Macher Dimer Bora or Bengali Fish Roe Fritters is a popular delicacy from Bengal prepared by frying fresh fish roe with chopped onion and other spices. This is an age-old dish, and all the fish lovers relish it. If you are a fish lover and haven't tried this dish yet, then I would say you must try this.
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About Macher Dim or Fish Roe
Macher Dim, in English, is called Fish Roe, which is available during rainy seasons. Fish roe of Rohu or Catla is used to prepare fritters. In West Bengal fish market, you will get fish roe separately. However, in other states, you have to buy mature fish which comes with fish roe during monsoon. The shopkeeper can definitely help you to identify such fish.
Apart from macher dimer bora, we also prepare macher dimer borar jhol or jhal (Fish Roe Fritters in light gravy-based curry or dry curry) to pair it with steam rice. I remember my grandmother used to prepare macher dim er tok (Fish Roe Fritters in tamarind based sour curry) which was really tasty. So next time if you get fish roe from market, you know how to cook it.
Macher Dimer Bora Ingredients
Fish Roe: This is the key ingredient of the recipe, primarily available during rainy season. Normally, we prepare crispy fritters using fish roe of both carps (Rohu and Catla). Many use Hilsa (Ilish) fish roe for this preparation and also known as Ilish macher dim recipe.
Onion: The addition of chopped onion enhances the flavor of the fritters.
Binding Agent: Besan or gram flour is used as binding agent in this recipe.
Oil: As it is a Bengali recipe, I prefer to use mustard oil for frying the fritters. You can also use any vegetable oil.
Others: Salt, Turmeric Powder, Green Chili, Coriander Leaves
How to prepare Macher Dimer Bora?
Learn to make Macher Dimer Bora Recipe (Catla or Rohu Fish Egg Recipe) by following step-by-step instructions given below.
Clean the fish roe following the above-mentioned steps. Later take it in a bowl and add chopped onion, green chili, coriander leaves, turmeric powder, salt and gram flour.
Mix it well. Many people also add red chili powder and other spices as well. However, I prefer to keep the spices minimal as fish roe has its distinct taste.
Once the batter is ready, heat oil in a pan and drop one spoonful of batter one after another and fry both sides until golden brown. After that, take them out from oil and keep it on kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.
Serving Suggestions
Macher dimer bora is a common in most Bengali households. It has a distinct flavor, and you can have it just like that as a snack. I remember during childhood days my mother used to fry them on a Sunday morning and the moment she used to take out them from the hot oil, we used to take one by one and devour them.
At times, it is served as starter with a regular Bengali meal. You can also serve it like a snack with a dollop of kasundi (Bengali style mustard sauce) or ketchup with it.
FAQ
Usually, fish roe remains inside a thin membrane called sac. Take fish roe in a bowl and rinse the outside of the sac under cold running water. Then put it in a colander to drain the water. After that take it in a bowl and remove the thin membrane (sac) from them before cooking. Fish roe is attached to the membrane firmly. So before cooking, detach the fish roe from the thin membrane, otherwise you might see lumps in between. Hence, while making fritters removing the membrane helps to uniformly mix and drop the batter into the oil.
More Fish Recipes for you
Macher Dimer Bora | How to make Bengali Fish Roe Fritters
Materials
- 200 gms Fish Roe (Macher Dim)
- 1 small Onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Green Chilli, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 3-4 teaspoon Gram Flour (Besan)
- Salt to taste
- ¼ cup Mustard Oil for frying
- 1 tablespoon Coriander leaves (chopped) (optional)
Instructions
- Wash the fish roe under running water and drain the water & keep it in a bowl.
- Now add chopped, onion, green chilli, coriander leaves turmeric powder, salt, and gram flour into the fish roe. Make a uniform mixture using a spoon or your hands.
- Heat oil in a pan and drop spoonful of mixture one by one and frying both the sides until turned golden.
- After frying both the sides, take them out from oil on a kitchen towel to soak the excess oil.
- Serve hot as a starter or snacks.
Notes
- Clean fish roe properly before cooking it. Check how to clean fish roe.
- If the sac remains in the fish roe, it might splutter hot oil. Hence, cover the pan while frying it.
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Seema Sriram
It is really lovely to read your posts. Even though I am a vegetarian, the way you have explained this post gives me so much information about this dish. Well written.
Archana
Wow these fish roe fitters are yum. New to me and I will definitely ask one of my friends to make them for us. Thanks.
angiesrecipes
I love fish roes, but have never tried them in fritters. They look so inviting!