March 1, 2011

Crispy and Crunchy Tuna Cutlets with Panko

I don’t care about fat or not, I have a (unhealthy?!!) weakness for deep-fried food. Some of my fondest childhood memories center around my visits to the Indian coffee house, an Indian-based restaurant chain, and enjoying their mouthwateringly delicious cutlets with a cup of chai. This used to be the high point of my visit to the city those days. My other fond memories are centered on my girlhood days in Abu-Dhabi when my mom used to make these gorgeous tuna cutlets and I would wait in anticipation to gorge on the hot patties. Cutlets have a warm fuzzy feel to it that makes it very comforting and equally appetizing to me. With such history, it is little wonder that this dish was my crowning glory when I started cooking, after marriage.

The availability of a huge range of good quality canned tuna means you can save money and time as it takes some pressure off buying expensive fish fillets or the trouble of filleting a whole fish yourself. The beauty of using canned tuna (I prefer white tuna) is that you can completely forget about the fishy smell as well. There are plenty of times I’ve served these to guests who were surprised to learn the patties were made of fish. My family totally loves tuna cutlet. In fact, it is a requisite on our table during Ramadan for a satisfying Iftar meal.
I used the flaky and light panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), instead of regular breadcrumbs, to dredge the cutlets. Result? Crunchy, munchy and yummy little bites that everyone adored! What I liked most about panko is the fact that it did not absorb much grease as regular breadcrumbs and the coating stayed crispy all the while, too. 

If you are a fish lover, I hope you try this easy and delicious tuna cutlets that kids and adults alike will enjoy.

Crispy and Crunchy Tuna Cutlets with Panko

Ingredients
makes about 25-28 patties, depending on size

2 x 185g canned white tuna, drained and flaked (I used California Garden)
2 medium potatoes, rinsed and peeled
water, for boiling potatoes
2 cups onion, halved and sliced
2 tablespoon fresh ginger, crushed
4-5 medium green chilies, sliced
1 teaspoon black pepper powder, freshly ground
½ teaspoon garam masala powder (I used homemade)
pinch turmeric
salt, to taste
handful cilantro leaves, chopped
2 cups plain panko or regular breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 tablespoon oil, plus more for deep or shallow frying
 

Directions

Cook the potatoes in a small pan of boiling salted water until tender. Drain and mash to a paste.

Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan on medium-low heat. Add the onions and stir-fry for 5 minutes or until the onions become translucent. Add the ginger and cook for 1 minute more. Tip in the flaked tuna. Then, season with salt, freshly ground pepper, garam masala and turmeric. Stir-fry everything together for 2 minutes before adding the chopped cilantro and mashed potatoes. Mix well. Remove the pan from heat and set aside to cool.

Set two shallow bowls side by side. Place panko in one bowl and beat the egg in the second. Shape the cooled tuna mixture into patties. For more fun, use cookie cutters to shape the cutlets. Working with one at a time, dip each piece into the egg, shake off any excess, and then roll in panko to coat evenly. Again, shake off excess and place on a baking sheet.

Heat oil for deep frying/shallow frying in a large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat.  Working in batches, cook 3-4 cutlets at a time until crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Serve warm with tomato sauce and some finely sliced onion.

These cutlets can be chilled for up to 24 hours - no need to thaw before frying. They can also be frozen up to 3 weeks – defrost completely before frying.

When I made this yesterday, I was convinced that there would be few remaining to go with a cup of chai later, but not a single piece remained. Sigh.

32 comments:

  1. Tuna cutlet looks so fresh & crispy...lovely recipe.. Thanks for sharing..

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  2. wow.thats a colorful blast.Loving it.

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  3. Agree... Canned Tuna and panko. they are real life savers... I loved those cutlets... yummy..
    ammaandbaby.blogspot.com/

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  4. This is mouth-watering! And Im getting very hungry seeing these awesome pics. Nash, you are a very creative photographer and a wonderful cook! And I must remember not to check ur blog in office .... Can't get my mind back to work after seeing those yummy delights.

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  5. Yumm yumm, delicious cutlets. Your first pic looks perfect.

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  6. Love the clicks though I am a veggie ;)

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  7. Wow.....looks cute and delicious :)

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  8. Star shaped tuna cutlets looks sooo inviting and adorable;.

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  9. Hmmmmm... my all time fav. Snaps are excellent. They look very very cute in all the shapes.

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  10. You know what Nash, Until I saw your "Sarsaparilla drink", I didn't know that there is something called Naruneendhi. I told my in-laws (who are visiting us soon) to bring this naruneendhi sath. Will try making that drink and let you know.

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  11. You're killing me with those photos! Looks tempting and delicious, perfect color and shape...

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  12. These appears crispy and tasty!

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  13. Omg, thats a delicious tuna cutlets,soooo tempting and crunchy, loving it.

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  14. good one dear!...I make these all the time!....i think tuna cans r so helpful!!
    yum yum ...my kids enjoy them too!
    Smitha
    http://smithasspicyflavors.blogspot.com/

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  15. Delicious crunchy crispy looking cutlets.
    Would love them with ketchup

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  16. enjoyed reading the fuzz around the cutlets. i'm not surprised not one was left for your cup of chai...but it can be disheartening at times, right? though it's flattering too.

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  17. Girls, thanks a bunch for your lovely comments!

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  18. Lovely clicks & delicious ...

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  19. Picture perfect cutlets dear... I totally love how neat n cute n crunchy-munchy they look ..perfect party appetizer!


    US Masala

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  20. Perfect. I tried unsuccessfully to get Panko... you make them at home ? Share the brand/supermarket details. Thanks.

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  21. they look great..love the clicks..

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  22. they looks very cute and you gave such a cute shape to them too ! First time in your blog :)
    www.kankanasaxena.net

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  23. Thank you, Kalyani, Aipi, Judy, Neenu, Preety and Kankana, for taking the time to say hello!

    Neenu and Kankana: Welcome to my space- your feedback is much appreciated!

    Judy: The brand I'm using is 4C Breadcrumbs, bought it from a local supermarket in Doha- FFC. You could easily make it at home too. All you do is tear white bread into chunks, give it a quick pulse in the food processor and microwave it on high for 2-3 minutes or until dry - voila! - your exotic and economic breadcrumb is ready.

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  24. Hello,

    I happened to hit upon your blog through Taste of Pearl City's 'Anyone can cook'. And I'm glad I did... You have a beautiful space here... I love Kerala cuisine and I'm eager to explore more thru your recipes. Great work!! :-)
    Am glad to follow u :-)

    If u find time, drop a look at:
    http://schmetterlingwords.blogspot.com

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  25. Thank you and welcome to my space, butterfly! (there's a possibility that I'll misspell the french term :)) It'll be a pleasure to check your blog and share my thoughts, soon. Sounds delicious that you're gonna try make some Kerala dishes, hope you enjoy cooking and sharing it too!

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  26. That luks awesome' haven't seen anything so beautiful...lovely tuna cutlets.

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  27. Aw, Malar, you are too sweet. Thank you sweetie!

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  28. this is so great, for kids and me! delicious meal! YUM!!!!!!!!!!

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  29. @Crispy Munchies: Hey. You should try it--it's too good!

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A million thank you's for stopping by, taking the time to connect, and coming back to visit again. I genuinely appreciate each of your kind thoughts, lovely words, love and support. Happy, happy to hear from you, and hope to see you again!

♥ Nashi