Cooking For 1968 Fish Muchlee

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31597, 7 February 1968, Page 3

Cooking For 1968 Fish Muchlee

(By

CELIA TIMMS)

The cuisine of India is surrounded by religious rituals and customs. It is likely that the food eaten there today is much the same as it was centuries ago. Curries which we immediately associate with India—need not be hot. Many are very light and delicate in flavour, but nearly all. food is spiced. Fish is eaten more than meat and some Indian meth-

ods of preparing fish are delicious. if somewhat differently flavoured from Western dishes. Here is a recipe from Bengal it is called fish muchlee. For six servings you will need:—

8 fillets of fish (schnapper, flounder, etc.) 3 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 cup water 1 clove garlic 2 onions 3 tomatoes 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon and ground ginger 2 cardamon seeds (ground) 2 eggs 1 cup breadcrumbs Oil or fat for deep frying Method: Place two fillets in a saucepan with one teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper and the water. Bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes. Drain. Flake the fish very finely and add to it the crushed garlic, finely chopped onions, tomatoes and spices, one teaspoon of salt and the remaining pepper. Mix well. Spread an equal amount of this mixture on the remaining six fillets and roll up carefully, fastening with toothpicks or thread. Beat the eggs with the remaining salt; dip the fish rolls in this and then in breadcrumbs. Heat fat to 360 degrees in a deep pan and carefully drop in the fish rolls. Fry until brown about 10 minutes. Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot.