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Meat cutlet is one of my all time favorite appetizers. I don’t need any special occasions to make this; it’s often served as an appetizer or as an entree for dinner. The cutlet mix could be made ahead of time and could be fried just before serving.  Hence, this is a time saver dish for any parties. This was the only one dish I knew and used to make when I was young. Now when I make this, I feel nostalgic. I must thank my mom for most of the recipes, especially for this one. I strongly believe that without her, I wouldn’t have developed a passion for cooking. So I dedicate this Meat cutlet blog for my dear mom.

Cooking the meat:

Ingredients:

  • Chicken/beef/mutton (boneless)- 1 pound
  • Chilli powder- 1tsp
  • Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
  • Fennel powder- 2 tsp
  • Garam Masala- 1 tsp
  • Salt- to taste

Preparation:

  • Combine the chicken with all the above mentioned ingredients and cook covered in a wide pan.
  • Cook until all the water evaporates and the chicken has cooked well.
  • If you are using Beef/Mutton(Lamb), cook in a pressure cooker until 3-4 whistles.
  • Shred the meat with a fork or coarsely blend it in a food processor.

Preparing the Mix:

Ingredients:

  • Onion finely chopped- 3 no’s
  • Ginger/Garlic paste-2 tsp
  • Green chillies, finely chopped- 2
  • Garam masala-1 tsp
  • Cooked/shredded Meat- 1 pound
  • Cilantro chopped-1 handful
  • Potatoes boiled and mashed – 2 no’s
  • Salt-as required
  • Oil-2 tsp

Preparation:

  • Heat a skillet and add the oil.
  • Saute onion till translucent, add salt to it.
  • Add ginger/garlic paste, green chillies and garam masala, saute for 2 minutes.
  • Now add the cooked and shredded meat to this and combine well.
  • Add the boiled, mashed potatoes and mix everything well.
  • Finally add cilantro.
  • Make small balls out of this mix and flatten in between the palm of your hands and keep aside.

Coating the Cutlet mix:

Ingredients:

  • Eggs beaten (use just egg whites or both)- 2
  • Bread crumbs plain-1 cup
  • Oil- enough for frying

Method:

  • Beat the eggs using a fork or whisk.
  • Place the bread crumbs on a plate.
  • Dip each cutlet balls in the egg and then coat it with the bread crumbs.
  • Deep fry the cutlets in oil until golden brown.
  • This meat cutlet could be served with Tomato ketchup or along with an easy cutlet salad.

Tips:

  • The cutlet mix coated with the bread crumbs can be made ahead of time and it can also be freezed for about 2-3 days.
  • Thaw well and fry before the party or guest arrives.

For vegetable cutlet:

  • Use veggies of your choice (carrot, beans, cauliflower) and boil it in water, drain and pat dry it.
  • While making the mix: add the vegetables to the sauteed onion, along with chilli powder, turmeric powder and fennel powder.
  • Follow the other steps as in meat cutlet.

For Fish Cutlet:

  • Use canned Tuna for making fish cutlet.
  • After sauteing the onion, add ginger/garlic/green chillies/garam masala and add the tuna, along with the masalas: chilli powder, turmeric powder, fennel powder and follow the other steps.