Ingredients

1. Tinned fish – 185 gms
2. Oil – 2 tbsp
3. Shallots (sambar onions) – 6
   Or
   Onion (medium, about 100 gms) – 1
4. Potatoes – 2
5. Green chillies (finely chopped) – 2
6. Ginger and garlic paste – 2 tsp
7. Chilli powder – 1 1/2 tsp
8. Garam masala or biryani masala (home made) – 3/4 tsp
9. Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
10. Salt - as per taste
11. Eggs – 2
12. Bread crumbs (readymade) - 1 cup
13. Coriander leaves (few, chopped) - 3 tbsp

Method

1. Boil the potatoes, peel the skin and mash it well. Keep ready. Chop onion, coriander leaves and green chillies finely.
2. Drain the water from the fish tin and keep it aside. The fish is already cooked.
3. Preheat a kadai or a pan and add oil. When it gets warm add onion and fry until it is soft and golden in colour.
4. Add ginger and garlic paste. Stir well for a few seconds.
5. Add green chillies and all the dry spices. Stir well. Cook on a medium/low flame for about 1 to 2 mins. Do not let the spices burn.
6. Add the drained fish chunks and stir. Let it cook for a few minutes until all the liquid from the fish is absorbed and the fish is well blended with the spices. Switch off and allow to cool.
7. Take a wide bowl or plate and add mashed potatoes, cooked tuna mixture, coriander leaves and salt. Mix well.
8. Make small or medium sized patties - oval shape or any other shape you like. Keep them aside.
9. Break eggs in a bowl and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk with a fork and keep ready. Also keep the bread crumbs ready in a plate.
10. Dip the fish cutlets in eggs and then roll it in the bread crumbs and keep it aside in a separate plate.
11. Heat oil in a kadai or any wide vessel or pan. When hot add the fish cutlets. Deep fry or shallow fry it. Cook evenly on both sides until golden brown colour comes.
12. Drain on a kitchen paper and serve with any sauce you like.

Notes

1. If you want, you can add the fish first, then add the spices, and cook it with the fish chunks, all the masala should be mixed well with the fish. It will not take more than 5min.
2. You can add coriander powder and black pepper as well if you like. I sometimes add all and make cutlets.
3. Instead of adding garam masala or biryani masala while frying the onions, I add them to the fish mixture in the end and mix it.
4. If you are using fresh fish, boil it or just cook it in the masala itself until it is cooked. It will not take much time.
5. Breadcrumbs can also be freshly made from about 5 to 6 slices of bread and as required.