It is said that, Bengalis are so avid fish-eater that they eat each & every part of fish. Apart from the fish, it’s oil and the head, the biggest delicacy Bengalis look forward to, is the eggs or roe of fish.
Internationally, the two most sought after fish roe are Tobiko (Japanese for Flying Fish roe, the crispy little things which they use in some variants of sushi) and of course, Caviar (Sturgeon fish roe, mainly found in Caspian Sea). Unlike those, which are mainly eaten after curing and seasoning in presevatives, Bengalis love their fish roe fresh & as fried into fritters.
Though, the more regal & hyped roe comes from Hilsa or Ilish fish, fritters or Boras are made from Rohu/Katla, the fish from the Carp family. It’s highly recommended that only fresh fish roe are used to make this preparation.
Fish Egg/roe – 250 gms (I used Rohu fish eggs)
Onion – 1 large (Chopped)
Garlic – 5 to 6 cloves (finely Chopped)
Green chili – 3 to 4 (chopped)
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Chili powder – 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves – finely chopped
Salt – As per taste
Oil for frying
Clean the roe by washing thoroughly under running water. Take it in a large pan and add 3 cups of water and 1 tsp of salt.
Boil the fish egg in water for 10 to 15 minutes in low flame till it becomes hard and slightly pink in color. Check the water level in between as eggs soak water and increase in volume.
Remove the eggs and drain off the water completely.
Take it in a mixing bowl and crumble it into fine pieces. Add finely chopped onion, garlic, green chili, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, chopped coriander leaves.
Mix it well and and if needed, add some water to it to make it a thick gooey mixture. Make small balls out of it and flatten them.
Heat 1 cup of oil in a pan and drop the flattened balls in it. Fry them in medium flame until they become golden brown in color.
Take them out in a paper towel to remove excess oil. Maacher dimer bora or Fish Roe fritters taste heavenly when served with steamed rice and Musur Daal (Red lentils). This is an excellent evening snacks too.
