Fish Balls

Rice, fish curry and fish fry(Rava Fish Fry, Stuffed Mackerel) essentially make the most common meal in any Goan household. Staying out of Goa from almost 10 years, this basic meal seems to have become more of a weekend special lunch. Also with all the discussions about avoiding rice at night we try to keep dinners simple. But of course, even if you take a Goan out of Goa you cannot take Goa out of her/him (Oh My God! Am I sounding too filmy? ) Anyways what I am trying to stay here is though we do not have the quintessential fish-curry-rice for dinner, but we cannot leave the fish out completely. Thus our dinners are often a meal comprising of a fish starter and some salad to go with it. Here is one such fish starter recipe.

Some salads that go well with this fish balls recipe are Sweet Potato and Beetroot Salad and Russian Salad.

Makes : 10-12 fish balls
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
Fish : 2 slices
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp (can be increased as per taste)
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp
Bread Slices : 2 (torn or finely powdered)
Coriander Powder : 1.2 tsp
Coriander leaves : 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
Egg : 1
Bread Crumbs : 1/2 cup
Oil : 1/2 cup (for frying)
Salt : as per taste

Method of Preparation:

1. Boil fish adding 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and salt.
2. Once the fish is boiled, remove from water and keep on absorbent paper to drain off the excess water. Discard the bone and skin and take the fish meat in a clean bowl.
3. Add all the other ingredients to this and mix well, so that the fish pieces and bread (if torn) are completely squashed. (You may need to add some more bread in case you feel the mixture is too delicate and you will not be able to shape it into balls.)
4. Make around 10-12 small balls of this mixture.
5. In a small ball, break the egg and beat well.
6. Heat oil in a frying pan.
7. Dip each ball to coat it with the egg, roll in bread crumbs and insert gently in the hot oil.
   Fry till the fish ball appears golden brown. Remove from oil on a absorbent paper.

Serve hot with any sauce of your choice.