Shark Fish Cutlets

As a teen when I went to the fish market, I was intrigued by the fish mongers skillfully ripping off the skin from the flesh of the shark. Indian dog shark is the common species consumed in India. Also, known as Spadenose for its distinctive flattened, triangular snout. In Konkani, shark is called mori. It has a backbone made out of cartilage and classified as a vertebrate. The shark meat is considered a delicacy, economical, but should be consumed rarely. It contains mercury and even high levels of urea. Sharks don’t have a urinary tract. They concentrate urea in their blood and excrete it out through their skin. When a shark is caught, it should be gutted, bled and chilled. Otherwise, the urea in its blood starts to break down into ammonia and permeates into the flesh. Thus, giving an off taste and unappetizing flavour.

Unlike other fish with bones, shark meat is perfect for cutlets. The backbone separates easily from the meat once cooked. Outer flesh that is red if not trimmed out, changes to brown. Rest of the meat turns white, firm in texture and easy to flake. Enhanced with fresh ingredients, spices, the mixture shaped, coated with breadcrumbs and shallow fried. Delicious, cutlets can be prepared in advance, refrigerated and reheated, when required.

Did you know?

1. Sharks have eyelids whereas fish do not.
2. Shark babies are called pups.
3. Sharks have teeth that constantly re-grow during their life.
4. Sharks do not have swim bladders and must swim all the time to avoid sinking to the bottom.
5. There are more than 350 species of sharks.

Shark Fish Cutlets
(Yields 12)

800 grams baby or medium-sized shark
1 large onion (finely chopped)
2 long green chillies
3 large cloves of garlic (grated)
1/2-inch ginger (grated)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
few coriander leaves (chopped)
juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1 egg
1 cup breadcrumbs
oil for shallow frying
salt

Method:
Request the fish monger to remove the skin. Wash pieces, cook with little water and salt turning occasionally. Discard any leftover water.

Separate the backbone and any side cartilage from the meat. Flake the flesh with your fingers. Mix in all the ingredients except breadcrumbs and oil.

In a non-stick skillet, heat oil for shallow frying.

Mould mixture into desired shapes and coat with breadcrumbs. Fry on medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Drain on absorbent paper towels.

Serve hot.

Method:

1. Lower half of a shark weighing 800 grams used.
2. No need to cook fish pieces with any spices. As long as fish is fresh, water and salt will do. Water can be replaced with milk to get rid of any ammonia or urea aroma.
3. Panko breadcrumbs were used.
4. Mixture shaped using a mould. Cutlets can be refrigerated for a couple of hours to firm them before frying.
5. No need to precook onion, green chillies, garlic and ginger. As long as they are chopped into very small pieces, they soften when the cutlets are fried.
6. Mixture is moist enough so breadcrumbs adhere nicely. No need to dip in beaten egg before coating.
7. Only one egg is used in the mixture for binding.
8. Cutlets were absolutely delicious.