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Masala Tuna Tikkas (Spicy Tuna Cutlets)

Tikka is a Persian word meaning pieces or chunks of meat. Tikka in Indian cooking terms can mean the same, like chicken tikka, paneer tikka, or fish tikkas. However, in Indian culture, the term “tikka” also refers to the round dot that Indian women put on their foreheads. This dot is also called a bindi. So, in India, the cooking term tikka is also a word for round patties or cutlets, like allu tikka, vegetable tikka, keema tikka, etc.

Growing up in India, most of the fish we ate was fresh, although we did have some imported canned sardines, canned herring, and other canned fish. However, we never had canned tuna. When I saw cans of tuna on the grocery shelves in the USA, I was intrigued. I soon learnt to use them to fix sandwiches and casseroles. Then one day, my twin came on a visit and fixed us some tuna cutlets. This recipe is a variation of the one she fixed.

A slightly tangy, spicy fish cutlet made together with mashed potatoes, spices, and herbs.

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Masala Tuna Tikkas (Spicy Tuna Cutlets)

Prep Time 50

Cook Time 10

Total Time 1

Servings 4

A slightly tangy, spicy fish cutlet made together with mashed potatoes, spices, and herbs.

Ingredients

1 7 oz can tuna in water (Albacore or otherwise )
¼ cup yellow or red onions (finely chopped-approximately 2 oz)
2-3 medium potatoes (approximately 9 oz )
2 oz fresh green cilantro (coriander leaves) (chopped)
1-2 tsp green chilies (optional) (finely chopped, adjust to suit your taste)
¼ tsp red chili or cayenne (adjust to suit your taste)
1 tsp cumin powder
¼ tsp garam masala
½ tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp amchur powder (available at your local Indian grocery store)
1 tsp salt (adjust to suit your taste)
1 medium egg ( or the egg wash )
dash pepper and sal (for the egg wash )
4 tbsp oil ( to shallow fry the tikkas)

Instructions

To Prepare

Scrub and boil the potatoes with enough water to cover them (approximately 25-30 minutes).
Insert a skewer to check if the potatoes are done. Then, pour the hot water out of the pan and add cold water several times to cool the potatoes.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and mash them in a bowl. If they are still a little hot, leave to cool.

To Cook

Open the 7 oz can of tuna and drain out all the water. Use a strainer to drain out as much as you can. Spoon into a medium-sized bowl.
Now add the boiled and mashed potatoes along with the onions, chopped cilantro, green chilies, and spice powders. Mix well together, ensuring there are no lumps and all the ingredients are well blended. If you prefer to use a food processor, then you can put the ingredients into it and pulse a few times till coarsely blended.
Divide the mixture into eight portions. Form into tight balls and then flatten into round, compact cutlets. Refrigerate for 10-15minutes.
Break the egg into a wide bowl, add a dash of pepper and salt. You can also add a dash of chili powder if you like it spicier.
Beat lightly until the yolks are blended. Set aside near your cooking area.
Now, heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan.
Dip the cutlets in the eggwash, drain excess wash back into the bowl, and shallow fry 3 minutes on each side till nice and golden.
Serve with mint, coriander chutney, or ketchup. The cutlets can be used as snacks, or for lunch or dinner.

Notes

If the cutlets are not holding their shape and breaking apart while you are forming them, you can add bread crumbs or even a tablespoon of besan (chickpea flour)or corn starch to the mixture. This happens if the tuna retains too much of the canned moisture or the onions have excessive juice.

Don't flip the cutlets too soon while frying, as they may break.

If you prefer a crispy crust to your cutlets, then before you refrigerate them, dip them in the egg wash, coat with bread crumbs, and then refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

You could also substitute canned salmon, chicken, or crab meat for the tuna. I have even used leftover rotisserie chicken that I blend separately in a processor before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Course: Main Course, Non-Vegetarian, Snack

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: allu, tikka, tuna

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In Main Dishes

Dal Tadka

By The Indian Foodie

Dal Tadka is one of the favorite dals to be found at dhabas (roadside restaurants) along with ma sabat dal. The spicy tadka along with the ghee or butter or both makes it special. Whenever Cook was sick or on vacation and I was working late at the airport, my husband would pick up one of the dals along with tandoori rotis. It was always a treat as anyone who has tasted dhaba food will tell you. In spite of the visibly unhygienic look of the dhaba, we would sometimes pick up dals or rotis hoping the heat of the fire would kill all germs! Dal Tadka is traditionally a North Indian recipe and is enjoyed with roti or any kind of flatbread. I like it with rice. Once you serve any of the traditional relish, pickles, yogurt, and papads with the dals, it becomes a complete meal.

Though normally made with toor dal (ar-har/pigeon peas, today I am fixing it with a combination of toor dal and masoor dal (red lentils).

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Dal Tadka (Spicy Tempered Lentils)

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 35

Servings 6

A spicy, healthy lentil soup packed with nutrients and proteins.

Ingredients

1 cup toor dal
1 cup masoor dal
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp salt (or to your taste)
6 cups water

Tadka (Tempering) - Step 1

2 tbsp cooking oil
1 medium onion (chopped fine)
3 medium tomatoes (chopped)
1½ tbsp garlic and ginger paste
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
⅛ tsp garam masala (more or less to your taste)
½ tsp chili powder (more or less to your taste)
2 tsp Kasturi methi (optional)

Tadka (Tempering) for Garnish - Step 2

2 tbsp desi ghee
¼ tsp asafetida (heeng)
¾ tsp cumin seeds
2 small whole dry red chilies (If you split them in half, the seeds are going to fire up the tadka so be careful if you do not want the lentils too spicy, chili hot! If you prefer, you can use a little red chili powder instead of the whole dry red chilies—all to your taste!)

Instructions

To Prepare

Pick and clean the dals of any debris.
Rinse in fresh water several times to get rid of any grit.
Soak the Toor dal for at least 45 minutes and the masoor dal for 30 minutes. This will cut the cooking time, but you can skip this if you do not mind it simmering on the stove longer.

To Cook

Add the dals and the rest of the ingredients above into a 6-quart pot and bring to boil on medium heat. Lower the heat a bit, partially cover, and simmer for 35-40 minutes till nearly done. Remember not to cover the pot full as dals tend to expand while cooking and over boil. Any froth that forms on top can be removed.
If the water seems to dry during cooking, feel free to add more hot water. I say hot water as it does not interrupt the cooking process. You should be left with about 4 cups of dal, not too runny and not too thick unless it is your preference. Set aside.

Tadka (Tempering) - Step 1

Heat oil in a sauté or saucepan on medium heat.
Add the onions and saute for 4-5 minutes until it starts to brown.
Now add the spice powders, stir for a minute, and then add the chopped tomatoes. Let it cook, occasionally stirring until the oil starts to surface.
Pour into the cooked dal. Add a little hot water to the pan and be sure to scrape off the brown bits and add to the pan.
Set the dal pot back on the stove and let simmer for 5-10 minutes to absorb all the tadka flavors.
Pour into a serving dish.

Tadka (Tempering) for Garnish - Step 2

Heat the ghee on medium heat in a small saucepan.
Add the red chilies and give them about a minute to darken in color.
Add the asafetida (heeng) and immediately after that the cumin seeds. Give it 30 seconds and then add the chilies (or and powder). Stir for 15 seconds and pour it over the center of the dal in the dish.
Serve with rotis or any flat bread or rice accompanied with any of the usual arrays of Indian pickles, relish, raitas, plain yogurt, or papads.

Course: Main Course, Vegetarian

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: dals, lentils, toor dal

–Photo by Priyadharshan Saba on Unsplash

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In Breakfast

Spicy Smashed Masala Potatoes

By The Indian Foodie

I have a bunch of small white potatoes that have been sitting in the bin for a while. I decide to use them before they start to sprout! I recall my mother-in-law used to make a dish out of taro root (arbi), a root vegetable. The ones she used were similar in size to the potatoes. I decided to try the recipe out on these potatoes. They are tangy and spicy.

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Spicy Smashed Masala Potatoes

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 5

Total Time 30

Servings 4

Spicy, tangy potatoes! Good as a side for a meal, a snack at teatime, or while having cocktails!

Ingredients

1 lb small red or white potatoes (about 14-16, depending on size)
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
½ tsp chili powder (or to your taste)
1 tsp amchur (mango) powder (you can find this at your local Indian grocery store)
¼ tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt (or to your taste)
3 tbsp oil (for frying)
1 pinch chaat masala or red chili (or Tajin Mexican spice)

Instructions

Scrub the potatoes and put them in a medium-sized pot. Cover with about 2 inches of water and bring to a boil on medium heat.
Cook until tender but firm. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle. Do not peel the potatoes. Pat dry and drizzle a teaspoon of oil over the potatoes. Gently coat each potato with the oil.
Place each potato on a clean flat surface and gently press down on the potato until they flatten out. They will split a bit, but if you do it gently, they will not split apart.
Mix the powdered spices together. Coat each potato with the spice powder.
Heat oil in a skillet or frying pan on medium heat. Add the potatoes one by one but do not crowd them into the pan.
Fry the potatoes for 2-3 minutes on each side until lightly brown and crisp.
Drain on paper towels.
Transfer to a serving platter and squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the potatoes.
Follow it up with a sprinkling of chaat masala or red chili powder. Alternatively, you can sprinkle some Mexican Tajin chili and lemon powder.
Good as a side for a meal or a snack at teatime or having cocktails!

Notes

You can substitute small red potatoes for white ones. They have thinner skins and are less starchy. Keep a careful watch while boiling them to ensure they do not over boil and split.

Course: Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: potatoes, spicy

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