Crushed cornflakes add extra crunch to crispy deep-fried flavour bombs
GOLDEN-brown, deep-fried savoury meat or seafood patties have an irresistible way of whetting the appetite.
Often referred to as “cutlets” in South-East Asian, Sri Lankan and Indian homes, these are not to be confused with the cut-of-meat variety.
These cutlets resemble croquettes.
They are made by combining protein with a binder such as potatoes or bread, shaping the mixture into small portions, dipping them in beaten egg, coating in breadcrumbs and deep-frying until crisp on the outside and soft within.
For those unfamiliar with the term, “cutlet” can be confusing when used for a dish such as sardine cutlets.
That was exactly what happened when I told StarTV producer Ian Lau that I planned to make sardine cutlets for my next video shoot.
After I explained that they were sardine patties, breaded and deep-fried, he said, “Oh! You mean begedil?”
Yes, begedil sardin is another name for these crispy little patties.
I find deep-fried cutlets a good way of introducing children to ingredients they may not otherwise enjoy, such as fish, vegetables, herbs and spices.
With a mash of sardines and potatoes as the base, cooks can also get creative by adding herbs and spices such as onions, chillies and coriander leaves, gently introducing young taste buds to a wider range of flavours.
For this recipe, Ian and I decided to substitute breadcrumbs with cornflakes for the coating.
It turned out to be a good move, adding a lovely layer of flavourful crunch.
These sardine cutlets are little umami-filled flavour bombs, equally good as a snack, side dish or even a light main course.
This recipe makes about 20 cutlets, which disappeared in no time with not a single one left over.
Sardine cutlets
Ingredients
4 medium-sized potatoes
1 litre water
1 can sardines/mackerel in tomato sauce (425g)
2 pods green chillies
2 pods Thai chillies
2 sprigs curry leaves
1 cup fresh coriander leaves (with roots)
1 red onion (150g) diced
4 cloves fresh garlic chopped
3cm fresh ginger grated
1 tsp black pepper
1½ tsp salt
1 tbsp fish curry powder
2 slices sandwich bread
2 cups cooking oil
For dredging
100g all purpose flour
2 whole eggs (beaten)
200g cornflakes (or breadcrumbs)
Directions
Place the potatoes in a deep pot and pour in one litre of water. Cover and boil over medium heat for about 30 minutes or until cooked through.
Pierce the potatoes with a fork to check if they are tender. Remove from the heat and peel while still hot. Mash the potatoes while they are still warm and set aside.
Open the can of sardines and separate the fish from the tomato sauce. Set the sauce aside for another use, such as in a curry.
Remove any bones from the sardines and flake the fish.
Add the mashed potatoes to the sardines and mix well.
Add the chopped green chillies, Thai chillies, coriander leaves and roots, diced onion, chopped garlic, grated ginger, black pepper, salt and fish curry powder. Mix thoroughly.
Dice the sandwich bread into small cubes and add to the mixture. Mix until evenly combined.
Using an ice-cream scoop, portion out the mixture.
Shape each portion with your hands into a firm, slightly flattened ball.
Blitz the cornflakes in a food processor until coarsely ground.
Prepare three separate bowls containing the flour, beaten eggs and crushed cornflakes.
With your left hand, drop the cutlets into the bowl containing the flour, shaking off any excess. Using your right hand, dip it into the beaten egg. Use your left hand, once again, to coat evenly with the crushed cornflakes.
Arrange the coated cutlets on a plate. Repeat until all the cutlets are coated in cornflakes.
Heat the oil in a deep pan over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, fry the cutlets in batches until golden brown, turning them halfway through. Fry each side for about 2½ minutes.
Drain on a wire rack or paper towels and allow the cutlets to cool slightly before serving.
Sardine cutlets are best enjoyed once they have cooled down slightly.
