Fish Fry

Fish fry is the one of the most popular ways of eating fish in the Southern part of India. The fresher the fish, the better the taste will be. It can be done in just minutes, and makes for a very striking dish on the table.

People living near the coastline in India would probably turn up their noses at the way fish is sold in the Northern parts of the country. For them, the fish has to be actually fresh and not just put in ice.

Well, we land-locked seafood lovers have to make do with what we have! So get hold of some fish, and fry it this way!

In this post, I have shown you two examples, the Pangus and the Rohu that are available in North India.

Steps to the Fish Fry

Buy fresh fish.

Wash the fish well. Remember the rules about not contaminating other surfaces in the kitchen.

Now marinate it for around 15 minutes with chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Optionally, add ginger-garlic paste, cumin and lime. This time, I decided to skip the cumin and lime for some interesting variation in taste.

Fry it in a shallow pan with just a little bit of oil. For fatty fish like Pungus or Indian Bass, I keep the flame low and just dot the pieces with oil. Remember that this oil cannot be reused.

If the pieces are thick, you can cover the pan to ensure they cook through. In around 5-6 minutes, turn over the fish pieces and fry the other side till golden brown.

Some people prefer to have it “rare” or just cooked for a few minutes on each side. Personally, I like it done really well. Choose the way you like it!

Serve with onion rings, lime and chaat masala or with a salad of your choice.

Fish Fry

Recipe by Sheetal RabindranCourse: SidesCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

A very simple marinate for the fish pieces renders it gorgeously coloured, spiced and ready for frying. The frying itself takes just a few minutes.

Ingredients

• 250 gms fresh fish fillets, cleaned and washed

• 1 tsp chilli powder (or less, if you want it to be less spicy)

• 1 tsp turmeric powder

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste (optional)

• 1/2 tsp lime (optional)

• 1/2 tsp cumin (optional)

• 2 tbsp oil

Directions

• Mix all the ingredients except the fish very well.
• Rub the mixture on the fish pieces gently.
• Keep aside for 15 minutes (or overnight in the fridge).
• Heat a shallow pan, add 2 tbsp oil. Fry the pieces in the oil. When done on one side, turn them over and cook the other side to golden brown.

Notes

• If the fish slices are thick, cover the fish while it is frying.
• For fatty fish, you can reduce the oil.
• For a healthier version, just brush the fish with oil and grill at 175° C for 15 minutes. Baste with oil once and also turn it after 8 minutes.