Chilli Fish

The Chinese origins who have successfully settled in some parts of Kolkata have highly influenced the local community with their food. The early Chinese settlers adapted and cooked the dishes as per ingredients availabled in the local market which gave birth to Indian Chinese Cuisine. The Indian Chinese food which has less similarities with the original Chinese food is now very commonly sold at every corners of the street in Kolkata and spread across India.

Some of the common Indian Chinese dishes that are sold are chow mein,Hakka noodles, fried rice, chilli chicken or fish, manchurian,  Schezwan etc.

Last time when my husband and myself had been to the fish market, we had picked up various types of fish. After our trip back home, I found a packet of Bhetki fillets in the freezer.

My husband said, How about making Chilli Fish? - to which I agreed.

He too is a good cook, and loves to help me in the kitchen. He chopped all the vegetables required to make the dish and here is the recipe.....

For the Marinate and Fried Fish

Ingredients

400 grams Boneless Fish cubes

1 tbsp Garlic minced

Salt to taste

1/4 cup Cornflour

1/4 cup All Purpose Flour

1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

1 Egg beaten

1/2 cup Oil to fry

Method

Marinate the fish cubes with garlic, salt and soy sauce. Keep it aside for 15 minutes. Add the egg and mix well. Add corn flour and all purpose flour and mix well until all the fish cubes are coated well in the batter. Add oil in to a fry pan and heat it. Add the marinated fish cubes in batches and fry them until golden brown. Remove the fish on the paper towel. Keep it aside.

For the Chilli Fish

Ingredients

Fried Fish

1 Onion sliced or cubed

1 Green Capsicum sliced or cubed

8 to 10 Green Chillies cut into halves

1 tbsp Garlic minced

1 small piece Ginger cut into julienne

1 tbsp chopped Spring Onion

2 tbsp Soy Sauce

1 tbsp Green Chilli Sauce

2 tbsp White Vinegar

2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Cornflour

4 tbsp Same Oil in which the fish has been fried

Method

Take a pan, heat the oil. Add garlic and ginger, sauté for few seconds. Add the onions and capsicum and continue to sauté for a minute. Add 3/4 cup water and let it simmer for a minute. Meanwhile take the corn flour in a small bowl, add 2 tbsp water and mix it. Now add the salt, soy sauce, vinegar, chilli sauce and tomato ketchup into the gravy and stir. Let it simmer for a minute. Add the fish and let simmer for few seconds. Add the green chillies and stir. Add the corn flour mix into the gravy, continue to cook till the gravy thickens up. Switch off the flame. Garnish it with chopped spring onions. Serve it hot with  noodles or fried rice.