Experience the legendary Kolkata-style Fish Fingers, made with authentic Kolkata Bhetki! Remember those perfect fish fingers served at weddings or special events, prepared flawlessly by the skilled cooks and caterers, Rannar Thakur? Or perhaps the incredibly crispy ones from your favorite street food stall? That's the exact crunch we're aiming for, and only with genuine Kolkata Bhetki fillets-no substitutes. If you've tasted it, you know exactly what I mean. Now, let's discover how to create these catering-quality fish fingers with Kolkata Bhetki right in your own kitchen with this recipe! Keep reading to find out how.
Jump to:
- Debjani's Note
- About the Recipe
- Watch how to make Fish Fingers like a caterer
- Ingredients for Kolkata-style Fish Fingers
- Step-by-step Instructions
- Substitutions and Variations
- Storage - Fish Fingers
- Top tip
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Recipe Card
- Serving Suggestion
- Related Recipes
- Have you tried the Bhetki Mach er Fish Fingers Recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
- Here's the Catering-style Fish Fingers Recipe Pin for your Pinterest Board
Debjani's Note
Bhetki Macher Fish Fingers are truly iconic, especially among Bengali people in India, particularly in West Bengal. Whether it's the special fingers from a "chop-er dokan" (snack shop) or those perfectly prepared as a snack at a wedding or other celebrations, they are a beloved muncie. While local shops sometimes use other fish like basa, tilapia, or bhola, a premium Kolkata Bhetki fish finger stands out, and you can truly taste the difference.
Speaking of occasions, Baba often spoke about my Annaprashan ceremony, though I, of course, have no memory of it. He would laughingly boast about carefully selecting the perfect bhetki fillets from the Sealdah fish market, which were then used to make fish fingers by the cook, professional rannar thakur. Although I don't recall that specific event, I have seen fish finger featured at many different gatherings at home. However, at weddings in our family, fish rolls and Biyebarir Fish Butter Fry, aka Bhetki Batter Fry, are a particular favorite, even to this day. And yes, Topse Maacher Fry in the morning events. Then there's Kalika, the famous chop shop near our central Kolkata home, which makes incredible fish fingers. In fact, my father himself used to make amazing fish fingers.
I learned how to make fish fingers from Baba. Baba learned it from a caterer chef. When we lived in Delhi, Baba would always make extra, unfried fish fingers and store them in the fridge. This way, my husband Mehebub and I (Pasta wasn't born yet) could enjoy them for at least seven days. Baba passed away in December 2024. I believe this is the first time I've written about him on this blog. I just wanted to revisit those happy memories, his food, his cooking, and especially his Bhetki Macher fish fingers.
About the Recipe
What makes Kolkata-style Fish Finger so special? Perhaps it's the Bhetki fish, cut into perfect finger-sized pieces, or the unique coating and marination. We'll uncover these secrets after exploring my recipe, designed to bring the famous flavors of Bengali restaurants directly to your kitchen. To make this fish finger, you'll need Kolkata Bhetki fish, also known as Indian Barramundi. Although you could use other fish like Basa or Bombay Bhetki, it's the Kolkata Bhetki that truly offers that distinct flaky texture and amazing taste.
We'll explore that after I share my recipe, which helps you make fish fingers at home that taste just like those from famous Bengali restaurants.
Watch how to make Fish Fingers like a caterer
Ingredients for Kolkata-style Fish Fingers
- Calcutta Bhetki Fish / Indian Barramundi Fillet
- Salt
- Black pepper powder
- Lemon
- Onion
- Coriander leaves
- Mint leaves
- Green chilies
- Garlic paste
- Ginger paste
- Corn flour
- Breadcrumbs
- Oil
See recipe card for quantities.
Step-by-step Instructions
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Let's see how to make perfect Bhetki Fish Fingers at home.
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Kolkata Bhetki Maach works best for this recipe. And you will need boneless fillet for this.
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First, cut the Kolkata Bhetki fillet into pieces, each about the length and width of your middle finger. From 500 grams of fillet, you can make 30 to 34 fish fingers.
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Now, let's start the first step of marinating the fish. Add one teaspoon of salt, the juice of one lemon, and one teaspoon of black pepper powder.
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Make sure to completely cover the fish fillets with this mixture. Then, put them in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Cover the bowl or plate with plastic wrap to stop any smells from getting into your fridge.
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While the fish is chilling, prepare the second marinade for the fish fingers. For this, I used two small, peeled onions. I also used a bunch of coriander leaves, making sure to remove the stems, and a small bunch of mint leaves, using only the leaves. Finally, I added three green chilies. Wash all these ingredients well under running water before turning them into a paste.
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Put these washed ingredients into a blender. Add one tablespoon of garlic paste and one tablespoon of ginger paste, then blend everything until you have a smooth, bright green paste. You won't need to add any water, as the onions, ginger, and garlic will provide enough moisture.
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Once the marinade is ready, take the fish out of the refrigerator and spread the green paste evenly over each fillet. Then, put the marinated fish back into the refrigerator for at least 15 to 30 minutes.
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Next, prepare the coating. To the breadcrumbs, add one teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of black pepper, then mix well.
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In a separate bowl, beat three eggs with half a teaspoon of salt. This will be used to dip the fish. For 500g of fish, I usually use five eggs in total, so keep two or three extra eggs handy to add if needed.
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To make the fish extra crispy, add one egg and two tablespoons of corn flour to the fish fillets.
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Mix everything thoroughly to make sure each piece is well coated. Finally, put the marinated fish back in the refrigerator for another 15 minutes.
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Now, let's shape the fish fingers, which is a crucial step. I like to double-coat them, and this can get a little messy, so have three or four forks ready.
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Arrange your breadcrumbs on the right and the egg wash on the left.
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Then, take two or three pieces of marinated fish and coat them with breadcrumbs.
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Make sure not to use your fingers here; instead, use a fork to move the breaded fish into the egg wash, ensuring it's completely covered.
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Next, transfer it back to the breadcrumbs for a second coating.
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Repeat this, moving it to the egg mix one more time, and then back to the breadcrumbs for a thorough final coating.
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After this, gently use your hand to shape the coated fish into finger-like pieces.
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Place these shaped fish fingers on a plate or tray. Remember to wash and dry your hands before you start the next batch.
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Once all the fish fingers are shaped, chill them in the refrigerator for one hour before frying.
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To fry the fish fingers, heat enough neutral vegetable oil in a pan until hot. Then, reduce the heat to medium.
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Fry three to four fish fingers at a time.
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Cook one side for 1 minute, then turn them over and cook the other side for 1 to 2 minutes.
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This makes sure the fish is fully cooked, and the outside is crispy and golden. Repeat these steps for the remaining fish fingers.
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Move the fish fingers to a tray, and gently blot them with tissue paper to soak up any extra oil.
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These crispy fish fingers are now ready to enjoy. They are juicy inside and crispy outside. For extra flavor, sprinkle some rock salt or chaat masala on top, and serve the Bhetki Fish Fingers with Kasundi.
Substitutions and Variations
- Type of fish - To make Kolkata-style fish fingers, you'll need boneless fish fillets, about the size of your middle finger. Kolkata Bhetki is ideal for this dish, but if it's unavailable or too expensive, you can use Bhola, Bombay Bhetki, Tilapia, or Basa fillets instead. While some people create a finger-like snack from fish paste, often using Rohu or Katla, that's a different item altogether.
- Breadcrumbs - For the breadcrumbs, local coarse breadcrumbs work best. Biscuit crumbs, especially from Lero biscuits or rusk, are also excellent. Although panko can be used, I prefer the traditional coating for this recipe.
- Frying Process - Finally, you'll need to deep-fry the fish fingers, unless you plan to air-fry them in an air fryer.
Storage - Fish Fingers
I prepared around 30 fish fingers using 500 grams of Bhetki fish. We enjoyed about 15 immediately, so I fried those. The rest were stored away before being cooked.
To store the uncooked, shaped fish fingers for later, simply place them individually into a plastic or glass container with a tight-fitting, ideally flat, lid until the container is full. Seal it tightly and put it in the freezer. These unfried fish fingers will keep well for at least seven days. You can then fry them whenever you're ready to eat. And with that, we've completed the recipe for Kolkata-style Fish Fingers with Bhetki mach.
I truly hope you enjoy making this dish! Please share in the comments any other recipes you'd like me to share. Thank you for visiting Debjanir Rannaghar, and until next time, take care.
Top tip
I prefer using coarse local breadcrumbs for coating the fish for making fish finger because they add a unique, naturally sweet flavor. You can also use panko, but if you're outside of Bengal, local breadcrumbs are easy to find in Mudir dokans or Bengali stores. In Kolkata, they are very common.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make Kolkata-style fish fingers, you'll need boneless fish fillets, about the size of a middle finger. Kolkata Bhetki is ideal for this recipe. If it's unavailable or too expensive, consider using Bhola, Bombay Bhetki, Tilapia, or Basa fillets instead. Or internationally, Cod, Haddock, Pollock, Hake, or Whiting works best. While some people create a finger-shaped snack from fish paste, often using Rohu or Katla, that is a different dish entirely.
Fish fingers got their name because, when they first came out in the 1950s in the UK, they were made to look like small, breaded pieces of fish. Birds Eye created and launched them in 1955. After asking factory workers, the name "fish fingers" was chosen over other ideas like "Battered Cod Pieces," and they soon became a very common and easy-to-make food in Britain.
Recipe Card
Fish Finger Recipe with Calcutta Bhetki - Kolkata-style | Kolkata Bhetki Fish Fingers
Ingredients
- 500 g Calcutta Bhetki / Indian Barramundi Fillet without bone and skin
- 250 ml Oil for frying
1st Marination
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 lemon
2nd Marination, to make a paste
- 2 onions small
- 1 bunch coriander leaves small
- 1 bunch mint leaves small
- 3 green chilies
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
3rd Marination
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoon corn flour
Coating mix - solid
- 500 g breadcrumbs coarse local one, not panko
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
Coating mix - liquid
- 5 eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Begin by cutting the Kolkata Bhetki fillet into pieces about the size of a middle finger, both in length and width.
1st Marination
- Next, prepare the first marinade for the fish fillets.
- Add one teaspoon of salt, the juice of one lemon, and one teaspoon of black pepper powder.
- Coat the fish fillets thoroughly with this mixture. Then, cover the bowl or plate with cling film and refrigerate for 15 minutes to prevent any odors from spreading in the fridge.
2nd Marination
- While the fish is chilling, prepare the second marinade for the fish fingers.
- For this, you will need two small, peeled onions, a bunch of coriander leaves (stems removed), a small bunch of mint leaves (only the leaves), and three green chilies.
- Wash all these ingredients well under running water before making a paste.
- Transfer the washed ingredients to a blender.
- Add one tablespoon of garlic paste and one tablespoon of ginger paste, then blend everything until it forms a smooth, bright green paste.
- Once the marinade is ready, take the fish out of the refrigerator.
- Cover each fish fillet completely with the green paste.
- Then, put the marinated fish back into the refrigerator for at least 15 to 30 minutes.
Coating Mix
- Next, prepare the coating.
- Add one teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of black pepper powder to the breadcrumbs and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, beat three eggs with half a teaspoon of salt. You will use this mixture to dip the fish.
- For 500g of fish, I usually use five eggs in total, so have two or three extra eggs ready to use if you need more. With these steps, your coating ingredients are prepared.
3rd Marination
- Now, to make the fish crunchy, add one egg and two tablespoons of corn flour to the fish fillets.
- Mix everything well so that each piece is fully coated. Keep the marinated fish in the refrigerator for another 15 minutes.
Shaping Fish Finger
- Next, you'll shape the fish fingers, which is a crucial step.
- I like to double-coat them, which can get a little messy, so have three or four forks ready.
- Place the breadcrumbs on your right and the egg wash on your left.
- Now, take two or three pieces of marinated fish and coat them with breadcrumbs. Be sure to use a fork here, not your fingers.
- Use the fork to move the breaded fish into the egg wash, making sure it's completely covered.
- Then, transfer it back to the breadcrumbs for a second coating.
- Repeat this by moving it into the egg wash one more time, and then finally back into the breadcrumbs for a thorough last coating.
- After this, gently use your hand to shape the coated fish into a finger-like form.
- Place these shaped fish fingers on a plate or tray.
- Remember to wash and dry your hands before starting the next batch.
- It's easiest to prepare five to six pieces at a time.
- Once all the fish fingers are shaped, put them in the refrigerator for one hour before frying.
Frying Fish Finger
- When you're ready to fry, heat enough plain vegetable oil in a pan.
- Once the oil is hot, turn the heat down to medium.
- Fry three to four fish fingers at a time.
- Cook one side for one minute, then flip them and cook the other side.
- Continue frying for another one to two minutes on medium heat.
- This makes sure the fish is cooked all the way through and the coating is crispy and golden brown.
- I like using a spoon to fry fish fingers, but you can also use a slotted ladle, called a sancha or jhanjri, if you prefer.
- Fry the rest of the fish fingers the same way.
Storing unfried fish finger
- From 500 grams of Bhetki fish, I prepared about 30 fish fingers. We immediately enjoyed about 15 of them, so I fried those right away. The rest were stored before cooking.
- To store your unfried, shaped fish fingers for later, simply arrange them in a single layer in an airtight plastic or glass container, ideally a flat one, until it's full.
- Secure the lid tightly and place them in the freezer.
- These unfried fish fingers will keep well for at least seven days, ready to be fried whenever you wish.
- And with that, we've completed the recipe for Kolkata-style Fish Fingers with Bhetki mach.
Video
Notes
Serving Suggestion
Sprinkle some rock salt or chaat masala on top, and then serve the hot and crispy fish fingers with Kasundi.- To make Kolkata-style fish fingers, you'll need boneless fish fillets, about the size of your middle finger. Kolkata Bhetki is ideal for this recipe, but if it's unavailable or too expensive, you can use Bhola, Bombay Bhetki, Tilapia, or Basa fillets instead. While some people make a finger-shaped snack from fish paste, often using Rohu or Katla, that is a different dish entirely.
- For the breadcrumbs, coarse, local breadcrumbs are best. Powdered biscuits, especially Lero biscuit or rusk, also work wonderfully. You can use panko, but I prefer the traditional coating.
- Finally, you'll need to deep-fry the fish fingers. Alternatively, you can cook them in an air fryer.
Nutrition
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Have you tried the Bhetki Mach er Fish Fingers Recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!
Please inform me of your experience, and feel free to send a photo to [email protected]. Additionally, you can find me on various social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, Google News, X, and Thread. Don't forget to use the hashtag #debjanirrannaghar when sharing your attempts at my recipes or if you have any questions or recipe requests.
Here's the Catering-style Fish Fingers Recipe Pin for your Pinterest Board
About Debjani Chatterjee Alam
I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.
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