Crab Croquettes

                         
Hello foodies, hope you all are doing good. It’s that time of the year when we all shed the layers of woolen clothes and get into some bright, beautiful colors of spring. Though, we don’t have official spring here in India but still I have seen many stores (clothing) offers discounts in the name of Spring……Lolzzzzz

Lately, it’s been too hot and humid here in Kolkata, West Bengal and I’m afraid how I’ll be surviving the upcoming months. I think the best way to deal with summer is to keep yourself hydrated every time. Drink as much as water you can which helps in releasing the toxins. Last year I had posted many summer special drinks and I’m sure they will help in quenching your thirst.

• Virgin Watermelon Sangria
• Aam Panna 
• Pinacolada
• Cucumber Lime Mojito
• Mango Kulfi
• Mango Ice-cream

Anyway I think I’m getting deviated from today’s post which is about Crabs. I haven’t tasted Crab until I went to US and trust me I didn’t like it much as I was getting a very weird kind of smell but when I came to India and found crab sticks in one of the superstores, I thought of trying it once again and the very first recipe which came to my mind was to make Croquettes out of those.

These Crab sticks are very hassle free to work with as they come ready to use. You don’t have to even crack the shells (that's the worst part of eating crab). The recipe calls for very few ingredients and the time it takes from pan to plate is less than 10 mins. Because it’s such a hassle free dish it works best when you have unplanned guests at your home provided you have crab sticks handy in your freezer. So, without any further ado let’s begin with the recipe:

Macher Chop (Fish Croquettes)..............From the streets of Kolkata

Bengalis and Fish are inseparable. There's a very renowned saying in Bengali "Mache Baate Bangali" which means Fish and Rice make a Bengali. Being in India this year we can enjoy so many different varieties of fishes. Although we used to get some of the popular varieties in Portland(USA) too but they would be frozen :(

Monsoons are in full swing in India now. So, our tea time demands for some snacks specially some "Tele Bhaja" (deep fried snacks). If you are in Kolkata then you're in the hub of street foods. Every evening you can find various stalls at every nooks and corners of the streets. You can easily devour them standing at the stalls but making them at home gives you an immense pleasure and what more they come out hygenic too.

"Chop" is nothing else but a Cutlet or Croquette. It  is a small, cylindrical or round shaped, stuffed with minced meat and mashed potatoes or mixed vegetables. It is then dipped into corn flour batter, rolled in breadcrumbs and then deep fried. "Macher Chop" or "Fish Croquette" is a very common snack in our home. We both love them with finely sliced onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and ketchup. These croquettes can be prepared using many kind of fishes but I prefer Katla than anything else.

It doesn't matter whether its a vegetarian or non-vegetarian chop, it will have its own unique taste and equally tempting too. These serve as a great appetizer and a complete party pleaser. So, let's start with the recipe:

Vegetable Chop (Vegetable Croquettes)...........A Winter Must-Have

            

There's no doubt that Kolkata is the hub of street foods. It is one of the friendliest cities for street food lovers. Vendors selling Fuchka (Pani Puri), Jhal Muri (spiced puffed rice), Bhel Puri, Ghugni Chaat, Chowmein, Egg Rolls (and the list goes on) can be found at every nooks and corners of the streets. 

Bengali's love to enjoy their evening tea with "Muri and Telebhaja" (Puffed rice with deep fries). These so called "Telebhaja" can be Aalur Chop (Potato Croquettes), Mochar Chop (Banana Blossom Croquettes), Dimer Chop (Egg Croquettes), Macher Chop (Fish Croquettes) etc....etc......

"Chop" is nothing but Cutlets or Croquettes. They are small, cylindrical shaped, stuffed with minced meat, mashed potatoes or mixed vegetables. They are then dipped into corn flour batter, rolled in breadcrumbs and then deeply fried. It doesn't matter whether it's vegetarian or non-vegetarian variety they all have different taste and equally tempting. They serve as a great appetizer and a complete party pleaser. 

Today I'm going to share Vegetable Chop which are stuffed with mixed vegetables and they pair well with tomato ketchup and finely chopped salad :)

Chicken Shami Kebab

             

Mughlai Cuisine - It's a cuisine which all Indians are die hard fans. Whether its Biryani, Kebab, Kofta or Rezala we all enjoy them equally. Thanks to the royal Mughal kitchens who taught us to cook these palatable dishes.

                 

The taste of Mughlai dishes varies from mild to spicy and flavored with whole or ground spices. My home gets aromatic whenever I cook something from this cuisine. Last Sunday it was Thanksgiving weekend and I made Chicken Biryani and Shami Kebab for our lunch. Yes, as I mentioned in my Chicken Biryani post that I cook Biryani on every Sunday but this time I wanted it to be accompanied with Shami Kebab.

Shami Kebab are small paties made from minced meat, chana dal (lentil), flavored with spices and served with chutney. The process of making these kebabs is little lengthy but trust me it's worth the effort. The hypnotic aroma of these kebabs and clean licked plates gives you a sense of contentment. 

So let's get started:

Mochar Chop......Banana Blossom Croquette

We all are familiar with Banana: nature's own energy rich food but did you know you can eat its flower too? You might be wondering how, right? This question is very obvious for the one who hasn't tasted it. The flower of Banana is known as Mocha(in Bengali) or Banana Blossom(in English).

Mocha or Banana Blossom is used as a nutritious food item in Southeast Asia. It has a lot of medicinal values like blood purification, curing stomach ulcers, constipation, menstrual disorders etc. Since they are rich in fiber content they help in increasing the hemoglobin level of our blood.

Banana trees are very common in India and especially in West Bengal. We Bengalis utilize each and every part of Banana tree. The stem a.k.a "Thor", the leaves are used to serve food or used in wrapping and cooking, the flower a.k.a "Mocha" and of course the fruit "Banana". These trees also have religious values. They are used in pooja and wedding ceremonies.

Enough of rambling now coming back to our "Mochar Chop".