Keyword: Fish Eggs Fritters Recipe, Fish Eggs Recipe, Macher Dimer Bora
Servings: 4people
Author: Samrat Roy Chowdhuri
Cost: ₹ 50
Equipment
Mixing Bowl
Knife
Wok
Spatula
Spoon
Serving plate
Ingredients
For the Macher Dimer Bora / Fish Eggs Batter
250gFish Eggs
4tbspmustard oil
1pcmedium-sized onion
2pcgreen chilly
1tspturmeric powder
2tspbengal gram flour or besan
1tbspchopped coriander leaves (or cilantro)
salt to taste
For the Curry
2tspmustard oil
1pcbayleaf
1inchcinnamon stick
2pcgreen cardamom
2inchfinely chopped gingeror use ginger paste
6pcfinely chopped garlic clovesor use garlic paste
2pcmedium sized onionor 1 large onion, sliced
1pclarge tomato
2pcgreen chilly
1tspturmeric powder
1tspcumin powder
1tspred chilly powder
salt to taste
1tbspsugar
2cupwater
Instructions
Preparing the Fish Egg Batter
Chop the onions and green chilies finely
Add turmeric powder, chopped onions and chilies to the fish eggs in a mixing bowl and mix properly using a spoon or your palm and fingers. Avoid any lumps in the eggs
Finely chop the coriander leaves
Add the coriander leaves, besan or bengal gram flour, and salt to the mixing bowl
Thoroughly mix it
Heat a wok and add oil to it
Once the oil starts smoking, reduce the flame
Take two spoonful of the hot oil and add it to the mixing bowl. Give it another mix
Frying the Fish Egg Fritters or Macher Dimer Bora
Take a spoonful of the batter and carefully add it to the oil
Allow this to fry for a minute or two
Using a spatula, turn this to the other side. Allow to fry for a minute
Take out and separate in a bowl
Repeat the process for the left over batter and fry in batches.
Preparing for the Fish Egg Curry
Slice the onions and slit the green chilly
Chop the ginger and onions finely
Cooking the Macher Dimer Bora Diye Jhol
In the wok, add the oil
Once the oil starts smoking, add the whole spices mentioned like bayleaf, red chilies, cinnamon and cardamom
Add the chopped garlic and ginger (or ginger-garlic paste) and cook for a couple of minutes on a low flame
Add the sliced onion and saute till it turns golden brown
Add the tomatoes and cook on a medium flame for 10 minutes
Add the turmeric, cumin and red chilly powder. Cook until the raw flavor goes away. This will take another 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle water to avoid burning of the spices, if the spices turn to dry out
Add water and allow it to come to a rolling boil
Add salt and sugar and let the gravy cook for a couple of minutes
Check for seasonings and adjust, if required
Add the fried fish egg pakodas (macher dimer bora) and cook covered on a low flame for 7-10 minutes
Switch off the flame and allow to rest
Serve hot with rice and a dollop of ghee
Notes
Your best bet would be eggs from the Hilsa. I have used Catla and Rohu since they are most widely available
After you have bought the fish eggs, while storing them in the refrigerator ensure that you lightly marinade it with some turmeric to prevent it from going dark in color
You can leave out the green chilies to avoid the heat. Alternatively, slice the green chilly from the middle and remove all the seeds
I have pan fried it, you can also deep fry it. However, ensure safe distance since fish eggs can splutter in hot oil
You can use common flour or corn flour instead of bengal gram flour or besan
Always fry the boras (pronounced bawra) in batches and never overcrowd the wok or frying pan
You can also prepare the gravy without onion and garlic. In such a scenario, prepare a paste of ginger and cumin seeds