Fish Oil Fritters/Macher Teler Bora

Bengali staple food is fish and rice along with a wide variety of vegetable dishes. When it comes to cooking fish nothing gets wasted in Bengali households. Delicious dishes are made using fish head to tail including innards. Macher teler bora or fish oil fritter is one of the delicacies in West Bengal, India. I grew up eating pretty often when big fish like whole carp was bought. Fish innards include organ, intestines and fat. Most innards are edible except for the gallbladder which is full of greenish yellowish bile that tastes awfully bitter if it is broken. My mother used only liver, lungs and fats. She never used intestines that taste very chewy, yet edible.

In this recipe I used liver, lungs and fats of buffalo carp which is very similar to katla fish. It’s very important while separating organs and fats make sure not to break bile sac. Then wash under running water. Surprisingly these parts don’t taste fishy at all. There are soft and creamy. Macher Telet Bora is amazingly delicious as is or serve with rice and lentil. It is always worth buying whole fish to make mouthwatering dishes.

Ingredients~

3/4 cup fish inards and fat

2-3 tbsp. besan(chickpea flour)

2-3 tbsp. rice flour

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

1/2 cups chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

3-4 chopped green Thai chilies

1/2 cup oil for frying

Method~

Mix together all the ingredients listed except oil. Heat oil on medium flame. Take a small amount and flatten slightly. Fry both sides until golden brown. Serve with rice and red lentil.

Happy Cooking!