through the inside also depends on the thickness of the sandwich.
  • When the fillet is a dark golden brown, take it out with a slotted spoon and place of a kitchen towel so that the excess grease is soaked out.
  • Then serve the fillet with some kashundi (ideally) or with any other favourable dip.

Notes

** I have used Crazy cheese which was gifted by Urvika Kanoi. It has many herbs in it. However, one can use any cheese spread with any seasoning or even cheese slices (which work wonder).
In Mustard Restaurant in Mumbai, I added bandel cheese with green chili pickle in the centre. 
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