FISH CUTLET N FRIED CHICKEN WITH BUTTERED RICE

I sincerely wished to post a recipe on this occasion of Thanksgiving....But honestly, I am yet to learn how to make pumpkin pies and turkey meat and cranberry desserts. Back home, we did not know much about Thanksgiving or Halloween, why, how and when they are celebrated. It is after stepping into Singapore that I am getting to know about all these festivities and quite enjoying learning new things. I only knew pumpkin is used to make vegetables, that it can be used to make pies and cakes is really a new thing to know for me.....and I am loving it. Learning is always a thing of joy, and when it comes to cooking, I am game for it. Unable to cook a dish eaten on Thanksgiving, I thought let me prepare a dish today that I am comfortable in and at the same time would be accepted and loved by the Western World. A long weekend, families enjoying together and a recipe as easy and tasty as this should gel I believe. The recipe is global, I feel.
   This recipe may require a bit more time for the preparation part but the cooking part is that easy again. So time consumed is balanced by time saved. It requires very less ingredients which are easily available at home. Here for you Fish Cutlet n Fried Chicken with Buttered Rice with a generous serving of salad. So may I call it a balanced one dish meal?? Thats you to decide.

INGREDIENTS :[for fish cutlets]
White Fish Fillets : 250 gm
Potato : 2 [big]
Garlic[minced] : 1tbsp
Ginger[minced] : 1tsp
Green Chilli[chopped] : 2
Onion[sliced] : 2[medium]
Salt : As required
Bengali Garam Masala Powder : 1tsp[an equal amount of cinnamon,green cardamon and cloves powdered together]
Oil : 2 tbsp + 50ml to deep fry the cutlets
Bread Crumb : 100 gm
Egg : 1

INGREDIENTS :[for chicken fry]
Chicken[breast or leg] : 4 pieces
Ginger Paste : 1tsp
Garlic Paste : 1 tbsp
Lemon : 1
Cornflour : 4 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Salt : As required
Oil : 50 ml[to deep fry]

INGREDIENTS :[for buttered rice]
Basmati Rice : 1 coffee mug
Green Peas : 3 tbsp
Cashew Nuts[roasted] : 6[halved]
Butter : 3tbsp
Salt : As required

PROCEDURE :
Let us prepare the rice first. Boil enough water in a heavy bottomed vessel. When the water starts boiling, put in the pre washed rice. When half cooked, drain the water from the rice. Keep aside.

Wash the chicken pieces. Marinate with lemon juice, ginger and garlic paste, and little salt. Keep aside for at least 2 hours.

Wash the fish fillets, cut small. Mince ginger n garlic, chop green chillies and onions. Wash, boil and peel the potatoes. Mash them. Heat oil in a wok. Fry the minced ginger and garlic for 2 minutes and add the onions. As the onions brown, add the chopped green chillies, put in the fish pieces.

Mix well and keep on stirring till the fish pieces breaks. Now add the mashed potatoes. Add the garam masala powder. Mix well and fry further for another 2-3 minutes till all water dries up. Transfer into a plate. Let cool.

Once cool, shape into round balls and flatten with your palms. Break and beat an egg. Put the fish cutlets into bread crumbs, then dip into the egg mix and again into the bread crumbs. Deep fry in batches. Excess oil can be used later.

Make a batter with cornflour, red chilli powder, salt and water. Dip the chicken pieces in the batter and deep fry in oil. Excess oil can be used later.

In a clean wok, put the butter. Once hot ,put the peas, fry for 2 minutes, add the cashews. After one minute, add the rice. Add salt,  Mix well for 3-4 minutes and transfer into a plate. Be careful, the rice should not break in the process.

Your meal is ready to be served with your choice of salad!!