Recipe - Arook Thayin (Chicken Croquettes Burmese Style)

4 Scallions, very finely
chopped
One half Fresh green chilies, seeded
and very finely chopped (up
to 2)
One fourth cup Chopped coriander leaves
3 Chickenbreast fillets
weighing about 12 ounce (350
g)
3 tablespoon Flour
4 Eggs
The Juice of 1One half inch
(4cm) piece of fresh
ginger crushed in a garlic
press, or the grated piece
Salt
Light vegetable oil for
deepfrying, about 1 inch
(2 One half cm) deep

Chop the scallions, chilies (half a chili is enough for me), and coriander
in the food processor. Then add the chicken, flour, eggs, ginger, and salt,
and process until the chicken is finely chopped and all the ingredients are
well blended. (I have overprocessed the chicken to a paste by mistake, and
the result was also delightful). Chill, covered, for 12 hours.

Deepfry by the heaping tablespoon (dip the spoon in oil so that the
mixture does not stick) in mediumhot oil, turning over once, until browned
all over. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot or cold.

The recipe makes about fourteen 2 1/2inch (6cm) fritters and up to
thirtysix tiny ones.

VARIATION:

An Indian Baghdadi arook thayin is made with a pinch of turmeric.

SERGIO'S NOTES:

Jews from Calcutta, Cochin, Persia, and Iraq began to settle in Burma, in
Southeast Asia, in the midnineteenth century. It was Jews of Baghdadi
origin who organized the congregation, and it is their style of cooking
that influenced the Jewish style that developed locally. During the
Japanese occupation, almost all the community fled, many of them to India.

This recipe was given to someone I know by Mrs. Philomene Jacobs of the
Baghdadi community in India. These delectable fritters soft and creamy,
gingery and peppery make splendid finger food. Posted to JEWISHFOOD
digest V97 #204 by Linda Shapiro lss@coconet.com on Jun 28, 1997