Madurai Special Fish Fry (Sunday Special)

Fish fry makes a great appetizer or a side to a meal. A simple vegetable salad or onion wedges compliment the fish fry. It can be served as a side with any variety rice or with rice and rasam. This recipe is very easy to follow, a bachelor’s recipe and yields a tasty crispy fish.

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ kg fish fillets
• Oil as needed
• First marination
• 1 tbsp. ginger garlic paste or coarsely crushed
• Lemon juice as needed
• Salt as needed
• ⅛ tsp turmeric
• ¾ tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp coriander powder (if garam masala is very strong)
• ½ tsp red chili powder

Second marination:

• 1 ½ tbsp. rice flour
• 1 ½ tbsp. besan / chickpea flour / gram flour
• Salt as needed
• ¼ to ½ tsp red chilli powder or paprika (adjust to suit your taste)
• ½ tsp saunf
• ½ tsp ajwain
• ¼ tsp Kasuri methi or 1 sprig curry leaves chopped finely

METHOD:

• 
  
• Mix all the ingredients mentioned under first marination. Taste the marinade and adjust salt or spice as needed.
• Powder ajwain and saunf together or crush them coarsely. Mix all the ingredients mentioned under second marination. Repeat tasting this a bit. Adjust whatever is needed.
• Wash fish fillets thoroughly. If using a fish like salmon, make slits in the fillet.
• Drain off the water completely. Marinate with marinade prepared in step one. Set this aside for about 15 minutes.
• Place the fish in flour mixture we prepared in step 2. Make sure flour coats well on to the fish on both the sides. Fish looks floury at this stage. Set this aside till the dry flour turns moist. The moisture in the fish makes the flour damp and it sticks well to the fish. This takes around 10 to 15 minutes
• Heat a tawa. Add oil and spread it well. Heat it on a low flame. Fry till crusty on both the sides. Be gentle while flipping the fish otherwise the masala comes out. Fish can be pan fried or shallow fried both yield almost the same result.
• Garnish with onion wedges and grated carrot. Serve with a meal or as an appetizer.

For grilling the fish.

• After the second marination, Gently brush a generous amount of oil over the fillet. heat the oven at 170 C for 15 minutes and grill for about 25 minutes. You may need to grill for more or long depending on the thickness of the fillet or the variety of fish.