Indian inspired chicken cutlets

With the beginning of fall season and the Holidays around the corner, I thought I'd share some recipes that would be great for entertaining.  For these Indian inspired meat cutlets,  the meat flavor and inspiration comes from my travels to India.  I stayed at The Park Hotel in Kolkata (excellent hotel by the way) and really enjoyed their breakfast buffets.  They had a chicken cutlet that was amazing, and I asked the head chef how he made it.  His recipe was quite labor intensive: making meat patties using cooked ground chicken and mashed potatoes and dipping it into egg and bread crumbs before deep frying it .  Although the taste and texture was amazing,  I decided to come up with my own recipe that was full of flavor, not as labor intensive and didn't need deep frying.  I still wanted the bold curry flavor, the crispy exterior and the moist juicy interior.   How to achieve that?

 I decided to pan fry a mixture of "hash browns", ground meat and Indian spices. I recently brought these cutlets to a neighborhood gathering and my friend, a retired cordon bleu chef and her husband, a very picker foodie, loved it!  This was definitely a hit.

Tips for making Indian inspired meat cutlets.

Meat.

Any ground meat will work as these cutlets have a strong flavor, packed with Indian spices. In India, these meat cutlets are usually made of chicken, but can be made with any ground meat. I personally prefer them with ground beef.

Potato.

The potato in the recipe helps keep the meat juicy.  Instead of mashing the potato, I shred the potato with either a box grater or a food processor, as if making potato pancakes or hash browns. Incorporate the raw, grated potatoes into the meat mixture together with the flavorings. The potato will crisp up during frying which gives the cutlet a wonderful crisp exterior.

Shredded potatoes are combined with meat.

Shredded potatoes are combined with meat for the meat cutlet.

Flavoring.

The meat and potato mixture is flavored with spices, chopped onion, chopped green chili (optional) and cilantro.  After mixing the spices together.  Allow the meat to sit for at least an hour to marinate.

Ground meat and spices.
Marinated meat

Frying. 

As a healthier alternative, I pan fry these cutlets rather than deep fry them.  Use a melon baller to scoop the meat to make round meatballs.  Place the meatballs into the skillet and flatten them slightly until they are about 3/4" (10cm) thick.  This will allow you to get uniform sized cutlets for bite-size appetizers!

Use melon baller to make round meatballs.

Use melon baller to make round meatballs. Place in lightly greased pan.

Flatten meatballs to small bite-size cutlets.

Flatten meatballs to small bite-size cutlets.

Meat cutlets.

Accompaniments for the Indian inspired meat cutlets.

Serve these cutlets with a dipping sauce of Indian raita (yogurt dip) and a chutney.  The yoghurt dip neutralizes the spiciness of the cutlet for those who cannot take the "heat" as well as provide an extra crunch from the diced cucumbers and onions.  The "sweet-sour" from the fruit chutney complements the tangy raita and bold flavor of the patty.  It's a delectable combination!

Meat cutlet with yoghurt.

If you try this recipe, I would love to know what you think in the comment section.

Indian inspired chicken cutlets

INDIAN INSPIRED MINI MEAT PATTIES

Michelle Sam
Indian inspired savory mini meat cutlets that are flavored with shredded potato, chopped onion, cilantro, green chilies and spices. Delicious as a finger food for entertaining.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinating time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Indian
Servings 26
Calories 54 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 454 g ground meat
  • 1 medium potato
  • 50 g cilantro
  • 100 g chopped onion
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp fresh ground pepper
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 green chili optional
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • ¼-½ tsp chili powder
  • cooking oil. for frying

Instructions
 

  • Peel and grate potato with a box grater or food processor.
    Shredded potatoes are combined with meat.
  • Medium chop cilantro.
  • Medium dice onion.
  • Mix all ingredients together and let marinate for 1 hour.
    Marinated meat
  • Heat skillet.
  • Add cooking oil or spray to skillet.
  • Use a melon baller, scoop meat and form ball.
    Use melon baller to make round meatballs.
  • Place balls into skillet. Using a spatula, slightly press the balls to form a 3/4" (2 cm) high.
    Flatten meatballs to small bite-size cutlets.
  • Fry until the potato crisps and turn over.
  • Serve hot with raita and chutney.
    Meat cutlets.

Notes

The nutritional facts is per cutlet.  1 lb (454 g) of meat makes about 26 cutlets.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 54kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 3gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 109mgPotassium: 101mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 143IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 1mg
Keyword beef, beef cutlet, chicken cutlet, Chili garlic black bean sauce, Chinese BBQ Pork, cilantro, Indian appetizer, potato
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was or if you have any questions or suggestions!
I want to see!Follow @Sammywongskitchen on Instagram or Facebook, snap a photo and tag it #sammywongskitchen
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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