Sri Lankan Fish Cutlets (Spiced Fish and Potato Croquettes)

About This Recipe

Sri Lankan Fish Cutlets is a real, traditional Sri Lankan dish, known as Spiced Fish and Potato Croquettes. Crispy, spiced mashed potato and flaked fish croquettes, coated in breadcrumbs and fried, a beloved Sri Lankan tea-time snack.\n\nFish cutlets reflect Sri Lanka's colonial-era Dutch and British culinary influences combined with local spicing traditions, becoming one of the most common short-eats (snacks) sold at bakeries and tea shops across the country.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Sri Lankan home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 500 gpotatoes(boiled and mashed)
• 300 gcanned tuna or flaked cooked fish(drained)
• 1yellow onion(finely diced and sautéed)
• 2green chilies(minced)
• 1 tspcurry powder
• 0.5 tspturmeric
• 2 tbspchopped fresh curry leaves or cilantro
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 cupall-purpose flour(for dredging)
• 2eggs(beaten, for coating)
• 1.5 cupsbreadcrumbs
• 500 mlneutral oil(for frying)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the filling

   Combine mashed potato, flaked fish, sautéed onion, green chilies, curry powder, turmeric, curry leaves and salt, mixing thoroughly.

2. 2

   Shape

   Shape the mixture into small oval or round patties.

3. 3

   Chill

   Refrigerate the shaped cutlets for at least 20 minutes to firm up.

4. 4

   Bread

   Dredge each cutlet in flour, then beaten egg, then breadcrumbs, pressing to coat evenly.

5. 5

   Fry

   Fry in oil heated to 175°C (350°F) for about 3 minutes until deeply golden on all sides.

6. 6

   Serve

   Drain briefly and serve hot or at room temperature as a snack or tea-time accompaniment.

Variations

• •

  Use canned salmon instead of tuna for a different flavor.

• •

  A vegetarian version uses mashed vegetables like carrot and peas instead of fish.

• •

  Add a pinch of ground cumin or cinnamon to the filling for extra warmth.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions